Cultural phenomena tend to come and go, and the pendulum tends to swing from one side of an issue to the other over time before swinging back again. Recent decades have seen almost the entire country adopt what is known as a no-fault divorce system whereby the person filing a divorce case does not have to state a reason for doing so. There are also very short waiting periods that are in place across the country and in general divorce has been made as easy as possible to obtain.

The United States has a lot in common with the United Kingdom when it comes to different aspects of society. Our legal system is based on that which existed in England, but since that time many differences have arisen as the two societies have developed independently. One such difference involves legal help with regards to divorces. British citizens can make use of Legal Aid outlets as they face a divorce, but that system has come under scrutiny from the government lately.

Most everyone, particularly people who have already been through a divorce, understand that any children of such a marriage will struggle with emotional difficulties as a result of this decision and the process as a whole. These struggles tend to manifest themselves by way of behavioral issues and perhaps some social problems, but like everyone else it’s incumbent on any family that breaks up to work together as much as possible to minimize the long-term damage to the children of that marriage.

We have all heard the statistic regarding divorce in the United States in that approximately 50 percent of all marriages ultimately end in this way. Many of us understand how a marriage can fall apart, as sharing a life together can be difficult for anyone. Finances, major life decisions, general lifestyle and simply learning how to share nearly everything are all potential obstacles to a happy marriage. In addition, divorce does not carry the social stigma that it once did and people tend to be less wary of getting involved in this process.

If you have ever had a child, you doubtlessly remember the extreme excitement that came along with that magical day. You probably also remember that drive home from the hospital when you were convinced that you were more than ready to start a new life and to be a parent. Then that first night happened, and you wondered how you would ever make it through the next however many nights with little to no sleep.

If you are about to get married and you have assets and interests that you want to protect, any divorce lawyer will tell you that the best way to do so is to put together and execute a prenuptial agreement. Prenuptial agreements are basically the same as contracts in that they are binding on the parties that sign them. The same rules need to be followed in terms of what’s required for a contract to be valid and enforceable, but for years this was seen as the way to go for many reasons.

If you have ever been through a divorce or you’re currently married in a legal sense but you’re living apart and separated, chances are you understand that a marriage is over long before the documentation is signed and recorded by the family court. Emotions don’t run on schedules, and emotions tend to tell us when we need to move on with our lives whether we want to admit that or not. When we check out of a marriage emotionally, some of us have taken steps to begin the next phase of our lives. While this is healthy in certain respects, it can also lead to serious problems if the wrong steps are taken at the wrong times.

People generally do not look forward to hiring attorneys. They also do not look forward to getting involved in the legal process in general. That’s because people are unfamiliar with the legal world, they have heard horror stories about it and they want nothing to do with it. This is especially true if a legal situation involves a highly emotional situation such as divorce. No one wants to endure this painful process, but there are times when it’s necessary and when it’s simply going to leave both people in a better position.

Iowa was the second jurisdiction in the United States to adopt a no-fault divorce system. This system basically means that people who want to end a marriage can do so without stating a specific reason such as infidelity or abuse. No-fault divorce is something that has been accepted across the country, but it also has had its share of critics. Iowa has recently decided that it wants to consider the possibility of removing the no-fault system for some couples.

China has always been seen by Americans as a mysterious place and a bit of a dichotomy between the old, traditional China and the new and bustling modern China that’s been emerging in recent years. It’s no secret that as China has jumped into the modern world in many different ways, the country’s population has emulated western culture and American culture in particular. If you walk down any urban Chinese street, you’re likely to see signs for McDonald’s and Nike and you’re likely to see locals listening to American artists on their iPods.

It has been widely assumed for generations that once a couple is married for 20 years or more that they are most likely going to spend the rest of their lives together. People who get married, raise a family and work towards retirement together tend to get comfortable with their lives and find happiness as their children grow up and their retirement plans move from a distant blip on the radar of life to a growing light at the end of the tunnel.

No one these days can turn on a radio, television or a computer without being inundated with advertisements that relate to finishing your tax return for the tax year 2012. As a result, everyone is thinking about their tax returns and what they need to do to make sure that they get them done on time and that they get them done right. For most people, this is a relatively mundane exercise that happens every year. For many others, though, this is a complicated and stressful situation that is suddenly wholly unfamiliar. That’s because they have either recently completed a divorce or they are currently involved in such a case.

