During a divorce case, it is common for attorneys and judges to talk about the importance of “maintaining the status quo,” especially if there are children involved. When a divorce case also concerns child custody, judges are tasked with looking out for the best interests of the children. Usually, judges believe that divorce is hard…
When a divorce is contested—meaning that the spouses can’t agree or haven’t yet agreed on all issues—the first hearing in the case will usually be regarding a motion for temporary relief. While not every divorce case will have this type of hearing, they are not uncommon and are many people’s first experience with their family…
After a divorce is settled, both former spouses will have an obligation to transfer marital property to each other according to the terms of the divorce decree. What many people fail to understand is that the divorce decree doesn’t actually transfer legal ownership of property from one person to another—while both parties are legally obligated…
Ideally, every divorcing couple would treat each other with respect and negotiate a settlement agreement which fits each person’s needs. In the real world, divorces are often messy, and some spouses may play dirty to get what they want. Unfortunately, this means that many people have had their reputations tarnished by false allegations in divorce…
Engagement and wedding rings are often worth far more to their owners than their resale value. These rings carry an emotional significance that can stay with a person for years, even after a divorce. For that reason, many people have a hard time letting go of the rings regardless of the state of their relationship…
Most people are familiar with the concept of expert witnesses through watching legal procedural TV shows like Law & Order. In these types of programs, the expert witness is usually a hired gun who comes into the courtroom with damning evidence that cinches the case for one side or the other. In the actual legal…
After weeks and months of planning, filling out forms, attending hearings and mediations, and negotiating with your ex-spouse, you are finally done and your divorce is finalized. Congratulations! Before you breathe a sigh of relief and put the whole ordeal behind you, make sure that you take all of the necessary steps to comply with…
In the legal world, the month of January marks the beginning of divorce season. For multiple reasons, many couples wait until the beginning of the year to file for divorce, and the month sees a significant spike in new filings each year. While many lawyers have their own theories about the reasons for this increase,…
The decision to change your name after a marriage or divorce is an intensely personal one. Though it is usually women who change their legal names, any person who adopted a new legal name after a marriage may wonder what their rights are to that name in case of a divorce. If you get divorced,…