If a court awards alimony to you or your spouse in your divorce, there are several types of alimony awards the court may choose. It is important to know the terms of your alimony arrangement so you can plan accordingly. Here are some examples of these types of alimony. Bridge the gap alimony: This is a type of alimony that…
The Uniform Parentage Act was adopted into law by all 50 states in 1973. The Act introduced unified guidelines for establishing paternity for children of both married and unmarried couples, developing an easy way for courts to identify the legal parents of a child. Establishing legal parenthood is important for many court processes, including implementing child support arrangements. Here’s a…
You have likely heard of a prenuptial agreement—a contract people enter into before they get married that outlines many issues related to the marriage, including property division and responsibilities should the marriage end in divorce. However, not as many people are familiar with postnuptial agreements, which have similar benefits and functions but are created and signed after a wedding happens.…
Every state has laws that protect children from abandonment or neglect on the part of their parents. However, the definitions of “abandonment” or “neglect” are often left open to interpretation, which is beneficial in many cases involving child abuse or neglect, but can also result in some confusion in some circumstances for parents. For example: when is a child considered…
Every child has the right to financial support from his or her parents. When one person is assigned by the court to pay child support, they are legally required to keep up with thse payments. A failure to do so is a crime. Unfortunately, failure to pay court-ordered child support is an extremely common offense across the United States. Offenders…
People filing for divorce in the United States no longer have to prove fault on the part of the other spouse to be able to proceed with a divorce. However, if your spouse had an affair, you may find it beneficial for your case to demonstrate fault anyway. Here’s what you should know. Proving fault when a spouse had an…
Divorce can wreak havoc on your finances if you’re not careful. The good news is there are steps you can take to plan out your financial future and mitigate some of the potential effects divorce can have on your overall financial outlook. Here are some tips to keep in mind to help you protect your financial status during your divorce.…
IF YOU ARE LIVING WITH YOUR GIRLFRIEND OR BOYFRIEND, AND LATER MARRY THEM, YOU NEED A CO-HABITATION AGREEMENT OR YOU MAY BE PAYING MAINTENANCE (f/k/a “ALIMONY”) FROM THE DAY THEY MOVED IN WITH YOU. THEY CAN ALSO HAVE YOU THROWN OUT OF YOUR OWN HOME. The most recent changes to New York State Family Court Act and Domestic Relations Law…
If you want to get the best results out of your partnership with your divorce attorney, the key is good communication. Here are a few tips to help you communicate better with your lawyer so you can be on the same page in your case and achieve your goals. Keep a list of questions: Rather than emailing or calling your…
The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in courthouses closing their doors for most public issues, and attorneys having to change up how they offer some of their core services. For divorce cases, this has meant a shift to online mediation (referred to as e-mediation) in many cases. The good news is that thanks to technological advances, not much…