The year is winding down, and we are already in the thick of the holidays. If you have been struggling with your marriage, you might be thinking that the best gift you could give yourself would be a meeting with a divorce attorney or a divorce mediator. You might also think it makes more sense to ride out the rest of the year without upsetting family traditions. After all, isn’t choosing peace in the spirit of the season? Read more
The end of another year is closing in; the days are growing shorter and the weather colder. This means, of course, that it’s time once again to celebrate the winter holidays. While not everyone practices religious holiday traditions, many people do. In fact, some couples practice the traditions of more than one faith. Read more
Over the past few years we have pointed out the many benefits of divorce mediation. Successful mediation, however, requires the right mindset, including a collaborative spirit and a willingness to openly share financial information. Without these factors, mediation might not succeed. A divorce case could even devolve into a high cost horror story! Read more
Many people who are planning to resolve their divorce issues in mediation wonder whether or not they need an attorney. The following information can help you understand why attorneys are necessary, when to consult with an attorney, and what questions to ask any attorney you are considering hiring. Read more
“I know going to court is expensive,” Cassie told her lawyer, “but if we go to mediation, Brent is never going to agree to anything that I want. Every time I try to talk to him about alimony, he just gets mad. He keeps accusing me of wanting to mooch off of him for the rest of my life. I don’t like the idea of having to depend on him any more than he does, but he seems to think I can just walk back into a great job like the one I had when I was 30. I don’t think that’s too likely after 15 years at home with the kids!” Read more
Jim and Kelly decided to call it quits on their marriage after only three years. They believed their divorce would be simple. They had some property to divide, but at least they didn’t have to worry about fighting over custody and visitation of children. Unfortunately, when they sat down to hash things out, they realized that they did have someone to fight over, after all—their beloved pets. Read more
If you are considering divorce mediation, you might be taken aback when you hear that during the process you and your soon-to-be-ex will need to speak directly to one another. Tracy, a 32-year-old mother of two, sums up the typical response. “Impossible! The whole reason we’re getting a divorce is that we’re completely unable to communicate with each other.”
But for Tracy, and for you, the truth is, no matter how you plan to proceed with your divorce, you will need to find some way to exchange information and ideas during settlement efforts. Effective communication can make all the difference when it comes to maximizing positive results. If you have children, you will also need to continue interacting with each other after the divorce is over, so the sooner you learn how to do that effectively the better. Read more
Alice was surprised when her consulting attorney gave her a blank New Jersey Family Law Case Information Statement (CIS) and recommended that she fill it out before her first mediation session. “Ask your husband to complete it also,” the attorney added. “It will really help you organize your financial issues right off the bat.”
Alice took the form home and looked it over and now she is feeling a bit overwhelmed. It’s so official looking and so detailed. Alice and her husband Blake chose mediation partly so that they didn’t have to deal with all the red tape of court. Do they really need to bother with this form? Read more
In our last post, we talked about mediation and planning for college expenses. Today we will look in more detail at the categories that you and your child’s other parent should address in any financial planning meetings about college contributions. These include: Read more
Don't go into your divorce or family law matter defenseless
