Divorce Blame

Feb 11, 2013 by

Although someone usually gets blamed whenever a marriage fails, suing your local church congregation for your divorce is definitely an unusual circumstance. Whenever a divorce occurs, someone is likely to be blamed for causing it. That fact is simply human nature, and it is hard to imagine that no one would receive at least a small bit of blame and that everyone would be equally happy and completely guilt-free when a close personal relationship is finally and legally terminated. It is almost...

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Understanding Child Custody Laws

Aug 8, 2012 by

Child custody refers to the legal care and maintenance of a child to one or both of the parents. Child custody is often a battle for many families going through divorce. In many cases, the parent who should be awarded full custody of the child is obvious, while in other cases it is not. Child custody laws differ from state to state. Depending on the state where the custody case is taking place, the courts may use different factors to determine which parent is awarded custody. Although there are...

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Young People Want “Happily Ever After” but Lack Skills to Make Marriage Work

Aug 8, 2012 by

A groundbreaking new survey sponsored by the National Healthy Marriage Resource Center (NHMRC) finds that 82% of young adults aged 18-30 plan to get married and stay married for life. However, an estimated 40% of first marriages end in divorce. Why? “There is often a disconnect between attitudes about marriage and the reality of getting or being married,” says Mary Myrick, NHMRC Project Director. “Once married, conflicts may arise over money, parenting, and other important...

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Can You Really Do-It-Yourself?

Aug 8, 2012 by

The economic hardships brought on by divorce causes many people to search for do-it-yourself options in order to save money. Before considering this alternative several questions must be answered. A major consideration in a Pro Se (or “for yourself” divorce without an attorney) is the law in the state where the divorcing couple resides. State law rather than federal law governs the process of divorce. Some states make divorce simple, especially when there are no minor children...

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Divorce “Befitting a Getty” Costs a Million a Month

Aug 8, 2012 by

It appears that no amount of money can fix a marriage headed for imminent divorce, or at least not for the heir to the Getty oil fortune, Peter Getty. Peter and wife of 9 years, Jacqui, have been involved in a long-running divorce battle that is currently underway in Los Angeles Superior Court. The public divorce documents in the case provide a fascinating glimpse into a dysfunctional relationship in the upper stratosphere of finances where society’s wealthiest families play. Jacqui Getty...

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Teens, Relationships, and Marriage

Aug 8, 2012 by

The news that Bristol Palin and her fiance Levi Johnston have broken off their engagement once again focuses national attention on teens’ expectations about marriage when there is a pregnancy, the proportion of teens who get married after having a child, and the viability of teen marriages themselves. Research suggests that the experience of Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston is far from rare. At the time of their child’s birth, more than half of unmarried teen mothers say they are...

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Making the Best of it for the Kids

Aug 8, 2012 by

There has always been talk of how the children will be better off when the parents who no longer are able to be civil to each other separate, but there is cause for concern when we look at so many statistics that tell us differently. Crime rates have been proven to be highest among children raised in single-parent homes, just for one instance. When there are children considered in the divorce proceedings, it is important that this kind of rationalization for wanting to dissolve the union not be...

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An App for Divorce

Aug 8, 2012 by

A Dallas lawyer and accountant have created a new iPhone application called “Divorce Cost and Prep” to calculate the cost of a divorce by tapping on the screen of your cell phone. Dallas Attorney Michelle O’Neill and Fort Worth CPA Bryan Rice, created the new iPhone app for divorcing couples to help assess the costs associated with the dissolution of a marriage. The pair said the divorce cost and prep app helps you estimate divorce expenses without having to go to an...

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Are You Ready for Remarriage?

Aug 8, 2012 by

Remarriage can be a beautiful thing, especially when you are ready to take the next step forward. Many people look at remarriage as a second chance at making their relationship right. However, as with any type of relationship, it is important to recognize the impact that remarriage can have on your life. The most important factor in remarriage is knowing that you are ready for the new relationship. It can take anywhere from two to five years to fully heal from your first marriage, so be sure...

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Rising Unemployment Creating More Work for Divorce Lawyers

Aug 8, 2012 by

As the recession continues to deepen and job cuts accelerate, a rapidly rising number of divorced spouses are requesting changes be made to child support and alimony arrangements. In a recent survey of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 39% of the nation’s top divorce attorneys cite an increase in modifications being made to child support payments. Additionally, 42% of the members report a rise in the number of changes made to alimony payments. “When a divorced...