Laws that deal with divorce, child custody and anything else that’s related to the family are constantly being reviewed and tweaked by legislatures across the United States. This is simply a natural part of the legislative process, and anything can change at almost any time if the proper number of votes are in place. However, some of the changes that have been either made with regards to family laws across the country or proposed have gone right to the heart of divorce.

There are many different things that can lead to a divorce, and most people understand that there are certain causes that tend to be more common than others. Examples of these common causes include financial problems or disagreements, infidelity and general dysfunction in terms of personality dynamics. Clearly, alcohol would be recognized by most people as a common cause of serious marital problems, but until recently this issue had not been heavily studied. However, a thorough study was recently released that measured the effects of alcohol on marriage and divorce.

Every year, everyone in the United States who has earned above a certain amount of money during the previous year is required to file a tax return with the federal government. Unless people are expecting a refund, people generally do not look forward to this process. No one likes organizing all of their documents from the previous year to get this task handled, and it can be difficult for people who may be in a position where they will incur a large amount in tax liability. In short, spring can be a tough time for people as much as it is a busy time for CPA’s.

At this point in our history, most of us would assume that despite some lack of progress in some parts of the world, people who are not happy with each other can obtain a divorce if such a step is necessary. Divorces are granted from places that include the United States, across Europe and everywhere in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. However, there are still two places in the world where there is no divorce law on the books, and one of them is considering changing that reality.

Most people have at least heard of the news in recent years that has stated that the divorce rate in the United States has dropped, and that one of the biggest reasons for this drop is because of the terrible economic recession that hit the country. People tend to pull back on major life decisions during these difficult times, and divorce obviously qualifies as such. Not to mention, the potential cost of a divorce had many people hesitating to take this step.

As the world of medical science has continued to advance in recent years, people who have wanted to have a child have encountered more options when they are unable or unlikely to produce them by themselves. These new methods that include artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization have been refined to the point where the chances of success are much greater now than they were even a handful of years ago. While this is obviously good news for parents who want to have children, it has created complications if those parents were married and ultimately decided to pursue a divorce.

Many families struggle when spouses have a hard time living together and getting along. There are a number of different reasons as to why people come to the regrettable decision that their marriage is not going to work, and according to many family law experts a high number of people in this position hold things together until the holiday season is over. This is particularly true when it comes to families with children. However, now that this time has passed and people are beginning to come to grips with a difficult reality, it may be time to take that first step towards doing what needs to be done.

When people consider the laws that exist in California regarding divorce, child custody and anything else that’s related to the family, they tend to think that these are draconian standards that are unduly harsh. While many people feel this way based on experience, sometimes it’s a good idea to take a step back and consider just how differently these norms are seen in different parts of the world. The most recent example in this regard comes from Saudi Arabia.

For generations, people have quietly complained about their in-laws, and it’s gotten to the point where in-laws have been mercilessly parodied in films and on television. However, the relationship that spouses have with their in-laws is obviously important, as these relationships can help to define the quality of that marriage – for better or for worse. Recently, a study was completed that took a closer look at the importance of these relationships from both sides of a marriage.

Denmark is like many countries in that if a couple wants to pursue a divorce, they must wait for a certain period of time while being separated before the case can proceed.  In Denmark, that certain period of time is six months, and when that time expires the couple can proceed to court to have their marriage dissolved.  However, that could all be changing based on a proposal put forth recently in parliament.

Many states have struggled with the issues relating to grandparent visitation of children.  That’s because most child visitation laws deal exclusively with the parents of a child, and these laws have generally come about after the parents have pursued and obtained a divorce.  However, a case in Florida is leading to calls for the passing of a law allowing for grandparent visitation, but the circumstances surrounding it are unusual and unfortunate.

Many jurisdictions around the United States have adopted what is known as a ‘no-fault’ divorce system over the years, and this approach to divorce is designed to avoid lengthy litigation whereby the spouses need to spend time in court proving how much each spouse is at fault for the marriage failing.  New York was one of the last holdouts in changing to this system, and it has now been two years since the new no-fault laws were enacted.  Since then, divorce cases have risen in number.

For at least a generation, the roles of ‘traditional’ marriage in the United States have been changing.  Gone are the days where the husband goes off to work and the wife stays home and keeps the house and manages the children.  These days, both parents tend to work full time and both parents tend to share the duties around the home.  While most people consider this progress and simply a fair way to live, a controversial new study from Norway contradicts these beliefs.

