Under the Divorce Act, the Legislature has expressly encouraged divorcing parties to reach agreements to divide their property. Most of the time, a divorce court will accept most any property (real property, like land and the marital home, and personal property, like furniture and pots and pans) agreement. In fact, the parties are free to enter a property division that the court could not order or would abuse its discretion in doing so.1 However, there are three critical mistakes that some parties make in settling their property that may be impossible or ... Read More
27
Sep2018
29
Aug2018
The divorce decision was handed down and it is now final. The property has been divided. The costs have been allocated, and attorney’s fees may have been awarded. If you have children, then custody, parenting time, and child support also have finally been decided. What are your rights if you disagree with the decision? You are not happy with the result. Maybe you feel the property division was unfair, or maybe you did not get joint custody. Whether you disagree with one provision or several, you have a right to appeal your divorce ... Read More
03
Apr2018
Three Ways to Protect “Loans” From Family and Friends in Divorce Proceedings
How can I protect money my parents or friends loaned me (actually “us” legally speaking) from being divided with my spouse in the divorce?
A common scenario that unfolds in a divorce is a claim by the husband or wife that certain money in the marital estate and asset was loaned the divorcing couple and should be repaid. In most cases, there is not a perfected loan (document) recognized under Indiana ... Read More
13
Mar2018
Divorce is often the best of times and the worst of times - all at the same time. The decision to move on in life from a worn-out relationship is hard-to-impossible to make, particularly where there are children involved. The “unknowns” and “uncertainty” are what hold many people back. On the other hand, life is short and taking steps to move to a new future when a marriage cannot be repaired is at the same time, liberating to exciting for many litigants. This blog post provides three ... Read More
31
Jan2018
This blog discusses the considerations in the division of a farm as part of the marital estate and how same may be valued in a dissolution proceeding. A farm that as part of the marital estate creates unique issues in a dissolution of marriage, and the potential for argument over the ultimate division of the farm property, which the firm has handled at the trial court level and on appeal to higher courts.
In determining the division of farm property, some consideration must be given ... Read More
08
Jan2018
In some divorces, there is “foreign” real estate within the total marital estate1. Typically, this falls into one of three categories: (1) a timeshare or some other similar factional ownership; (2) a home or property sited in another state; or (3) a home or property located in another country. Under the Indiana Divorce Act—Indiana’s body of law that guides judges in divorce proceedings—all such real property is subject to the jurisdiction of the divorce court and must be divided. This blog covers the unique legal concepts and issues ... Read More
08
Dec2017
In today’s digital world with global work and play, people from different cultures, backgrounds, and ages marry. In many cases, there are significant differences in net worth, age, and business ownership. For this reason, some couples choose to enter into pre-marital agreements under Indiana’s Uniform Pre-Marital Act.
A prenuptial is a document or series of documents, that specifies what a divorce court is to do in divorcing the parties in a divorce filing when separating their assets and liabilities. This blog addresses legal issues you ... Read More
06
Nov2017
Marriages fail for many reasons. There are no longer fault-based divorces in America. This means that a spouse no longer has to prove “fault” such as adultery—an affair--to obtain a divorce. This is a different legal concept than “waste”—when a spouse uses assets and monies to support illicit or illegal acts that reduce the amount the trial court has to divide in a divorce. The presumption is an equal division on divorce. This blog post introduces the complex legal analysis that ... Read More
03
Nov2017
The Use of Forensic Accountants and Private Investigators to Find Hidden Assets in Divorce
In Indiana when you file for divorce, there is a rebuttable presumption that the Court is to divide the marital estate or assets 50/50. Sometimes there are allegations that a party has hidden monies and other assets of the marriage that has to be divided. There is a rule that the division of the marital estate cannot exceed its entire value.1
This means that if the total value of the ... Read More
12
Oct2017
In complex or high asset divorces, attorneys sometimes face property, such as a vacation home, located abroad. The question becomes, “is this part of the marital estate?” Yes. All property no matter where located is marital property. Indiana subscribes, under the Dissolution Act, to the one pot theory where all assets brought into the marriage, acquired during the marriage, or to the date of filing are assets of the marriage the court can divide.
This is settled law. This blog explores enforcement of ... Read More