Commack Office: (631) 543-7667; Fax: (631) 543-7901; L.L.P. conveniently located at: Sarisohn Law Partners, 350 Veteran's Memorial Highway, Commack, NY 11725-4316; Call (631) 848-1204 for the Northport and Ft. Salonga Offices, as well as off hours; Of course, please feel free to e-mail us at Carol.Ryder@ymail.com ; weekend and evening appointments available
ZEALOUSLY PROTECTING LONG ISLANDERS WITH CARE
We provide zealous advocacy FOR our clients while providing excellent, caring service TO our clients. Our major areas of practice include: family law and divorce law, including family court, child support, child support collection, custody, visitation, Child Protective Services (Office of Children & Family Services)*, Supervised Visitation; equitable distribution, Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO) and other provisions in divisions of assets, adultery, abandonment, pet custody, mediation, arbitration, Stipulations and any other issues in divorce; animal law; foreclosure defense; estate planning, including wills, trusts, health care proxies, living wills, power of attorney documents, power of attorney gift riders, and Pet Trusts; Medicaid planning for medical and long-term care, such as nursing home coverage, coverage for home health care aides (otherwise known as "Community" Medicaid), medical insurance, prescription drug coverage and other related coverage; nursing home abuse and/or nursing home neglect;
We also handle: disability discrimination and other areas of related federal and state law concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), New York Human Rights Law, The Rehabilitation Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, The New York State and New York City Division of Human Rights, Service Animals and more; veterans benefits and other veterans issues; litigation, including medical malpractice; personal injury; auto accidents; contract preparation; landlord/tenant; leases; real estate; small business representation, medium business representation; criminal law, including representation in the "specialty courts", including: Veterans Court, Mental Health Court and substance abuse court(s), otherwise known as Drug Court, and more.
If we feel you need a "super-specialist", we have a network of top experts in various fields we can call upon, and we do so regularly. We also keep in contact with various government agencies and such to aid with issues that require their help more so than the court's help (e.g. Veterans Administration). Call (631) 543-7667 or (631) 848-1204 or Offices in Fort Salonga and Northport, and now Commack, NY, all conveniently located off the Sunken Meadow Parkway (Sagtikos), Northern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway.
If this is the type of attorney you are looking for, you have come to the right place. Carol Ryder is admitted in BOTH New York State and Federal Court (EDNY), and will be gaining admission in other states' courts over time. Please let us know what your needs and questions are, and we will be more than happy to schedule a complimentary consultation with you. Carol.Ryder@ymail.com is our e-mail address, or you can call us at: or (631) 543-7667; Northport and cell # is (631) 848-1204 (weekends and evenings fine). Also see our new website, being built currently: http://www.longislandlawyerryder.com
Animal Law Seminar and Discussion for the Pet Lover June 21 at the Northport Library;
7:00 for seminar but I will be there at 5:30 to set-up Powerpoints and to discuss whatever the attendees have questions on to give people time to make it by 7
News as of February 2012 regarding foreclosures and refinancing
NEWS REGARDING MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS: Applications for mortgages are up as rates for 30-year mortgages hit a new low according to statistics (but remember what Mark Twain appropriately states about those). However, these are mostly for refinancings as borrowers (known as "mortgagors") seek to reduce their interest rates. However, lenders ("mortgagees") are not jumping to voluntarily lower their profits, and only seem to be approving refinancings where the borrower's financials are prime, including credit scores, income, appraisal value and many more factors. Even then, snafus abound for homeowners without legal counsel, especially since lenders are overwhelmed with the mortgage crisis, do not have sufficient, trained staff, and, again, they are not in the business of reducing their profit margins without the push an attorney can provide and even then, sometimes without an extra push the attorney gets the Court to give.
NEW PROPOSED FEDERAL PROGRAM: President Obama just released a proposal to Congress to help homeowners. In this program, unlike for those already behind and facing, or in the middle of, foreclosure proceedings, and unlike many previous programs like HAMP * and HARP **, or other federal and lender-based programs ***, this new proposal helps those not quite yet falling behind but in danger of falling behind.
Unfortunately, as with previous programs, lenders often do not "play ball", until legal intervention. It seems counter-intuitive that the lenders would not use what seems like common sense and be happy to get half, even 3/4, of a loaf instead of the full loaf which they will NOT be getting no matter what (paraphrasing "half a loaf is better than none"). So, the reality is, we work on trying to get a win for clients by carefully working on and negotiating for them to keep their homes and pay the lower payments; the lenders in turn get regular payments on a house maintained by the homeowner instead of another property doing nothing as it heads towards foreclosure and another property to list on their books that they have to maintain. To this day, no one knows how many properties are sitting there in the "shadow inventory" doing nothing but costing the lenders a great deal of actual money plus opportunity costs. In the "shadow inventory", the lenders own the properties but don't add them to the properties for sale for various reasons, including flooding the market and driving down prices on all properties. With court intervention, the lenders' attorneys are ordered to get this done once it goes to court and not drag it out for years, only to say no in the end.
