Family Law

Communications in the 21st Century :: Part Four

Posted on April 30, 2010
I am pleased to present Part Three in my exclusive online presentation of "Communications in the 21st Century" by Rev. Dr. Trey Kuhne, LMFT:   For the past few weeks I have been sharing some viewpoints of cell phone use, texting issues, and your children's use of these services...

"Don'ts" for Managing Documents & Saving Money on Attorney's Fees

Posted on April 29, 2010
Yesterday, we looked at various "do's" that can help you manage and documents to help save money on attorney's fees in divorce cases.  You should also keep the following "don'ts" – which are equally important – in mind as you go through this process:  Don't write on the documents...

"Do's" for Managing Documents & Saving Money on Attorney's Fees

Posted on April 28, 2010
Among the topics that are discussed most often in divorce cases are (a) how to best manage the documents that are inevitably required and (b) how to cut down on their attorney's fees. Clients who have time, understanding and some organizational ability can save time for their attorney and save money for themselves by doing the following: Background information :: When you are getting ready to meet with your prospective attorney, gather and organize whatever financial records you can find...

Communications in the 21st Century :: Part Three

Posted on April 23, 2010
I am pleased to present Part Three in my exclusive online presentation of "Communications in the 21st Century" by Rev. Dr. Trey Kuhne, LMFT: A few years ago I had the privilege to go to Hawaii and do you know what the official favorite potted meat is in Hawaii? You guessed it: Spam...

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South Carolina Supreme Court Overturns College Support Law

Posted on April 22, 2010
This week, the South Carolina Supreme Court overturned a 1979 decision, under which parents could be ordered to contribute to their children's college expenses.  In this new case, Webb v. Sowell, the Father appealed after he was ordered to contribute to college expenses for his son...

Tips for Finding Childcare

Posted on April 20, 2010
The transition back to work can be a very difficult time for new mothers.  Deciding, arranging, and feeling confident about the person or people that are essentially going to rear your child for the eight-plus hours you go to work is no small accomplishment...

Communications in the 21st Century :: Part Two

Posted on April 16, 2010
This is Part Two in the exclusive online presentation of "Communications in the 21st Century" by Rev. Dr. Trey Kuhne, LMFT: This week I would like to take a brief look at how our communication methods are viewed in society and who is benefiting from those methods, as I said last week that you may be surprised! Just a short few years ago, the telephone was our link to others other than face-to-face talking...

Tax Resources for Separated and Divorcing Couples

Posted on April 14, 2010
It's tax time, and divorcing couples have (or should have) lots of questions about how to handle their tax situations.  Our firm does not provide any tax advice, but the Pennsylvania Family Law blog recently published an excellent article to help those in that situation deal with the following issues: Tax Deductions Tax Credits Joint Tax Returns If you are separated or divorcing, you owe it to yourself to read this article before you file your tax returns this year...

Tips for Parents in Custody Disputes

Posted on April 12, 2010
Parents that care about the effect of separation or divorce on their children should consider the following tips to keep their children from being caught in the crossfire: Make sure your children understand that they are not the reason for the divorce...

Communications in the 21st Century :: Part One

Posted on April 09, 2010
I am pleased to bring you the exclusive online presentation of "Communications in the 21st Century" by Rev. Dr. Trey Kuhne, LMFT.  I will publish this multi-part series over the next several Fridays, and I hope that it is helpful to you...

Does Your Cheating Spouse Deserve Another Chance?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Cheating has become more and more common over the last few decades, and now many of the divorce cases that I see involve adultery or at least suspicion of it.  Facing the fact that your spouse has cheated on you is difficult and can be devastating...

Tips to Help Children Adjust to Divorce and Having Two Places to Live

Posted on April 05, 2010
The following guest post is from Donna F. Ferber, LPC, LADC, author of "From Ex-Wife to Exceptional Life: A Woman's Journey through Divorce": As a psychotherapist specializing in helping families through divorce, I offer these specific thoughts with regard to helping children adjust to divorce and having two places to live...

Tips for Dealing with Divorce Related Depression

Posted on April 02, 2010
While going through a divorce, it is natural to feel isolated, depressed and stressed out. Therese Borchard on Beliefnet offers several tips to lessen the effects of divorce related depression: Find a diversion and lose yourself in it. Whether it be reading, knitting, swimming or some other activity- keep your mind occupied and stop ruminating about your divorce...

How to Ruin Your Child Custody Evaluation

Posted on March 31, 2010
More judges are beginning to rely on custody evaluations to determine which parent should get custody of the kids.  This method involves using professionals to evaluate the parents psychologically, speak with witnesses, talk to the kids, look at school records, etc...

Ten Things Your Children Will Thank You For

Posted on March 29, 2010
If you truly love your children, you should consider the following list of ten things that your children will thank you for:  Keeping arguments away from them and avoid criticism of the other parent. Being able to talk to the other parent about their needs (even though it may be hard sometimes) Allowing them to miss the other parent and make contact when they want to, even encouraging contact when you think they might want it...

South Carolina Family Lawer Speaking at ABA Techshow

Posted on March 25, 2010
As most of my readers know, I am an advocate for the use of technology to improve the practice of law and delivery of legal services to my clients. As a result, I am frequently asked to speak at legal technology seminars, and I'm pleased that I'll be in Chicago this week presenting at the annual ABA TechShow...

Tips for Co-Parenting Success

Posted on March 23, 2010
When you have children, your interaction with your ex-spouse doesn't end at divorce.  When the parents are focused on what's in their children's best interest, they employ the following tips to help maximize their co-parenting success: Respect your co-parent's boundaries :: Different parenting styles can result in conflicting rules and try to accept that it may actually be beneficial for your kids to experience other ways of doing things...

