When you find your family going through a divorce, emotions run high and patience can be at an all-time low. Some parents and well-meaning family members are not aware of the long-term, life-changing effects divorce can have on the children in the family, no matter how young or old. Here are some tips to help…
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It is often the woman who finds herself in a financial quandary after divorce. She may not have a strong grasp of her current and future finances, and she may need to start generating income by returning to the workforce, as losing most of her partner’s income has substantially changed her financial landscape. Women leave…
Read MoreIn a collaborative divorce, both clients are represented by their own attorney. In many instances, it is also recommended that clients hire the services of a neutral financial and one or two mental health professionals (divorce coaches). In the collaborative process, the clients and their attorneys sign an agreement allowing the clients’ divorce professionals to…
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Many times during a divorce, the “gloves come off” in ways you or your spouse never thought were possible. In strenuous times, people often do things they regret. Unfortunately, in divorce, it is common to use children as leverage, no matter their age. Some parents are not aware of the long-term, life-altering effects divorce can…
Read MoreMariette Goldenhuys and I were thrilled to be invited to write a chapter for the book LGBTQ Divorce and Relationship Dissolution. Initially, we were asked to write separate chapters on mediation and collaborative law, but then the editors decided to consolidate chapters which is now Chapter 7: Consensual Dispute Resolution with Same-Sex Couples in LGBTQ…
Read MoreCollaborative, mediation and co-mediation are private processes where the clients never go to court. These are completely private and confidential processes. Does that mean that no documents get filed with the Court? No, but when documents are filed with the Court such as a Marital Settlement Agreement or Stipulated Judgment, the documents may be just…
Read MoreYou know in your heart and your mind that it is time to have the complicated and emotionally charged discussion with your spouse about separating and starting the divorce process. Here are some thoughts we like to share with our clients before starting this dialogue with their significant other: Are you 100% sure you want…
Read MoreC.P., a married woman, conceived a child with a co-worker (C.A.). Her husband learned that he was not the biological father but agreed to stay married and raise the child as his own. In addition, the married couple allowed the biological father to act as a parent by paying child support, attending the child’s medical…
Read MoreWhen you get married, the thought of getting divorced might seem unlikely. However, if you wind up in front of the family court judge, the exact date your divorce is finalized might have a significant financial impact under a new tax plan. Annette Nellen, a professor with San Jose State University, teaches tax policy and…
Read MoreMy married friends (as well as myself) complain about how they can’t get their spouses to change certain annoying and undesirable traits, whether it’s a spouse who has to control all the money, or a spouse not being emotionally available, or a spouse that doesn’t do a particularly good job watching the kids, or a…
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