Please note that this program is for only a limited number of mortgages, and we have legal intervention strategies to work with lenders, especially where the lenders do not cooperate in getting borrowers into some sort of refinancing program before legal intervention is needed.
Existing federal programs include:
* Eligibility for the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) requires that the borrower and the mortgage meet all the following criteria:
• You occupy the house as your primary residence. • You obtained your mortgage on or before January 1, 2009. • You have a mortgage payment that is more than 31 percent of your monthly gross (pre-tax) income. • You owe up to $729,750 on your home. • You have a financial hardship and are either delinquent or in danger of falling behind. • You have sufficient, documented income to support the modified payment. • You must not have been convicted within the last 10 years of felony larceny, theft, fraud, forgery, money laundering or tax evasion, in connection with a mortgage or real estate transaction.
** Eligibility for the Home Affordable Refinance Program (HARP) requires that the borrower and the mortgage meet all the following criteria:
The mortgage must be owned or guaranteed by Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae. The mortgage must have been sold to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac on or before May 31, 2009. The mortgage cannot have been refinanced under HARP previously unless it is a Fannie Mae loan that was refinanced under HARP from March-May, 2009.The current loan-to-value (LTV) ratio must be greater than 80%. The borrower must be current on the mortgage at the time of the refinance, with a good payment history in the past 12 months.
*** Other Federal Programs to help borrowers:
FHA Refinance for Borrowers in Negative Equity (FHA Short Refinance)If you're not behind on your mortgage payments but owe more than your home is worth, and your loan is insured or guaranteed by FHA, FHA Short Refinance may be an option that your mortgage servicer will consider.
Treasury/FHA Second Lien Program (FHA2LP)If you have a second mortgage and your first mortgage servicer agrees to participate in FHA Short Refinance, you may be eligible to have your second mortgage on the same home reduced.
Principal Reduction Alternative SM (PRA) If your home is currently worth significantly less than you owe on it, MHA's Principal Reduction Alternative (PRA) was designed to help you.
PROGRAM FOR INVESTORS TO BID ON FNMA and FREDDIE MAC FORECLOSED PROPERTIES: The regulator for housing finance firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac announced on February 1, 2012 that investors could now sign up to pre-qualify to bid on foreclosed properties held by these government-controlled firms.This is just one plan to help the struggling U.S. housing market by clearing a backlog of foreclosed properties, where investors could purchase homes to convert them into rental units under the program. However, this program is not one designed to help those in foreclosure and/or in danger of foreclosure. The Federal Housing Finance Agency said it will announce the first transaction during a pilot phase of the so-called REO initiative in the "near term", so it is yet to be seen how this program helps any parties.
UPDATE 2/20/12 ON SEAMUSGATE (OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "SEAMUS GATE" )
The situation surrounding Mitt Romneys' family dog Seamus points out, in sad detail, some of the abuse suffered by animals considered pets, as well as other animals. What Seamus went through is against the law and we still do not know what happened to Seamus after he got out of that torture chamber on top of the car. There are arguments that this may not have been against the law back then, people did not know any better back then, and that the statute of limitations is up. However, there are different stories coming from Romney's camp and others, including the innocent witnesses, the kids, about what truly happened: Was Seamus killed? Was Seamus set free (often a fate worse than death or did he run away, preferring to go way beyond the canine's natural instinct to stay with his pack rather than return to abuse with Romney? Just remember, to paraphrase many brilliant people, the true test of a person's character is how he treats animals. If this is how a pet beloved by his own kid is handled, what about his constituents, especially those most at his mercy-the 99%ers? Do you want someone like this representing YOU? And most importantly, since the story keeps changing and we cannot get a straight answer from Romney on something as straight forward as this, who can we trust to lead us out of this crisis?