When people in Canada and in the United States decide to pursue a divorce, that case becomes a matter of public record unless, as is done by some judges, the case is sealed for privacy concerns.  However, the court system in Quebec has been concealing the names of parties to divorce cases in this province as only the initials of the parties involved appear.  It seems that this approach is gaining notice in the rest of Canada.

Most people who have been married or know people who have gotten married understand that ‘cold feet’ is a feeling that is not uncommon.  A wedding is an enormous event and marriage is an enormous life decision, and many big decisions involve some trepidation before moving forward.  However, some researchers have recently looked more closely into this feeling, and they have found that cold feet could actually lead to more problems down the road.

Many people who obtain a divorce look back and wish that they had executed a prenuptial agreement to protect their assets and interests in case their marriage did not work out for them.  There are also many people who are already married who may regret not completing a prenuptial agreement and as a result they may feel stuck in a marriage because they are concerned about what they may have to lose.  However, it seems that many others are becoming more aware of their options even after the knot is tied.

Alcohol is obviously a legal substance for adults, and it can have different levels of influence on people’s lives.  One of the ways in which researchers have been studying alcohol recently involves its potential impact on married, single and divorced people, and the results of a recent longitudinal study indicate some clear trends that exist.  These trends appear to be unique for men and women as well as for those who are divorced, married and single.

For generations it seems, American society has been living with certain assumptions regarding divorce, and these assumptions have basically been adopted as norms.  However, the more we study this issue the more we seem to learn, and many of these 'norms' are being debunked over time.  It seems the latest assumption that came under scrutiny involved the percentage of divorces that are initiated by women, and the results were surprising to many.

When people seek a divorce and one of the spouses has a military disability benefit that he or she is collecting, courts around the country have ruled somewhat differently with regards to whether those disability benefits should be counted when calculating the issue of spousal support.  As a result of this confusion, a disabled veteran in Oregon has asked the United States Supreme Court to hear the issue and to make a ruling that will be followed in a uniform manner.

Even though the country generally follows a system of no-fault divorce, which means that someone asking for a divorce does not need to state a specific legal reason for it, there are still many studies done that attempt to categorize the different reasons that divorces come about.  Traditionally, issues such as money and communication problems have almost always been among the leading causes of divorce, but a recent study indicates that a new cause is moving up the list.

When a military divorce takes place and the spouses involved in that marriage want to achieve the same results as any other couple that wants to move on with their lives, this process is relatively similar to any civilian divorce.  However, there are some complications that can arise, specifically with regards to retirement benefits earned by the member of the military and how those benefits should be divided with the other spouse.

When a child support order is issued for a non-custodial parent, that order carries as much weight as any other court order that is released.  Therefore, when people fail to remain current with their child support payments, they can face serious legal problems.  This situation only becomes more serious if someone is incarcerated for any period of time and therefore unable to pay child support.  Many inmates walk into an unmanageable sum when they are released and could face more jail time for a failure to make those payments.

Florida has long been in line with just about every other jurisdiction when it comes to the laws regarding spousal support, also known as alimony.  However, the winds of change are starting to blow around the United States with regards to these laws, and Florida is one of the jurisdictions that is considering making adjustments to how the issue of spousal support is handled for couples who obtain a divorce in Florida.

Generally speaking, there are a limited number of people who can legally engage in child visitation after his or her parents have been divorced or after a child has been placed in foster care.  Those people who are generally eligible for child visitation include the parents of the child absent certain circumstances and grandparents.  However, one lawmaker in Nebraska is attempting to expand the number of people who can legally visit a child.

When people decide to bring about an end to their marriage and to pursue a divorce, there are many steps that need to be taken in order for this process to be completed properly.  One of those steps involves property division, and this issue can quickly become antagonistic and nasty for anyone who attempts to separate into two what was once one.  It seems that this is particularly so when it comes to health insurance.

In recent years, people all over the world have begun to depend on their smart phones for just about every aspect of their lives.  These include handling finances, handling communications and handling calendars.  According to a recent survey of divorce lawyers from around the United States, people pursuing a divorce are also depending on smart phones with increasing regularity as sources of evidence when divorces are litigated.

