In today’s digital world, complex financial transactions and the ability to sort out fact from fiction is difficult in all arenas. This is especially true in the context of divorce. A neutral investigator may assist the attorney and client in these tasks to ultimately help move the divorce along consistently with the trial objectives and presumptions in property and custody statutes.
In the past, the “private” in “private investigator” has conjured up sleazy images for attorneys and litigants, evoking the thought of ... Read More
13
Jul2016
06
Apr2016
Under Indiana law, a trial court starts dividing the marital estate with the presumption of an equal division. There are numerous reasons for the court to deviate and award the other spouse more if it is fair (equitable in legal parlance). A category that is often overlooked is “dissipation” of marital assets, which means the illicit or illegal acts of a party has reduced the amount of the estate available to divide.
This blog looks at three common types of dissipation of marital assets. The first ... Read More
22
Jul2011
"What can I do and explain my rights if my spouse has been hiding funds preparing for a divorce or wasting marital assets on gambling, drugs, or illicit relationships?"
Generally, missing or hidden assets, what is referred to as marital waste under formal legal terminology, should be attributed to the spouse who is acting improperly. Under the Indiana Divorce Act, a trial court is to presume an equal division of ... Read More
18
May2011
"How are unvested stock options, unvested retirement benefits, or a potential inheritance treated by divorce courts?"
They are not. Indiana’s one-pot theory pulls all assets and liabilities brought into the marriage or acquired during the marriage but before the filing of a divorce into the “pot” or marital estate for division.
This gives judges wide discretion to apportion it and reach a just and reasonable division of the marital estate. At Ciyou & Dixon, P.C., ... Read More