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Hollywood’s Good Divorce

Aug 8, 2012 by

Following an endless parade of bitter celebrity divorces in the news lately, once in a while there is a Hollywood divorce that seems to make sense. Even a celebrity divorce can be settled without turmoil if both spouses are reasonable and in agreement on the situation. To prove the point, Illusion Milan quietly filed for a divorce in Los Angeles court recently. Illusion is the wife of Cesar Milan, the star of the hit TV show, The Dog Whisperer. Illusion filed citing unspecified irreconcilable...

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Larry King’s Divorce May Be Off

Aug 8, 2012 by

Even though, Larry King and his wife both filed for divorce last week in Los Angeles on the same day, after 13 years of marriage, each stating irreconcilable differences, it appears the CNN talk show host may not be divorcing his seventh wife, Shawn Southwick, after all. King’s lawyer, Dennis Wasser, said, “There’s a 50-50 chance this divorce is not happening. His focus is on the best interest of his children. It’s not clear to me which way he’s going to turn on...

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Divorce in the Military

Aug 8, 2012 by

If you or someone you know is in the service and planning to get a divorce, you should know that military divorce proceedings differ from divorces taking place between two civilian parties. When one or both parties are of active duty military status, including Guard and Reserves, and retired military, there will be additional dispositions of the divorce decree which will be taken into consideration. It is vitally important that you educate yourself in military divorce law and its effects on...

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Do You Live in a Community Property State?

Aug 8, 2012 by

One very important aspect of divorce law is the concept of community property. The premise behind community property is that property a couple acquires during their marriage is considered to be jointly owned by both spouses. In the event of a divorce, this property is divided between the spouses. Many states do not recognize the concept of community property in their divorce laws, and in the states that do, the way that a court divides community property is determined by state law. In...

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Gay Activists Call for Immediate Response Following Decision on Prop 8

Aug 8, 2012 by

“Win or lose, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community & our allies must respond immediately to the forthcoming California Supreme Court decision on whether to invalidate Proposition 8,” says veteran activist Robin Tyler, who, with her wife, Diane Olson, were the first plaintiffs in the original landmark lawsuit to win marriage for same-sex couples in California. Tyler & Olson are also petitioners in the current legal challenge against Proposition...

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Iranian Divorce Rate May Hit 100%

Aug 8, 2012 by

Although Iran is not found on current lists of countries with high divorce rates, it seems the country may possibly have the highest divorce rate in the world today. A study released by a research group at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran earlier this month reports that the divorce rate in Iran could be as high as 90% among couples who marry by choice as opposed to more traditional arranged marriages. The split between traditional arranged marriages and more modern “love”...

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43 Million Is Not Enough

Aug 8, 2012 by

Marie Douglas-David, a 36-year-old Swedish countess says $43 million isn’t enough of a divorce settlement. She wants $100 million from her 67-year-old husband  of only six years, George David. David, Chairman of United Technologies Corp, is worth an estimated $300 million but his estranged wife says she has no assets and no job since she quit her position to become his wife. Her basis for asking for the exorbitant amount? Douglas-David says she spends in one week what the average...

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‘We Need Our Daddy, Too’: A Grandmother’s Story of Her Son’s Divorce

Aug 8, 2012 by

We read a lot of statistics about divorce, but numbers don’t even begin to explain how difficult it can be for the children. That’s why Karen P. Ronald wrote “We Need Our Daddy, Too” (published by iUniverse — http://www.iuniverse.com) the true story of her experience with her son’s divorce and custody battle, as seen through the eyes of a caring and loving grandmother. Having had a large part of her life consumed by her new grandchildren early on, Ronald...

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National Divorce Rates Falling

Aug 8, 2012 by

The latest report from the U.S. Census Bureau’s attempts to take the nation’s pulse through examining the hard data gleaned from that door-to-door effort contains some very interesting numbers related to marriage and divorce in the United States. It looks like the last fifteen years of endless reams of professional papers, along with reality TV shows and on-the-air talk show therapists weighing in on the subject may finally be having a positive effect in the area of divorce as the...

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Explaining Alimony & Spousal Support

Aug 8, 2012 by

Explaining Alimony & Spousal Support Once a divorce is finalized, an individual might have to pay spousal support – also known as alimony or spousal maintenance – to his or her ex-spouse for living expenses. Rules for modification or termination vary by state, but generally, alimony may be modified if it meets certain requirements. Length of Support Rules vary from state to state as to when support payments end. Some laws declare that payments end when the ex-spouse remarries...

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