"Dogs Against Romney Group Protests In New York City" (VIDEO) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/dogs-against-romney-protests-new-york-city_n_1277445.html
Do You Suspect Abuse or Maltreatment? Report it Now! Call CFS' Statewide Toll Free Telephone Number: 1-800-342-3720; TDD/TTY: 1-800-638-5163; If you believe that a child is in immediate danger, call 911 or your local police department
ANIMALS IN PLACES WITH NO-PETS POLICIES-PLEASE CONTACT US FOR HELP WITH ANY ANIMAL LAW SITUATION:
Soap Star Nick Santino Commits Suicide After Condo Board Harrassment to Get Rid of Beloved Pit Bull: Our condolences to the loved ones of soap actor Nick Santino. This situation (pets in places with no pets policies) is an area of law we handle, and we wish Mr. Santino would have been able to reach out for help. For more information on the laws regarding animals in rentals (co-ops, condos, rentals, and other places with no pets policies), including New York City, New York State and local laws, rules and regulations, see the Animal Law pages on www.CAROLRYDERLAW.com and/or come to the pro bono Animal Law for the Pet Lover seminars/discussions given to the public regularly. For those who missed the seminars held recently, as many people contacted me and expressed their dismay at not being able to come, please be advised that a schedule for this upcoming season will be posted soon. The seminars also include information on Pet Trusts and other Estate Planning, Service Animals, and many more areas people are interested in, especially since we customize each one to what the attendees' needs are. Although this reaction was extreme and may indicate other factors in Mr. Santino's life, this repeated stress and heartbreak in dealing with landlords, co-op or condo boards, home owner associations, and other parties seeking to evict the pet, is common, so get legal help to avoid it now, before you even have to face the imminent decision of moving or giving up your beloved pet. In questioning by the press, a condo board member refused to accept responsibility for actor killing self after he 'betrayed' dog and stated 'It had nothing to do with us':
NOTE*: This website, along with any e-mail, telephone call, conversation, text or any other communication, is not to be construed, inferred, or regarded as creating any attorney-client relationship, nor is the information meant to be taken as legal advice-it is for informational purposes only. It is given as a convenience so that visitors have an educated idea about certain legally-related issues and what information they should gather to obtain the best possible legal advice from an in-person meeting with an attorney. We look forward to speaking with you-please call our office at (631) 543-7667 or cell number weekends and evenings at (631) 848-1204 to schedule a complimentary consultation (weekends and evening appointments available).
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Serving Suffolk County, including: Commack | Northport | Fort Salonga | Huntington | East Northport | Asharoken| Eatons Neck| Centerport | Cold Spring Harbor | Smithtown | Kings Park | Lloyd Harbor | Gilgo Beach| Oakdale | Sayville | West Sayville | Nesconset | Holbrook | Lake Grove | Mount Sinai | Wading River| Huntington Station | South Huntington | Dix Hills | Harborfields | Deer Park | Central Islip | Port Jefferson | Stony Brook | Head of the Harbor | Nissequogue | Nesconset | Village of the Branch |Setauket | East Setauket | Saint James | Hauppauge | West Islip | Islip | Lake Grove | Brightwaters | Lindenhurst | Copiague | Melville | Miller Place | Patchogue | Medford | Holstville | Centereach | Amityville | Babylon | North Babylon | Bay Shore | Fire Island |Blue Point | Bayport | Farmingdale | South Farmingdale | Farmingville | Mattituck | Shirley | Wyandanch | Brightwaters | Selden | Mastic | Mastic Beach | East Moriches | Moriches | East Patchogue | Remsenburg-Speonk | Westhampton | Southhampton | East Hampton | Sag Harbor | Amagansett | Bridgehampton | Sagaponack | Wainscott | Quogue | Yaphank | Riverhead | Montauk | Greenport | Shelter Island | North Haven | Flanders | Aquebogue | Baiting Hollow | Calverton | Audubon Woods | West Hills |
Serving Nassau County, including: Cold Spring Harbor | Cold Spring Heights | Syosset | Woodbury | Jericho | Brookville | Muttontown | Oyster Bay | Plainview | Lloyd Neck | Bayville | Kings Point | East Hills | Great Neck | Port Washington | Manhasset | Sands Point | Glen Cove | Glen Head | Roslyn | Roslyn Heights | Roslyn Estates | Munsey Park | Searingtown | Albertson | Massapequa | Massapequa Park | Seaford | Wantagh | Bethpage | Baldwin | Roosevelt | Freeport | West Hempstead | Garden City | Carle Place | Mineola | Westbury | Old Westbury | Merrick | Valley Stream | Rockville Centre | Malverne | Oceanside | Westbury | Old Westbury | Woodmere | Lawrence | Cedarhurst | Williston Park | Bellmore | North Bellmore | New Hyde Park | Long Beach | Atlantic Beach | Lido Beach | Lynbrook | Levittown | East Meadow | East Rockaway Floral Park | Lynbrook | Baldwin | Bellmore | Albertson | Hewlett Harbor | Farmingdale | Jones Beach | Springfield Gardens | Bellerose | Williston Park |
Commack Office: (631) 543-7667; Fax: (631) 543-7901; L.L.P. conveniently located at: Sarisohn Law Partners, 350 Veteran's Memorial Highway, Commack, NY 11725-4316; Call (631) 848-1204 for the Northport and Ft. Salonga Offices, as well as off hours; Of course, please feel free to e-mail us at 
