Domestic Relations Putting a Price Tag on Your Divorce Case The cost of divorce is always a concern. How much your case will cost, what happens if you can’t pay, who should pay, and how to keep costs down are some of the issues discussed here.
Domestic Relations Soon-to-Be Ex Etiquette: What You Should and Should Not Do Now How to interact with your spouse during divorce proceedings can be a delicate matter. When can I date? Can my therapy sessions be used against me? Can my parents or friends move in with me? Can our marriage counselor/minister/priest testify? These are some of the questions considered in this article.
Domestic Relations The Road to Settlement: ADR Can Offer Cost-Effective Alternatives to Trial Litigation is a last resort. It is expensive, time-consuming, and emotionally draining. The law provides a number of alternative methods for helping people achieve mutually agreeable solutions. The umbrella term for these methods is “alternative dispute resolution,” or ADR.
Domestic Relations Focus on Custody: It’s All About What’s Best for Your Kids You believe you’re the better parent—how can you convince the judge? Do your child’s wishes affect custody determinations? I can’t stand my ex—how do I help promote good relations between him and my child? These and related questions are addressed in “Focus on Custody.”
Domestic & Sexual Violence Domestic Violence Changes Everything Domestic violence, that most urgent of issues, is the examined in this article. It speaks to such questions as how to develop a safety plan, how to keep an abuser away from you, what if the abuser is sorry, and what are warning signs that domestic violence will occur.
Domestic Relations Calculating Child Support and Alimony Parents may come to an agreement on the amount of child support to be paid, but the judge has the last word as to whether that agreement is fair and will be implemented. This principle is the starting point for “Calculating Child Support and Alimony.”
Domestic Relations Who Gets What? Dividing Property and Sharing Debts This article tackles the thorny issues of property division. It answers such questions as when does property get divided, what property gets divided, what is “marital property” and is it divisible in a divorce, and can one get half of a spouse’s retirement assets.
Domestic Relations The Move-Away Case: Can One Parent Relocate with the Kids? Moving with children is usually stressful, but divorce can make it even more so. This section focuses on what happens if you or your ex-spouse get transferred or offered a job in another city, whether you must notify an ex-spouse before you move, “How far is too far?”, and other relocation concerns.
Military & Veterans Divorcing the Military Spouse Divorcing a military spouse calls into play all sorts of complex rules. This article helps you understand them and clarifies the answers to such questions as where to file for divorce, whether you can share in your spouse’s military pension, and what happens when alimony or child support is not paid.
Domestic Relations You, Your Ex, and Your Social Security Benefits When you enter the bureaucratic maze of Social Security benefits, it is easy to feel lost. Use this offering as an initial guide to get you through the process and point you in the right direction for benefits you are entitled to based on a spouse’s—or ex-spouse’s—Social Security earnings record.
Taxation Taxes: Claiming Exemptions and Taking Deductions Taxes are headaches for most everyone, but add divorce to the mix, and the pain worsens. Some relief can be had when you have answers to your tax questions, and this article delivers answers in an easy-to-understand format.
Domestic Relations Pondering a Prenup A premarital agreement, or “prenup,” is a contract between two people who plan to marry. It defines their property rights in the event of divorce or death and may address other issues such as alimony and payment of expenses. Whether you need one depends on your particular situation. Find out more in “Pondering a Prenup.”
Domestic Relations Post-Divorce: Wrapping Up and Moving On With Your Life The divorce is over, but there is still much to think about and manage. This article aims to help you move on by providing perspective on property settlement agreements, an ex-spouse’s retirement plan and life insurance, mortgage payments, wills, new significant others, and co-parenting.
Domestic Relations Navigating the Social Media Minefield How can social media affect the outcome of divorce and separation proceedings? The author answers with a quote by the poet Elizabeth Barret Browning: “Let me count the ways.” Wend your way through the social media minefield with this article as your guide—you’ll be glad you did.
Domestic Relations FAQs Regarding Same-Sex Relationships The recent Supreme Court case of Obergefell v. Hodges helped change the law: same-sex couples now have the right to marry and to have their marriages recognized in all states. The author outlines the implications of Obergefell and takes you through related topics affecting the legal rights of people in same-sex relationships.
Domestic Relations Assisted Reproductive Technology Law: 10 FAQs When a child is born to a surrogate, the court must establish the “intended parents” as the child’s “legal parents.” An ART law specialist leads you through this topic and many other legal issues that arise for people seeking to become parents through assisted reproductive technology.
Family The New ABA: New Opportunities for a New Future Melissa J. Avery This year has gone fast and seen much change. I hope to share with other lawyers not only my own experience but opportunities for shaping their personal journeys within the ABA and the Family Law Section in years to come.
Family From the Editor in Chief Kathleen A. Hogan Involvement in a domestic relations proceeding such as a divorce, child custody dispute, or child support matter represents a period of extraordinary stress. You are not alone in this process, and this issue can help you work with your lawyer by providing basic answers and information on a host of topics.