For many years, the child support system that has been commonly followed around the United States involved taking aggressive steps to collect on past-due child support, to threaten criminal penalties on parents who did not make their payments on time and to even incarcerate some of the worst offenders.  However, it seems that some governmental agencies are beginning to take a wider array of steps in order to collect this past-due support, and that includes New York City.

The city has recently announced that it collected a record $731 million in past-due child support during the calendar year of 2011.  There were several steps that were taken in order to bring in this enormous amount, including wage garnishments, collection letters and providing the opportunity for parents who owed child support but did not have jobs to obtain job training and help finding jobs.  These steps all led to a higher number of payments.

In addition to the collection efforts and the jobs help program, the city also offered a program that allowed the parents to mediate their situations in an effort to negotiate a fair and equitable level of payments based on the income being generated by the non-custodial parents.  The city remains hopeful that this multifaceted approach will continue to bring about positive results both for custodial parents and for those who may need some help making these payments.

San Diego Child Support Lawyers

Clearly, parents who face the obligation of child support need to be sure to take steps to keep those payments current so that they can avoid encountering serious problems as a result.  One of the biggest mistakes that a non-custodial parent will make is to simply stop making payments in hope that a solution will present itself.

If you are dealing with a child support order and you’re either already dealing with or about to encounter problems with that order, you need to be proactive to make sure that you avoid more serious problems.  Seek the help of San Diego child support lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

The number of people who have decided to live together in recent years but not get married has been increasing, and as a result of this increase several different entities have been studying this phenomenon.  While most believe that there could be almost any reason in place for a couple to decide to simply cohabitate, a recent survey that took a close look at the issue led to a somewhat surprising conclusion.

Over the past 50 years or so, many jurisdictions around the United States began to reform their divorce laws and standards and specifically went to what is now known as a 'no-fault' divorce system, which is sometimes referred to as unilateral divorce.  This system allows one spouse to initiate a divorce without the consent of the other and does not require specific grounds for a divorce to be granted.

For generations, when people got divorced in Israel and there were children of the marriage, courts have generally awarded custody to the mothers of these children unless circumstances were present that swayed the court to award primary custody to the father.  However, years of debate have been raging on a committee that was charged with reviewing this presumption, and it recently recommended that courts should instead presume that joint custody would be the better result in these cases.

Today, Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman announced that he would adopt this recommendation that was made by the Schnit Committee, named after the head of the group, despite the fact that many people on the committee and others in the area have decried this recommendation as faulty in its logic.  Therefore, courts will begin to assume that young children, defined as those up to the age of six, will live under a norm of joint custody.

One of the main reasons that this decision was made was because of so much research that was used to support this committee position that indicated that children of divorce are generally better off having substantial relationships with both parents.  However, that did not stop one committee member from resigning and others from publicly excoriating this decision.  At this point, the norm has been put into effect and decisions should begin to change overall as more child custody cases come to court.

San Diego Child Custody Cases

Even though no such specific law has been adopted in California or anywhere else in the United States, courts are beginning to move away from the presumption that the mother should be awarded primary custody of the children of a divorce when this issue is disputed.  More and more fathers are winning primary custody based on the specific merits of the cases they present, but these cases should be presented by experienced professionals.

If you are facing this difficult battle, you need to seek the help of San Diego child custody lawyers who have been fighting for fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

One of the most difficult situations that can arise with regards to child custody issues involves scenarios where a non-custodial parent takes a child across international borders and prevents the custodial parent from regaining access to that child.  One of the relatively few countries that has not endorsed a 1980 Hague Convention treaty that deals with these situations is Japan, and estimates indicate that hundreds of American children are currently living there with non-custodial parents in violation of domestic court orders.

For some time, the international community has been applying pressure to the Japanese government to sign the treaty and to become the last of what is considered to be the 'G8' countries to begin to take part in the international cooperation that is currently in place with not only the rest of the G8, but also with 87 countries around the world.

In what everyone considers a positive step, the Japanese government has announced that it could put forth a bill in March that would allow Japan to join the other countries on this treaty.  If that occurs, non-custodial parents who are hiding with children in Japan could be subject to the same steps and remedies as those hiding in other countries, and thereby bring about the possibility that these children could be returned to their custodial parents in accordance with the court orders that were issued in the United States.

San Diego Child Custody Lawyers

Clearly, if this bill becomes law in Japan, it would open up an entirely new world of possibilities for parents whose children have been kidnapped and hidden in that country.  As of now, there is little if anything that can be done for parents who are suffering through this experience, and those in this position could take action as soon as the bill is passed.

