Domestic Diversions: Family Law

Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Family Law Blogs

OR PHONE (866) 635-1838 for Bankruptcy Help, (866) 635-6190 for Divorce,
(866) 635-2689 for Personal Injury or (866) 635-9402 for Criminal Defense

Find a Local Lawyer

Bankruptcy (866) 635-1838
Divorce (866) 635-6190
Personal Injury (866) 635-2689
Criminal Defense (866) 635-9402

Family Law

Domestic Diversions

Focused on relationships, families and family law.

Post Frequency: 0.6/day

Last Entry: November 05, 2020 at 05:40:32

New rules for falling in love with your spouse: Start getting a better marriage today

Posted on September 04, 2008
Good Housekeeping replaces old marriage myths with “new rules.” Sarah Mahoney notes 5 new rules (excerpt): Sleep on it. Conflicts are best dealt with when you have calmed down and are well rested. A marriage doesn’t run on feelings ? it thrives because both spouses work hard on it...

Save your marriage: Recommit to shared decision making, soft words, lots of listening, and calm emotions

Posted on August 27, 2008
The ABC News Medical Unit shows Madonna and Guy Ritchie leading the way–renewing their vows in an attempt to mend a broken marriage. Dan Childs writes (excerpt): Heitler says that in terms of the success rate she has seen for mended marriages, “80 percent end up with a wonderful marriage...

Sex, drinking and friendships: Mixed men messages

Posted on August 26, 2008
USA Today maps out the “rough road to manhood.” Sharon Jayson writes (excerpt): “Guys know they’re supposed to treat women as equals,” says Andrew Smiler . . . . “But we haven’t changed masculinity and we haven’t taught boys and men how to deal with these women...

My life, my spouse’s fault?: keys to a successful marriage

Posted on August 25, 2008
The Christian Science Monitor shows how putting your marriage first helps the whole family. David Code explains the three keys to a successful marriage and family (excerpt): 1) Recognize that we’ve already chosen the perfect spouse. . . . 2) . ...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Divorce Grand Rapids

Posted on August 23, 2008
The Sarnacki Law Firm is respected for its honest advice, creative solutions and effective advocacy. The two key components for the firm?s success are: * Legal Ability: our expertise, the nature of our practice and our specialized qualifications. * Standards of Conduct: our adherence to ethics, reliability, diligence and [...

Negotiation strategies, attitude and gestures: tips on persuasion so you get what you what

Posted on August 23, 2008
MSNBC and Prevention Magazine summarize simple principles of persuasion and negotiation, and they further discuss examples for putting them into practice. Kalee Thompson writes (excerpt): 1. Speak confidently Get directly to the point, but make sure you aren’t domineering...

Achieving Effective Resolution in Divorce without Litigation, by Pauline H. Tesler

Posted on August 22, 2008
At Grand Rapids Collaborative Divorce I posted an excerpt from Pauline Tesler–via the ABA–highlighting the movement away from litigation toward Collaborative Law. In it, Pauline Tesler notes that switching to a collaborative law practice is: Challenging since it”involves mastering knowledge and skills that were not taught to us in law school...

Technique tips for making a speech or presentation

Posted on August 16, 2008
Business Week shows us ways to improve our presentations by following the lead of politicians and successful ad campaigns. Carmine Gallo writes (excerpt): [Anaphora.] Repeating a phrase at the beginning or end of successive sentences is a powerful rhetorical technique that business leaders can use to capture the attention of their audiences...

Taxing child support recipients: Federal law leads to Michigan withholding $25

Posted on August 16, 2008
The Grand Rapids Press explains why custodial parents in Michigan will be paying the federal government $25 per year from the child support they receive. Kyla King writes (excerpt): “The Michigan legislators determined that it would be handled in this way,” she said...

Trial v. settlement: How often is a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

Posted on August 15, 2008
The New York Times reminds us that trial is inherently uncertain, a gamble that often does not payoff. The study to be published in September’s Journal of Empirical Legal Studies showed that 61 percent of plaintiffs who rejected settlement offers got less at trial and 24 percent of defendants who rejected offers paid more, [...

Should I stay or should I go now: leaving my cheating partner or saving my marriage

Posted on August 14, 2008
CNN and LifeWire use the John Edwards confession-Elizabeth Edwards acceptance to look at what to do when your spouse has an affair or your spouse is in love with someone else and how to know whether to and how to save your marriage. Sarah Jio writes (excerpt): The key questions, she says, are: “Did you love each [...

COBRA coverage: keeping your health insurance after the divorce

Posted on August 13, 2008
COBRA [Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985] provides the right for certain employees and their dependents to purchase continuation health care insurance coverage through their employers. The act applies to employers with 20 or more employees, including certain federal employees and State and local governments...

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes health insurance

Posted on August 13, 2008
The New York Times presents the flip side of a problem we deal with in divorce on a regular basis: health insurance. [See my related post on COBRA.] Kevin Sack writes about people who “rush to marry” in order to secure health care coverage for their new spouse (excerpt): In a country where insurance [...

Keep your children out of the middle of your divorce

Posted on August 12, 2008
The Wall Street Journal uses the divorce of Robin Williams and his wife, Marcia Garces Williams, to remind us of the effects of divorce on children. Stephanie Coontz writes (excerpt): But a growing body of evidence suggests that normalizing divorce and surrounding it with expectations of cooperative behavior is far better for everyone than the two extremes [...

