WHAT YOU CAN REASONABLY EXPECT FROM YOUR ATTORNEY In order to become an attorney, an individual needs to graduate from college, complete law school, and pass a bar examination specific to the state where he or she hopes to practice. Additionally, most states require attorneys to pass an ethical examination. The process is arduous and…
Many people are concerned about whether they need a woman lawyer or a man for a lawyer. There was a time when law schools had more men then women, but at this time, the playing field is becoming more even and in most instances there are as many female law students as there are male…
A Child’s Burdens When Parents Divorce The decision to become divorced should be made by the parents with the needs of the children paramount when making such a decision. Once parents begin to move forward in the divorce process, it is important that they jointly determine how to best communicate with the children about the…
One of a Judge’s least favorite cases is that of the custody of an animal. People become very attached to their dogs, cats and horses, but an animal is not a child in the eyes of the law. The standard for the Court to determine the custody of a child is to decide what is…
Alimony is a payment from one spouse or former spouse to another spouse or former spouse, and that payment is taxable to the person who receives the alimony and tax deductible to the person who pays the alimony. That payment is specifically for the support of a spouse or ex-spouse. Because alimony is tax deductible…
Collaborative Law is one option for alternative dispute resolution and consists of divorcing couples applying a team approach to the resolution of their issues. The parties with their collaboratively trained attorneys come together with a collaboratively trained mental health professional referred to as a “divorce coach.” The divorce coach acts as a neutral person and…
1. Who? Child Support is paid by the non-custodial parent to the custodial parent for the benefit of the children. Alimony is paid to a former spouse, typically of a long term marriage (ten years or more) where a disparity of income exists; 2. What? Child Support is not taxable to the recipient nor tax…
1. What is custody? The concept of custody is twofold and consists of Legal Custody, which designates the parent(s) to be responsible for making decisions on matters of the children’s education, religious upbringing and medical care; and Physical Custody, which designates the person(s) with whom the children will predominately reside. Typically, parties will have shared…
1. TODAY! Take a complete Video inventory of your home. Once a complaint for divorce is filed, people become very territorial. It is not uncommon for spouses, once they know a divorce is imminent, to remove items from the home, secreting them away to preserve things that are financial or sentimental value. What was once…
