Don’t commit one of the cardinal sins of divorce; it’s never a good idea to lie in order to come out on top in the end. Telling the cops that your spouse hit you is not the right way to announce that you want a divorce or to get him or her out of the […]
The 7 Biggest Divorce Mistakes: #5 Filing False Charges Read More »
WHY POSTING ON SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BAD IDEA DURING DIVORCE It’s very tempting to brag about your new life on social media before you’re even divorced to ensure that your ex knows that you’re over him or her. Don’t post anything that might be used against you! Details about the keg you finished all by yourself, comments
The 7 Biggest Divorce Mistakes: #4 Posting on Social Media Read More »
MISTAKE #3 – TALKING TRASH You may feel you must vent about your issues with the ex. Sometimes talking trash may just slip. If it does, beware “the natural and logical consequences.” NEVER trash your ex to your kids. It will hurt you in family court, if you insist on going there. And it will certainly
The 7 Biggest Divorce Mistakes: #3 Talking Trash Read More »
Some divorce lawyers encourage their clients to empty out the joint bank accounts, “before your spouse does it.” This is a declaration of war, equivalent to pushing the red button. In many jurisdictions, when one person petitions for divorce, the judge enters a standing temporary order, instructing the clients not to dissipate marital assets, not
The 7 Biggest Divorce Mistakes: #2 Emptying The Joint Bank Accounts Read More »
Why am I so excited about collaborative divorce? Because it’s a positive thing, a change for the better! Today, when you consult the average attorney about a divorce, the lawyer’s first thought is to get his petition to dissolve the marriage filed before the other spouse does. It’s always a race to the courthouse, because
In my book, War or Peace, I tell the stories of what happened in court on my watch. Here is what happens when you ask a judge, who doesn’t know you or your kids, or share your values, to make decisions that will impact you for the rest of your lives. John Hammond was nineteen when
The Most Important Thing to Know about Divorce Court Read More »
Did my headline catch your eye? “The Worst Way to End a Marriage” I lecture often about the horrors of traditional courtroom divorce and compare its negative effects to the positive aspects of cooperative and collaborative divorce. I always tell the story of how my parents were divorced when I was seven years old. “My mother
High profile divorces don’t have to be. “Kforce leader David Dunkel gives $8.2M in stock to ex-wife in divorce settlement” is splashed across the headlines of The Tampa Bay Business Journal. The article describes in specific detail the number and value of the shares involved in the divorce judgment, and that it’s pending appeal. But
4 Reasons and $8.2 million to Choose Collaborative Divorce Read More »
I do something that no other collaborative divorce lawyer I know does (yet). After a client who wants to proceed collaboratively retains me, I send a lengthy letter of invitation to the spouse. No; that’s not what’s different. This is similar to the letter that many of us send the “opposing party.” In the letter,
Our clients do the oddest things while they struggle in the grip of the emotional tempest created by divorce. When they choose the traditional divorce option, going to court, there is no professional involved in the process to help address this intense stress, and the sometimes consequent inability to make decisions rationally. Last week, I
