Skip to main content
Home/Areas of Expertise/Divorce & Family Law

Divorce & Family Law

Expert guidance through consensual and litigated divorce — balancing legal strategy with personal sensitivity.

Wooden family figurine split in two with a fountain pen and legal seal — Divorce and Family Law representation, Helen Robinsky Tal Law Office

Overview

The firm represents clients through every stage of divorce and family law proceedings — from consensual mediation-based tracks to complex litigation in Family Courts and Rabbinical Courts. Legal support begins at the earliest planning stage and continues until final judgment and enforcement.

Key Benefits

What We Deliver

Full Legal Representation

Strategy development, evidence gathering, pleadings, and court representation.

Agreement Drafting

Comprehensive divorce agreements covering property, custody, and support.

Parental Arrangements

Custody, visitation schedules, and parental decision-making.

Interest Protection

Safeguarding legal, financial, and children's-welfare interests.

Two Tracks, One Approach

Divorce proceedings in Israel follow one of two main tracks: consensual or litigated. In the consensual track, the firm drafts a comprehensive divorce agreement covering property division, custody arrangements, and support — allowing the couple to conclude the process with dignity and control within a relatively short timeframe.

Attorney Helen Robinsky, founder of the firm, is a certified mediator — a skill that enables her to navigate complex negotiations, identify common ground, and craft creative solutions while rigorously safeguarding the client's legal and financial interests.

Court Representation When Agreement Is Not Possible

When agreement cannot be reached, the firm handles complex litigated proceedings in Family Courts and Rabbinical Courts. The process includes building a tailored legal strategy, gathering evidence, filing pleadings and affidavits, conducting cross-examinations, and representing the client in hearings — with a holistic view of the case and its implications for the client and their children.

What Representation Includes

  • 1Consensual and litigated divorce proceedings
  • 2Dispute-resolution petitions and parental orders
  • 3Declaratory paternity and maternity claims
  • 4Handling parental alienation cases
  • 5Strategic planning before any filing

The firm handles a wide range of family-law matters, including dispute-resolution filings, declaratory parental orders, paternity and maternity actions, and cases involving parental alienation.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I turn to the Rabbinical Court vs. the Family Court?
The jurisdictions overlap on most issues — divorce, support, property, custody — and there's a "race to jurisdiction" where the first to file chooses the venue. The Rabbinical Court has exclusive jurisdiction over the actual divorce (the get), but on every other matter there is choice. The recommendation depends on family composition, religious considerations, and the parties' character — better discussed in a meeting.
How much does a divorce process cost?
A consensual divorce: 5,000-15,000 NIS, including agreement drafting, approval, and get procedure. A contested divorce with court hearings: tens of thousands of NIS per side, sometimes more when there are complex property issues or expert opinions required.
What happens to the shared apartment in a divorce?
Division depends on the time of purchase (before or after marriage), the source of funds, registration, and the existence of a prenup. Under the Marital Property Relations Law (1973), assets acquired during marriage are subject to equal resource balancing unless otherwise agreed. An apartment purchased before marriage typically stays with the purchasing spouse, but appreciation during the marriage may be divided.
How is child custody determined, and what's the benefit of joint custody?
The guiding principle is the child's best interest. In recent years, courts have increasingly tended toward joint custody (50/50) or extended visitation arrangements, especially after the Supreme Court ruling in BAG 919/15. Joint custody enables meaningful relationships with both parents and a more balanced support arrangement, but requires good communication between the parents.
My spouse refuses to grant a get. What can I do?
Get refusal is an offense under Israeli law. The Rabbinical Court has coercive powers — social sanctions, travel bans, and in extreme cases even imprisonment. In parallel, a tort claim can be filed for compensation for get refusal, ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands of shekels.
Can I modify a divorce agreement that's already been approved?
Yes, but only if there's been a substantial change in circumstances that could not have been foreseen when the agreement was signed — such as job loss, serious illness, relocation abroad, or a significant change in the children's needs. The application is filed with the same court that approved the original agreement.

Ready to Get Started?

Let's Work Together

Every transformation begins with a conversation. Schedule a consultation to explore how I can help you.