times achangin

THE TIMES THEY (NEED) TO BE A- CHANGIN’ – SORRY, BOB.

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Yeah –  lawyers and delays.      Kind of like Cowboys and hurting music………hard to separate them.    I mean, in 32 years in this litigation trade,  if I had a Buck for every time somebody told me about how hard it was to get something done with their lawyer  –  about how often their case got adjourned or put off –  about …

gal

THE GAL WHO GOT AWAY……

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Yep – you know it – it’s after midnight, the Courvoisier Erte is tickling my nose from the snifter as it gently swirls, and Sinatra is softly singing that great saloon song – “The Gal Who Got Away”. ….. “The night is bitter, the stars have lost their glitter, the wind is colder, suddenly you’re a lot older…… and it’s …

leaving home

Leaving home but still wanting allowance from Mommy or Daddy

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Inspiration is a curious thing.    Muses come in all shapes and sizes (….no, this is not a Kardashian jab….not yet, anyway…).    Tonight, the topic is “The Parent As Wallet –  Child Support for Adult Children”.       The inspiration started innocently enough –  midnight, cognac older than my wife (…just stop), and Harry Connick Jr. singing a great version of that Wizard …

legal cancer

A Cure For Legal Cancer

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Separations or divorces regularly involve financial issues. Whether it is about determining amount and duration of child or spousal support, or whether it is about determining the division of assets and debts, financial issues are most often front and center. Far too often, one or both of the parties resists financial disclosure just like I resist dieting or trips to the dentist. Go …

sobering reality

The Sobering Reality of an Imposed Solution

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Yeah, yeah……..I know. I’ve been writing a lot lately about compromise. Put water in your wine, give and take, reduce your expectations….all of that Dalai Lama stuff. And don’t get me wrong – In a perfect world, where both sides come to the table with the concept of a fair compromise in mind, it is Nirvana. Unfortunately, like many great concepts in life, …

Crossroad signpost saying this way, that way, another way concep

Smooth or Crunchy?

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Let’s ponder this joint custody thing a while more. I find it one of those intellectual debates where I can argue with myself non stop (but then again I do the same thing over smooth or crunchy…………decisions). One the one hand, it’s a really nice idea. Mommy and Daddy want to rip each other’s throats out, but will play nice …

Toto, I’ve a Feeling We’re Not In Kansas Anymore….

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I’ll venture a guess that no one ever wants to answer the door to find the Children’s Aid Society standing there, accompanied by the police, ready to take your kids away. Ok – maybe Lamar Odom’s mother is having second thoughts these days, but you get the idea. In theory, a Children’s Aid Society is supposed to “Promote the best interests, protection …

solomon

King Solomon’s Nightmare

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Joint custody. No, Cheech, it’s not about who stashes your weed it is a shared decision making concept that arises out of a bargaining/settlement driven mentality that, in many instances, is at best an idealistic desire to promote the best interests of the child. Now you legal scholars are already getting that dazed look because, on checking out the Divorce …

WATERINWINE

Putting Water In Your Wine

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You might want to sit down and brace yourself. Forget those fairy tales about unicorns, knights on white stallions, and how Justin maybe got his father’s brain instead of Margaret’s. A lawyer is about to tell you not to spend money on legal fees!! Here’s the deal. If you have decided to battle out your differences in the hope of being successfully divorced …

custody wars

Custody Wars- The Battle Plan

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A drawn out battle over custody is where it all can get very nasty. One the one hand, that is understandable, as the custody of children is no doubt the most emotionally charged issue that can arise in a separation. When you combine the heartache of a separation with the gut wrenching of breaking up not only the marriage but the kids and family …