Living in Unscripted World: Using improv to move conversations and your life forward

Posted on August 12, 2008
CNN and Real Simple help us us think faster and better on our feet through improv (excerpt): 1. The “yes…and” technique The “yes…and” technique gives you the chance to acknowledge what’s been said and then move the conversation to a new place, where you just might discover something — or someone — delightful...

How to estimate your Social Security benefits: divorced spouses, married couples, single persons

Posted on August 10, 2008
The Social Security Administration’s new retirement estimator taps into your actual earnings history to provide more accurate estimates of benefits. It also allows for alternative future income scenarios. The estimator explains (excerpt): How the Retirement Estimator Works The Retirement Estimator produces estimates that are based on your actual Social Security earnings record...

How to negotiate issues, big and small: applying principles of persuasion to your life situations

Posted on August 07, 2008
The Freakonomics Blogs at the New York Times includes an interesting discussion on “getting what you want” with Robert Cialdini, Noah Goldstein and Steve Martin, the authors of “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.” Annika Mengisen’s post addresses questions like: How to ask for a raise How to get the highest price for something on eBay How [...

First comes love, then comes the champagne picnic, the romantic marriage proposal in a dinghy, the coast guard . . .

Posted on August 03, 2008
The BBC finds not all marriage proposals require coast guard assistance (excerpt): Two lovers were rescued as they drifted out to sea following a romantic marriage proposal in a dinghy. Colin Howell, 35, enjoyed a champagne picnic with his girlfriend, Miriam Light, 26, before setting out from Cromer in Norfolk to pop the question...

Negotiating with your spouse: children, money problems, differences in sexual desire, and a happy marriage

Posted on July 29, 2008
The Jamaica Gleaner helps set the stage for relationship negotiations with advice from counselor Omar Thomas. Paul Messam lists Thomas’ seven “routes” to an exciting marriage (excerpt): Ensure that you want your marriage to work. This is key...

How to tell your children you are divorcing

Posted on July 28, 2008
The MayoClinic and CNN helps you help your children cope with your divorce (excerpt): How to tell them It’s best if you and your spouse can tell your children about the divorce together. Make sure the children understand that you both still love them and will take care of them...

How to talk to your teen about sex

Posted on July 27, 2008
The MayoClinic and CNN suggest we think of sex education as an ongoing conversation and provide advice on getting the conversation started (excerpt): * Seize the moment. When a TV program or music video raises issues about responsible sexual behavior, use it as a springboard for discussion...

The lawyer as witness: a basic rule of cross examination

Posted on July 18, 2008
McElhaney on Litigation reminds us that the point of cross examination is to tell the jury your side of the case. Jim McElhaney writes (excerpt): ?Because,? said Angus, ?trying to argue the case gets in the way of your most important job on cross?which is to be the real witness...

How to invest for the long run: have fun now and be happy later

Posted on July 16, 2008
USA Today explains investing for the future (in relationships, that is [not how to make money fast or other get rich quick schemes]). Sharon Jayson writes (excerpt): Now research from the University of Denver supports the idea that finding moments to be together free of financial, family or other stresses ? just to have fun together ? [...

Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook’s divorce case: A mediation alternative to knock-down, drag-out battles

Posted on July 15, 2008
Newsday shows how divorce mediation can “avoid the circus that you see in the Brinkley case” [of Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook]. Divorce mediation–especially mediation of custody disputes–controls costs, maintains privacy, limits conflict, and promotes relationships and shared goals...

Essentially human: an answer to the question, “am I normal?”

Posted on July 14, 2008
Psychology Today explains how not being “normal” is normal, and perhaps what makes you most special! Kathleen McGowan writes (excerpt): In probing the common standards of normality, Wood has made a surprising discovery: Being normal is actually extraordinary...

Celebrity divorces: lessons of the rich and famous

Posted on July 11, 2008
USA Today shares divorce lessons of the rich and famous. Jane Straus provided her comments on Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon, Hilary Swank and Chad Lowe, Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards, and Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger...

Divorced parents learning to get along

Posted on July 09, 2008
The Grand Forks Herald reveals the appeal of divorce mediation. Janell Cole writes (excerpt): ?Mediation can be successful because its focus is on the strengths each person has as a parent and on the joint goals and aspirations parents have for their children,? state Court Administrator Sally Holewa told a legislative committee June 24...

Kent County’s Pilot Project: Grand Rapids divorce attorneys to use nicer labels, parenting plan proposals, more ADR

Posted on July 08, 2008
The Michigan Supreme Court has issued Administrative Order No. 2008-1 (Pilot Project No. 1), 17th Judicial Circuit Court, (Expedited Process in the Resolution of the Low Conflict Docket of the Family Division), for Kent County divorces. “The pilot project will study the effectiveness of the use of pleadings that contain nonadversarial language, and the requirement [...

That’s so Gay: Caring, sharing, treating others as equals

Posted on June 12, 2008
The New York Times helps us understand the key to happiness in a marriage or relationship. Tara Parker-Pope writes (excerpt): “How people care for each other, how they share responsibility, power and authority ? those are the key issues in relationships [said Sondra E...

Co-parenting: A little more clear-headed after the divorce

Posted on June 11, 2008
NJ.com shows divorcing parents how to rebuild a functioning relationship, all for the sake of the kids. There is mention of collaborative divorce, but the focus is on keeping bitterness and rage from controlling your life. Kathleen O’Brien writes (excerpt): Think of the future...

Previous | Next

Related Law Bulletins

Case Law Development: Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Finds Domestic Violence Police Response Case Admissible
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in the case of Jess...

Teaching Resources: Domestic Violence & Poverty
For those of you who aren't familiar with the In Her Shoes exercis...