Tips to Help Foster Positive Relationships Between Separated Parents and Their Children

Posted on March 17, 2010
The primary factor that the Family Court considers in child custody cases in South Carolina is "what's in the best interest of the child."  One thing that is almost always in the child's best interest is for the parents to work well together, or at least attempt to do so...

Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before Filing for Divorce

Posted on March 15, 2010
A divorce can be one of the most stressful and emotionally involved experiences of your life.  The more prepared you are when beginning the divorce process, the smoother the process will be for you. Therefore, it is important to ask yourself the following key questions to make sure you understand the legal process and are prepared for the emotional involvement a divorce requires: Would it would be beneficial to speak with a marriage counselor, either individually or as a couple? Even if you think there is no hope for saving the marriage, talking to a professional might help you recognize where things went wrong, and how you can avoid similar behavior in the future...

Protecting Children During Divorce

Posted on March 09, 2010
Divorce can be particularly hard on children, especially when the parents don't take the appropriate steps to help protect them during this process.  Children need and have the right to the following, especially in times of family upheaval: Being free of the conflict between the parents Developing and maintaining an independent relationship with each parent Not having to take over the parental responsibility for making custody and/or visitation decisions Not being expected or forced to take sides with, defend, or lessen the value of either parent Being guided, taught, supervised, disciplined and nurtured by each parent, without interference from the other parent Spending time with each parent, regardless of whether or not financial support is given Having a personal sleeping area and space for possessions in each parent's home Being physically safe and adequately supervised when in the care of each parent Having a stable, consistent and responsible child care arrangement when not supervised by the parents Developing and maintaining meaningful relationships with other significant adults, as long as these relationships do not interfere with or replace the children's primary relationship with their parents Expecting that both parents stay informed about medical, dental, educational and legal matters, unless such disclosure would prove harmful to the child Participating in age-appropriate activities so long as these activities do not significantly impair their relationship with either parent Source:  "When Divorcing in Alabama, What should You Tell Your Kids" by Steven D...

How to Locate Parties' Social Media Connections

Posted on March 04, 2010
Social media sites can be valuable sources of information in Family Court cases.  Frankly, it is simply amazing sometimes to see the types of information people publish about themselves and their actions on these sites.  However, in today's web-laden society, it's hard to know where to start looking sometimes to find all of a party's networks...

Guide to Family Law Cases in South Carolina

Posted on March 01, 2010
Do You Know the Answers to These Important Questions? Do you need an attorney? What should you consider when hiring a family law attorney? What are the most common mistakes spouses make when divorcing? What can you do to increase your chances of getting custody? How can you help your children during a Family Court case? What mistakes can cost you a fortune? How can you protect yourself before filing for divorce? What steps can you take to reduce the pain and expense of divorce? How can you protect your assets during a divorce? How can you protect yourself when being accused of child abuse or neglect Find out the answers in our free special report 'Guide to Family Law Cases in South Carolina'...

The Five Things That Family Court Clients Really Want

Posted on February 26, 2010
Lee Rosen recently discussed the fact that times have changed when it comes to what potential clients are (and aren't) looking for when interviewing lawyers to decide whether to retain them.  He wisely writes that there are advantages to being represented by competent counsel in these cases, and he claims that lawyers should understand that there are five things that clients really want to buy: More money...

Should There Be No Fault Child Custody Laws?

Posted on February 24, 2010
Ruth Bettelheim in the Huffington Post and in an op-ed piece in the New York Times argues that we should have no-fault custody legislation. Ms. Bettelheim's correctly urges that custody battles are damaging to children. Indeed, most family law practioner's would agree that children are the unintended victims in contested divorces, particularly when custody is in issue...

Value of Closely-Held Businesses in Divorce

Posted on February 22, 2010
When spouses own a business and they are getting divorced, the value of the business becomes a major focus of the division of property. Michelle O'Neil recently explained the concepts of valuation of a closely-held business entity that affect and even minimize the value of a closely-held business entity: Valuing a business is a complex, and often expensive part of a divorce...

The Key to Successful Marriages

Posted on February 18, 2010
Leah Ward Sears, who served as a family court judge for 26 years and is the recently retired chief justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, recently wrote an interesting editorial in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about what it takes to make a lasting marriage...

Dependency Exemption Basics for Divorced Parents

Posted on February 17, 2010
Tax season has arrived and with it questions as to tax treatment of children of divorcing or divorced parents. For purposes of this article let's deal with the most basic, the "dependency exemption". According to the IRS, the parent who has custody of his or her child for more than one-half the year can claim the child provided that he or she has provided more than half of the child's support for the year in question...

Ways to Lose Clients and How to Avoid Them

Posted on February 16, 2010
Law Practice Today recently published an article describing six ways that lawyers lose clients and how to avoid them.  For the attorneys that read my blog, I thought that these tips would be insightful and helpful for them.  For the clients and potential clients that read this article, consider whether your attorney is guilty of any of the following mistakes: "Only" offer advice...

Checklist of Hidden (or Easily Overlooked) Assets

Posted on February 12, 2010
The following is a list of easily-overlooked or "hidden" assets in property settlement or division cases: Frequent flyer mileage Security deposits (e.g., utilities, car lease) Timeshare property Leased vehicles, cell phone, other items Stock options Memberships (e...

Tips to Keep Your Children Out of the Middle

Posted on February 10, 2010
Most everyone would agree that it is a good idea to shield children from most parental conflict. Nevertheless, there are many times during and after divorces when children get drawn into family disputes and end up in the middle, with both sides pulling on them...

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