If you are dealing with any type of child custody issue, whether it’s in the United States or abroad, you need to seek the help of San Diego child custody lawyers who have been fighting for fathers and husbands for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

When people of a high net worth become involved in a litigated high asset divorce case, there is much to lose for each side.  In addition, paying the costs of litigation in these cases can be difficult for those spouses who may not have access to the assets that are included in a marital estate.  Therefore, many people in this position need to secure financing to pay litigation costs.

Anyone who has been through a divorce understands the enormous amount of stress that must be endured before this difficult process is complete.  In fact, several researchers and other professionals have been reviewing and studying the effects of a divorce as they relate to people and their emotional, physical and financial health.  Many of these studies have revealed that there is a tangible effect that divorce can have on parties to these cases.

However, based on a recent study, it also seems possible that there could be neurological effects on a person who goes through a difficult divorce.  Researchers performing a study at Yale University have recently revealed results of a study that showed that people going through difficult life events such as a hotly-contested divorce or other highly stressful situations can see the gray matter in their brains shrink.  This shrinkage took place in the area of the brain that governed emotion.  The results are likely to prompt additional study with regards to this topic.

Clearly, the results of this study are sure to make waves in the medical, psychological and perhaps even the legal communities.  Physical harm to a brain is something that must be tracked and watched carefully for many reasons, and people who are going through a difficult divorce have now been seen to be at risk for this form of harm.

San Diego Divorce Lawyers

People who face the end of their marriages already face enough difficulties that can lead them to hesitate in taking that first step.  This additional information is not a reason in itself to prevent someone who is involved in an unhappy marriage from bringing about an end to what could be a dysfunctional cycle.  It should only reinforce the need to find the proper type of help in moving through this process.

If you are facing the end of your marriage, you need to seek the help of San Diego divorce lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of husbands and fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

For generations, the typical family unit in the United States consisted of a husband who went to work every day and generated the income and a wife who stayed at home to take care of the household and to care for the children.  As a result of this past norm, women tended to suffer immensely in terms of their drop in income after a divorce was completed.  However, according to a recent survey, societal changes in general have led to much less of a substantial drop in income for women after a divorce.

Specifically, Pew Research recently completed a survey that compared the percentage of men and women who suffered at least a 25 percent drop in income after a divorce in the 1970’s to the percentage of men and women who suffer the same level of drop-off now.  In the 1970’s, 63 percent of women endured a drop-off of at least 25 percent of their income after a divorce compared to only 30 percent of men.  However, the number of women experiencing this level of drop-off in the present day has plummeted to 49 percent, while the number of men experiencing this level of a decline has risen to 47 percent.

This survey reflects the massive changes in terms of society overall during that time.  More and more women have entered the workforce since the 1970’s, and more and more families have needed to generate two incomes in order to make ends meet.  As a result, women tend to suffer less and men more in terms of income loss as a result of a divorce.

San Diego Divorce Lawyers

When a couple decides to end their marriage, one of the issues that always arises is that which concerns support.  Both spousal support and child support can be contested issues, and several factors including the respective incomes of the parties involved are supposed to be considered when finalizing the dissolution of the marriage.

If you are facing the end of your marriage and you need help handling this process, seek the help of San Diego divorce lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers and husbands for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

When the calendar turns to a new year, it’s typical for several new laws to take effect and to begin having a substantial effect on different types of legal matters.  Divorce is certainly a type of legal matter that is subject to legal changes from time to time, and 2012 will usher in a change in the way that divorce cases can be managed in such a way that it could alter the landscape of how contested issues such as child custody and child visitation are handled.

Beginning this year, a change in the laws that deal with divorce in California will allow children to testify regarding the issues of child custody and child visitation.  Specifically, the child’s age and capacity to reason must be sufficient such that his or her testimony will be relevant.  In addition, a child who is 14 years old or older may address the court directly.  To date, the ability of children to take part in these proceedings was limited.

Even though children will now be able to address a court in this manner, the situation will still be closely controlled and managed by the court.  However, many expect this change to add a substantial degree of complication to these proceedings, as it could give rise to a temptation by one parent or both to manipulate the children into testifying in a certain way.  The overriding standard to be used by California courts in deciding these issues remains the best interests of the child or children involved.

