Family court cases present multiple issues, such as legal decision-making for a child, parenting time, child support, spousal maintenance, and property or debt division. Each of these issues, in turn, is complex.
So it is not unusual for parties to get disorganized, confused, or overwhelmed by the minutiae of divorce filings. Without support and helpful resources, individuals can make some oversights and missteps that further complicate the process.
The holidays can be a stressful, unpredictable time of year. This can be especially true for parents navigating this time of year for the first time after a divorce.
One particular challenge parents in this situation can struggle with is figuring out what to do when you are and are not with your children. Below are some tips for how to make this a little easier.
Thanksgiving is not the only holiday during the month of November. All 50 states across America celebrate National Adoption Month in November of each year.
The month also includes National Adoption Day on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to promote adoptions of foster care children across the country.
Contrary to popular myths, domestic violence does not actually increase over the holiday season. According to 10 years of findings from the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH), the number of domestic violence calls significantly decreases over the holidays.
For instance, the NDVH received an average of 835 domestic violence calls per day in 2015. However, there was an average of 490 calls between Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Overall, the hotline received 12 percent fewer calls a day during the holiday season than the rest of the year.
If a husband and wife divorce without children, neither will have any right to dictate where the other lives moving forward. That is no one's business. But the rules grow more complicated when a parenting plan is involved.
Seeing any person struggle as a parent is painful. However, when that parent is your own child who is fighting a drug addiction, it can be devastating.
Unfortunately, this is a situation faced by too many American grandparents, due largely to the current opioid crisis. When parents grow addicted, they cannot provide a safe home, and thousands die from overdose. Under these tragic circumstances, grandparents can play a critical role in protecting their grandchildren.
While parents are navigating the legal complexities of establishing legal decision-making, parenting time, and financial support for their children, they must also help those children navigate the complexities of a changing family structure.
This can be a challenge, but there are ways to make this easier.
Millions of people suffer abuse at the hands of an intimate partner every year. And this abuse can make it difficult to even consider the possibility of leaving the relationship. This can be particularly true for someone who is the victim of financial abuse.
Financial abuse, which reportedly occurs in an overwhelming (but not surprising) majority of assaultive or controlling relationships, creates dependency and a lack of resources for the victim. When someone has no individual earnings or autonomy over their finances, it can seem like getting out of an abusive relationship is all but impossible. However, this is not necessarily true; there are some steps you can take.
In most divorces, parties can expect to divide their assets between them as part of the property division process. And with some exception, parties can expect this division to be equal.
However, separate property is typically not eligible for division, meaning that it would stay with the owner in the event of a divorce. This can come as considerable relief to people with separate property, including the following assets.
Divorce often puts people in uncomfortable positions. Many people feel angry and frustrated, but also want to avoid bitter courtroom battles and get through the process as quickly as possible. This can make some people feel like they must play nice and be agreeable throughout the process.
However, while it is important to try to focus on cooperation in the interest of finding solutions, "playing nice" may not be the best approach in all situations. We examine a few of these situations below.
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