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Marsha Garrison

Suzanne J. and Norman Miles Professor of Law

250 Joralemon Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 780-7947 | Email | CV

Areas of Expertise

Bioethics
Family Law
Health Law

Education

B.A., University of Utah

J.D., Harvard University Law School

NPR: No, You’re Not In A Common-Law Marriage After 7 Years Together

9/4/2016

Professor Marsha Garrison dispels the myth of the common-law marriage rule on NPR.

Professor Marsha Garrison Elected President of the International Society of Family Law

8/23/2014

Professor Marsha Garrison, an expert on law and policy relating to families, children, and reproductive technology, was recently elected President of The International Society of Family Law at the organization’s triennial World Conference.

Professor Marsha Garrison on Marriage, Family, and Her New Book, Marriage at a Crossroads

3/1/2012

In light of the ongoing debate about marriage in the United States and recent Census statistics about marriage and family makeup, professor Marsha Garrison’s new book, Marriage at a Crossroads, is particularly timely.

Professor Marsha Garrison on No-Fault Divorce in The New York Times

6/17/2010

On June 15, the New York State Senate approved a bill that would allow divorces to be filed without naming which party is at fault, making New York one of the last states to implement a no-fault divorce system. Although some critics say it may raise the divorce rate, many attorneys welcome the new law. The current procedure, which requires concrete grounds for the divorce, often forces lawyers to wrench contrived explanations out of their clients, when the simple reason may be that they no longer like each other—a reason that does not currently stand in court. Professor Marsha Garrison, an expert on family law, agrees that the new law will eliminate the white lies common in trying to establish fault. She told The New York Times, “We want people to respect the law, not to engage in that kind of scamming.”

Professor Marsha Garrison Discusses Abduction in San Antonio

12/2/2009

A mother in Texas witnessed the kidnapping of her 10-year-old son in a strange case of what San Antonio attorney Miguel Ortiz calls "government-assisted kidnapping." Five years prior, the woman, Berenice Diaz, had been awarded full custody of her son, Jean Paul. On october 16 however, her husband convinced the court otherwise with misleading Mexican judicial documents. The next day, he arrived with a police escort to collect Jean Paul and they have not been since or heard from since. In an article from the Associated Press, Professor Marsha Garrison, who is also secretary-general of the International Society of Family Law, commented on the matter. "I'd guess that it's pretty uncommon for an abductor to trick a court," she said. "It seems odd that the officials handed over the child without a hearing on the matter at which the other parent was allowed to present evidence, but I don't know what kind of evidence was offered by the father."