I received a call this week from “Tony,” a fictitious name for a man I represented in 1998, when he and his first wife had a 3 year old son together. He has been a generous and involved father to his child from that marriage for the entire 15 years since his divorce. He paidContinue reading “Don’t Take Your Ex’s Word for Everything”
Tag Archives: Law
Whose divorce is this, anyway?
I had a surprising phone call today with an old friend. He has been in the divorce process for almost a year, and could not see a way to conclude the process and get on with his life. The reason, sadly, is because his wife won’t let him. After all of these years of lettingContinue reading “Whose divorce is this, anyway?”
What is Discovery and when is it necessary?
Most of my divorce practice is uncontested and amicable. I help two consenting adults conduct the equivalent of a business transaction, so that both can move on with their lives and keep as much of their assets and dignity intact as possible. In many of these cases the couple knows their own and each other’sContinue reading “What is Discovery and when is it necessary?”
When Lawyers Can’t Agree..
One of my favorite trips to court is on a busy family docket day. One reason is that it is fun, is I get to run into so many lawyers that I happen to know from the area, all dressed-up and looking clean and smelling nice. Most lawyers are on their best behavior in aContinue reading “When Lawyers Can’t Agree..”
What are the Differences Between Divorce, Legal Separation, and Just Being Separated?
A legal term for divorce is “Dissolution of Marriage,” meaning that once the marriage is dissolved, it ceases to exist. Once a couple divorces, they are each single and unmarried. They are then free to come and go as they wish, marry someone else, or not, and have control of their own adult lives. OnceContinue reading “What are the Differences Between Divorce, Legal Separation, and Just Being Separated?”
Don’t Let Divorce Define You
Yesterday, once again, I left the courthouse beaming with pride at what my clients have accomplished. We sat in the courtroom most of the morning waiting until the judge could take our uncontested divorce action. We waited through status conferences in which people fought over what date they would exchange financial information. We sat throughContinue reading “Don’t Let Divorce Define You”
Are you Ready or Hesitant?
Marriage affords people certain benefits. There are compromises and pay-offs that married people balance and weigh all of the time. It might actually be impossible to spend decades living with another fully-functioning adult and never get on each others nerves. We are talking about marriage between human beings, after all. Divorce happens when those compromisesContinue reading “Are you Ready or Hesitant?”
Don’t underestimate the value of your in-laws…
What is the value of keeping your in-laws in a divorce? I recently heard a woman make an argument that she should be entitled to increased alimony because she lives closer to her in-laws than to her own parents. Many states use a rubric of factors to determine alimony. Factors may include length of theContinue reading “Don’t underestimate the value of your in-laws…”
What is the goal of a mediated divorce?
In a mediated divorce we are trying to make sure that everyone gets a fair share of all available resources, including the assets and debts, the income, and time with the children. But in a litigated divorce there’s an extra item to distribute: Blame. Unlike everything else on the list, there is usually moreContinue reading “What is the goal of a mediated divorce?”
Can You Read the Judge’s Mind?
No – you can’t read the Judge’s mind; but I can. Okay. Not really. But, there are clues which are surprisingly reliable. Picture this. You and your ex-wife have been fighting about custody, visitation, and money. You are barely making ends meet, and she keeps bringing you to court (making you pay your lawyer moreContinue reading “Can You Read the Judge’s Mind?”
Love Your Divorce 