When a husband and wife divorce, one party may ask the other for alimony or spousal support for a certain period of time. In some states, couples that have lived together but were not married can also seek financial support in the form of “palimony“, a term gaining recognition in the family law community. Unlike alimony, palimony settlements often wind…
It is difficult enough when you learn that your spouse has cheated on you and divorce seems inevitable. In some states, however, the injured party can seek legal action against the cheating spouse, seeking damages for “alienation of affection.” If you have been wronged before, you may have heard of “heart balm torts,” or lawsuits seeking damages for adultery. In…
You may have heard that divorce is a difficult process that leads to even more anger and heartbreak. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of fighting with your spouse through lawyers, you can try divorce mediation instead. For those couples who want to move ahead with their divorce in the most peaceful manner possible, mediation has become…
Are you considering getting a separation? If so, you may need to get a separation agreement drafted up by a legal professional. Although a separation agreement does not mean you will definitely get a divorce, it does set some legal boundaries as far as support, custody, property division and debts go. It is a legal contract between the two married…
Although divorce is never easy, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as the media makes it out to be. Rather than go through a litigated divorce, you can make your life a little easier by considering a collaborative divorce instead. The traditional method for divorce is litigation, wherein both parties retain a lawyer and discuss each issue through their…
It is a sad but true fact that domestic violence affects so many in America. Abusers come in all shapes, colors and genders. The primary purpose of domestic violence is not necessarily to inflict harm, but to exert control over another person; physical and verbal abuse is merely the tool by which abusers can do so. If someone is using…
If you are currently going through a divorce and are unable to agree on division of property, the court will decide for you. The process of determining equitable distribution is a three-step one that most courts use in divorce cases. To begin, the court will identify which property is deemed marital and which is separate. In general, separate property is…
In almost every divorce there are usually varying amounts of assets, properties, and belongings that are acquired during the course of the marriage, and must be divided between the spouses. This process of property division, which is also known as equitable distribution , involves the fair and equitable division of the marital property based on many factors about the marriage,…
The end of a marriage generally results in two distinct types of divorce: either a collaborative divorce, which is also known as an uncontested divorce, or a contested divorce.In an uncontested or collaborative divorce, the spouses involved in the divorce work together to settle the issues of the divorce in order to save time, money and stress throughout the divorce…
Divorce can sometimes be an expensive process, especially when involved in a contested divorce where both spouses are fighting each other over property distribution, child custody or other divorce terms. In other countries outside of the United States, the cost of divorce in certain towns can actually be astronomical.In Romania, officials in a town of about 8,000 people recently enacted…