San Diego Child Custody Lawyers

Clearly, any father who faces a contested child custody or child support issue faces a difficult challenge for many reasons.  Fathers who are in this position need to take immediate action to make sure that they are doing everything possible to build a strong case.  This undertaking should occur with the help of experienced professionals.

If you are facing this legal battle, you need to seek the help of San Diego child custody lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers and husbands for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

For many years, sociologists and other researchers have watched as the average age of the people who have decided to get married for the first time has risen.  Many felt that this was because of realities in the lives of young people including their desire to obtain higher levels of education and to establish themselves professionally before settling down on the domestic front.  However, the results of recent studies have revealed that there could be other reasons for this advancing in the average age of brides and grooms.

Specifically, research that was done by the journal Family Relations states that more and more young people are reluctant to get married for fear of encountering the possibility of a divorce.  In addition, a study that was completed by researchers at Cornell University and the University of Central Oklahoma concluded that there is increasing belief in the United States that marriage is nothing more than a 'piece of paper' that can be undone.

While it appears that these two conclusions are in opposition to each other, the fact remains that people’s attitudes towards marriage is changing as a whole.  Almost half of the households in the United States currently are unmarried, and this trend has been moving upward for many years now as fewer people are getting married, more people are getting divorced and more people decide that they simply want to live together.

San Diego Divorce Lawyers

While society’s attitude towards marriage may be changing, one thing that remains a constant is that if someone is encountering the possibility of their marriage ending, that person needs to take action to make sure that his legal rights are properly protected and enforced.  As such, someone who understands his rights and options is likely to emerge from a divorce in a better position than someone who does not.

If you are contemplating the end of your marriage, you need to seek the help of San Diego divorce lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers and husbands for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

We very rarely track individual divorce cases on this Web site, but there are some that come to light that are worthy of mention based on some of the issues that they highlight.  The latest example of this is the divorce involving Mel Gibson and his wife of 31 years, which was finally finished on Friday after years of legal wrangling and negotiations.  In short, this high asset divorce is one that will be seen by many as the most expensive in the history of celebrity marriages.

Specifically, Mel Gibson will have to split the marital estate with his wife, which is worth an estimated $850 million.  Therefore, Mr. Gibson will need to pay his former wife $425 million in order to adhere to the terms of the settlement.  In addition to this original payout, Mr. Gibson will also have to pay his former wife half of his residual income that he receives for the rest of his life.  Residual income is generally that which is generated by the payment of royalties and the like.

While this enormous payout will make headlines, what is not known specifically is whether there was a prenuptial agreement in place between the spouses.  Most believe there was not, and most believe that this settlement heavily favors Mr. Gibson’s former wife.  What this case should tell anyone who is of a high net worth is that it is always advisable to have the terms of a potential divorce worked out ahead of time.

San Diego High Asset Divorce Lawyers

If you are of a high net worth and you’re unsure of how your rights and options stack up in the event of a divorce, you owe it to yourself to take basic steps to ensure that you are handling the possibility of this situation arising as well as you can.  That should be done with the help of an experienced professional who has helped clients through these matters in the past.

If you are facing the end of your marriage, you need to seek the help of San Diego high asset divorce lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of husbands and fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

Most people understand that when they are ordered to pay child support by a court, that order carries the same weight as any other court order.  Therefore, a failure to remain current on child support payments can lead to serious additional problems including the adding of interest to the unpaid portions until the account is brought up to date.  However, that does not prevent people from being surprised because of computer problems, which is occurring right now in Contra Costa County.

According to several reports, the county is still working to update its files from an outdated computer system, and this problem dates back well more than a decade.  Unfortunately for many people, their past-due child support statements have not included the interest that was adding up more and more based in part on the amount of time that the account was delinquent.  Some people received terrible surprises, including one man who received an interest bill of more than $50,000.00.

Unfortunately, compounding interest is just one of the many problems that can arise when people cannot remain current with their child support obligations.  In addition to this type of situation, someone who is in this position can face additional sanctions and even an arrest in certain scenarios.  However, many people are not happy with the surprise they have recently received in the mail in that part of the state.

San Diego Child Support Lawyers

Clearly, anyone who has a problem or foresees a problem with continuing to pay their current child support payments should not let the situation get worse before doing something about it.  Being proactive in this sense can save much in terms of time, money and stress.  There are cases where child support payments can be modified based on circumstances.

