When English ruler Henry VIII left his wife for noblewoman Anne Boleyn, it became one of the most infamous and controversial divorces in history. However, this famous split was technically not a divorce at all: It was an annulment. Although the modern American legal system bears little resemblance to Tudor England, divorce and annulment are still considered distinct legal concepts. At Myers Family ...
Financial issues can add strain and stress to a couple already facing marital problems. For many modern couples, however, one particular kind of financial issue is fueling their decision to divorce: Student loan debt. According to recent research, as many as 1 in 8 couples report that student loan debt had a direct impact on their divorce. Why is this the case, and what happens to student loan ...
When you have a substantial net worth, you may assume that you don’t need a prenuptial agreement before your marriage: After all, you acquired your significant assets long before you got engaged, which would make them separate property according to the state of California. Separate property is typically something you can always keep for yourself, right? Unfortunately, this may not always be a safe ...
Child custody cases can be the most difficult and emotionally exhausting part of any divorce. Because of the high stress and emotional strain put on children when their parents separate, courts are legally and morally obligated to always put the child’s best interests first when determining child custody arrangements. However, there are also a few other factors that you’ll want to keep in mind ...
Once almost exclusively called alimony, the process of requesting money from your spouse after a divorce has gone by many names over the years. From alimony to spousal maintenance to spousal support, these terms can be dizzying – and confusing, especially for non-lawyers. Although these terms mostly mean the same thing, there are some slight differences in the types of spousal support a judge can ...
Divorce is one of the hardest decisions any married person will have to face. This decision can be complicated by a wide range of factors, from mental health issues to the custody of any children you and your spouse might have together. In some cases, these complications can lead to a contested divorce. This simply means that your spouse disagrees with one or more terms of the arrangement. ...
It’s already that time: back-to-school season is in full swing! For divorced/separated/unwed parents, this means a whole lot more than making sure the necessary school supplies are purchased and the first-day outfit is picked out. It also means preparing for a lot of co-parenting. Make sure you and your kids are prepped for success this upcoming school year by following these 5 back-to-school ...
A new job doesn’t necessarily mean a new child support order, even if the job change resulted in a lower pay check. In fact, modifying an existing order can be quite difficult without the proper knowledge and the right legal support on your side. Here’s what you need to know: Petitioning the Court to Change a Child Support Order Although your child support payments will not automatically be ...
Below, we answer some of the most common questions our clients ask us about spousal support. Question: What is spousal support? A: Spousal support, also known as alimony, is financial support that one spouse has to pay to the other spouse after their marriage has legally ended. Temporary alimony, also known as pendente lite alimony, can be granted while a divorce is still being negotiated. When ...
Have you ever spent hours talking to a friend or relative about their marriage issues? Doesn’t it seem strange that some couples can talk to anyone but their partner when their marriage is having difficulties? When couples like these do manage to communicate with each other, it often turns into a shouting match. While couples can try to work through their issues with a marriage counselor, it’s not ...
Summer vacation is supposed to be the time of the year that you can relax and enjoy fun activities with your children. Summer is definitely not the time to be getting into heated arguments with your ex-spouse over who your children will be staying with while they are home from school. Summer is when divorced spouses most often have disputes about where their kids will be traveling to and which ...
Spouses who are getting a divorce are confronted with a number of issues that must be resolved before they can move on with their lives. While many couples argue over how their property and valuable assets will be divided, it is often their shared debts that end up causing the most problems. In this blog, we talk about what happens to your debts when you get divorced. Splitting Up Debt As part of ...
Unmarried parents often have to face many of the same legal challenges that married parents do when it comes to child custody issues. Although child custody laws vary in each state, being the mother or father of the child remains a major consideration when determining custody arrangements. In this blog, we explain custody rights for unmarried parents. Mother's Primary Right to Custody Mothers who ...
Below, we answer questions about emergency custody that our clients tend to ask the most. Q: What is an emergency custody order? A: Emergency custody orders give you immediate custody without providing notice to the other party. Emergency custody orders typically deal with minor children. Q: How can I get an emergency custody order for my children? A: You will first have to file an underlying ...
Just because you and your ex-spouse have a child custody order in place does not mean neither of you will ever be able to change it. If you currently have joint custody and want to change the order to obtain full custody, you can request a modification. However, if your ex-spouse does not agree to the change, as is usually the case, you will have to go to court and present your case to a judge. ...