In large segments of the United States population, couples are not having children, fewer kids, or waiting until later l in ife. This may account for the growing multi-billion-dollar industry related to pets: Dog dadaycarePet therapists. Organic pet food. These are all words that are as common to hear and convey as lol and emojis. And hearing “my child” is a dog [cat, or fill in the blank] is a norm. It is at the time of divorce, the pets sometimes become focal points. Both litigants “love” the dog and want him/her; ... Read More
31
Jul2018
13
Jun2018
Not long ago the trend was filing for divorce mid-winter and in early spring. However, in our ever-changing mobile society, everything is different. The same appears to be true for divorce. Working from home and/or blended school calendars may be a few factors that account for shifting trends of when divorce is filed. This blog explores key reasons why filing divorce in the summer may be a prudent consideration for some couples when it was not a norm or even considered in ... Read More
15
May2018
Life is messy. Divorce really is messy and emotional; this plays out in the courtroom. Trial court judges often face the presentation of evidence in final hearings that is disorganized and ranges from notes and texts to emails and photos. With highly contested divorces, there may be multiple days of hearings over many months or even years. Mostly, for this reason, there are three common mistakes that occur in final decrees that make for strong appeals. This blog covers these three issues for ... Read More
09
May2018
The mere idea of filing for divorce is a difficult concept for most people. We all want a happy marriage, and many people stay in marriages in hopes it will get better, out of fear of the unknown in the post-divorce future, or, commonly, for their children. In other cases, people must stay married for basic reasons, such as insurance coverage if he or she has a chronic condition and would lose coverage and be unable to get care and ... Read More
30
Apr2018
What Parents (And Those Around Children) Need to Know About Removal as Punishment and Its Connection to Divorce, DCS Investigations, And Criminal Charges
Parents who have children heavily involved with the use of electronics have all probably observed a “meltdown” when devices are taken as a form of punishment.
However, with a certain segment of children—even very young children—mainstream psychology publications began widely reporting in 2017 various psychological issues with detachment and depression with removing electronic devices from the child. Pre- and teenagers had some changes ... 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
22
Jan2018
When the divorce process is started, the first steps often deal with child issues-custody, parenting time, and child support - if applicable. The next steps then involve finances-living expenses, debt, and bill payments. Sometimes the reverse is the case in order of importance. The following are the top ten documents to have, or have access to, to help move your case forward in most divorce cases:
Bank account and retirement statements: Bank accounts will generally be the places where money is immediately available and are the ... Read More
27
Dec2017
Law changes ever so imperceptibly every day. It has to in order to keep up with our society and afford each of us the right to achieve “life, liberty and happiness” through due process of law. The right to due process of law protects the family that is singled out for the most protection in the Constitution —there is a fundamental right of parents to raise their children as they see fit, even if other people or government believes ... Read More
19
Dec2017
The keys to making your best case for obtaining what you want in a divorce trial by focusing on the obvious and basics—but what is rarely ever consciously considered by the parties before or at trial.