If you face this situation, you need to seek the help of San Diego child support lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

When soldiers who have served in the military decide to retire, they have health benefits available to them that they can use for their health care.  This coverage can extend to both the soldier and to his or her spouse.  While this seems to be a relatively straightforward notion, the situation can become complicated if the military serviceman or servicewoman decides to obtain a divorce.

Specifically, the Former Spouses' Protection Act deals with retirement health benefits for military personnel, and a recent case in Alaska led to a ruling that these assets should be valued as marital assets when it came time to divide the marital estate.  The case dealt with a military serviceman who retired and then sought a divorce.  The former husband disputed this ruling and it wound up in the state’s highest court as a result.

The Alaska Supreme Court ruled that the trial court was correct in ruling that this health benefit asset could be classified as a marital asset and therefore be subject to division, although the case was remanded to the lower court because the high court did not agree with the value that was assigned to that health benefit.  That value had been set at more than $125,000.  Basically, Alaska has ruled that judges have discretion on ruling on whether or not this type of an asset is part of the marital estate.

San Diego Military Divorce Lawyers

When military personnel decide that it’s time to pursue a divorce, the situation is governed by several different federal laws, many of which are ruled upon and applied by state court judges.  This can lead to complicated situations and difficult decisions for many to accept, and that’s only one of many reasons for those in this position to seek the appropriate type of help.

If you are in the military and you’re considering the possibility of a divorce, you need to seek the help of San Diego military divorce lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of those who have served our country for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

For many years, the military divorce rate has been much lower than that of the general population, and there are many reasons for that reality.  In recent years, the military divorce rate has been seen as plateauing by many experts who track these sorts of statistics.  These statistics are tracked because many military officials feel that distractions such as divorce or other problems at home can lead to problems regarding performance for soldiers, especially those who are deployed in a combat zone.

Almost since the modern system of divorce around the world has been in place that basically left judges to decide on the primary custody of children, there have been visitation arrangements made where the non-custodial parent gets at least a portion of the overnight stays with those children of the marriage.  However, a recent study in Australia concludes that this system of having children who are two years old and younger staying with non-custodial parents overnight can be harmful for them.

Specifically, this study that was partially funded by the government stated that when small children regularly spend nights away from their primary caregiver, they can encounter high amounts of stress with regards to the unfamiliarity of their surroundings and the disconnect that forms between the child and the custodial parent.  On a long-term basis, this can lead to what have been described as serious problems for that child.

While this study that was partially funded by the Australian government does not carry any actual legal weight with that country’s divorce system, it is likely going to influence the decisions of many judges when it comes to custody and when it comes to the general visitation guidelines that are ordered as part of the divorce cases that are completed there.  As would be expected, many groups and individuals are challenging these findings out of concern for the non-custodial parents and the potential for a less bonded relationship between those children and those non-custodial parents.

San Diego Child Custody Lawyers

While the results of this study have clearly made waves in the legal community in Australia, there is no sign that these findings will carry any significant weight with the American legal community and the divorce and child custody laws that are currently in place.  However, that does not mean that fathers who face a child custody battle should not take as many steps as possible to prepare for this legal situation.

If you are facing the possibility of a divorce and you’re concerned about the potential result, you need to seek the help of San Diego child custody lawyers who have been fighting for the rights of fathers for many years.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

Anyone who paid any attention to the news over the weekend saw that the last of the active combat troops in Iraq left the country and began their journey to a new place.  Some of those soldiers will be moving to other combat zones such as Afghanistan, but many of them will be returning home to their families.  While many people have every reason to celebrate this development, there are officials out there who are preparing for certain developments, and one of them is an anticipated rise in the military divorce rate.

Officials are preparing for this possibility because of the difficulties that many soldiers experience when they return to domestic life after one or even several deployments into hostile and actively combative areas.  These adjustments can be extremely difficult and many soldiers as well as spouses who have remained in the United States for long periods of time can change as the time away has continued to increase.  IN addition there will be soldiers who are suffering from such conditions as post-traumatic stress disorder who will struggle with many different aspects of life.

As a result of the anticipation of this rise in military divorces, officials are making sure that several services for active military members and veterans are available that include family counseling and other forms of help designed to make the transition back into domestic life as smooth as possible.  Unfortunately, these added services will not be enough for some to anticipate a rise from the 30,000 military divorces that occurred during the last fiscal year.

San Diego Military Divorce Lawyers

Clearly, anyone who has been serving our country in a combat zone or anywhere else has faced a difficult challenge in recent years, and the courage of our military heroes should always be acknowledged and appreciated.  There are many ways to express these thoughts and feelings, and one of them is providing help to those who need it in terms of their family lives.

If you are facing the possibility of ending your marriage and you’re involved with the military, you need the help of San Diego military divorce lawyers who understand what it likes to serve actively and to handle these difficult situations.  Contact the Men's Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

When people decide that it’s time to end their marriage and move on in life without his or her partner, it often gives rise to challenges that the people involved did not foresee.  This is true both for the person who initiates the divorce and the person who is on the receiving end of this troubling decision.  As a result of the problems that arise, several different professionals have compiled some ideas for both parties to a divorce.

Many of us who have either been through a divorce or know someone who has gone through this difficult process has seen or heard rants and complaints posted online at social media sites such as Facebook.  Many of us are also aware that people going through a divorce may sign up for online dating sites such as eHarmony.com or Match.com.  These may seem like relatively normal steps to take in today's online world, but a judge in Connecticut could have recently set a precedent that would greatly impact those who make these decisions while going through a divorce.

Most people understand that money and finances are two subjects that can most often lead to marital disagreements.  In fact, these issues are among the leading causes of divorce in the United States.  As a result, many different researchers and entities have been studying this issue in an attempt to find out why certain couples who have money disagreements tend to face the possibility of their marriages ending more than others.

When people study the issue of divorce, they tend to look at this phenomenon from every different angle possible.  The reason for so much study of divorce is because researchers from all over the world are attempting to identify patterns or some sort of answer as to why they occur and perhaps how they can be avoided.  Recently, another new study was published that looked at the divorce rates for people with varying degrees of education.

In recent years, China has moved in a direction that has many people wondering just how much like the United States this mysterious country will wind up being in terms of culture, economy and several other aspects of life.  In fact, much like the United States over the past few generations, the divorce rate in China has exploded in recent years, leading to a bit of legal mayhem in the absence of clear laws and standards.

One of the most obvious fears encountered by people who are contemplating a divorce is the cost involved if the case is litigated or otherwise drawn out.  Clearly, no one can deny that there have been many examples of people’s assets being all but exhausted during this difficult and sometimes expensive process, and one company has responded to these fears by offering divorce insurance coverage that’s marketed as helping you cover your costs should you decide to end your marriage.

When people attempt to curb the high divorce rate in the country, they tend to look to several options for action.  When governmental entities take up the same cause, it usually takes on the form of proposed legislation.  That’s what the legislature in Michigan is apparently attempting to do by introducing a bill that would lengthen the amount of time between the issuance of a marriage license and the actual ceremony that would be performed in the state.

For centuries, the institution of marriage has been thought of as a lifetime commitment. However, in modern times, divorce has become much more common than it was in historic times. As a result, family courts all over the world are overloaded with cases and divorce cases can take years to complete simply because of the number of cases on a docket. It seems that legislators in Mexico City are attempting to manage the 50-percent divorce rate in a unique and controversial manner.

When someone mentions a study that was done that establishes a link between money problems in a marriage and an increased likelihood for divorce, no one would likely give that study much attention. People have long known that money tends to be one of the most hot-button issues inside of any marriage and that a lack of money or financial stress in general can increase the possibility that a marriage will not work out.

For many years, people have widely assumed that when a couple decides to pursue a divorce that there is no chance that they will ever be together as a couple again.  That’s largely because once the process begins, those involved in it tend to focus only on getting through it and moving on with their lives.  However, a recent study regarding the possibility of reconciliation as seen by spouses going through a divorce has shed new light on what those involved in a divorce may be thinking and feeling.

When an economic recession hits hard and takes hold of a society, the fallout can be felt and experienced in ways that many would not imagine until experiencing it for themselves.  While some fallout is negative and predictable, other forms of backlash in response to financial difficulties are unforeseeable and tragic.  Sadly, one study attempts to make a link between the recession and one of the most horrific examples of conduct in American society – child abuse injuries.

For many years, California has been known as a jurisdiction where quickie divorces were the norm and where the institution was taken lightly.  That reputation may have something to do with the fact that California has had a no-fault divorce system in place for more than 40 years.  However, many people were surprised to see the statistics regarding divorce rates for every state that were released by the United States Census Bureau in furtherance of their work in 2010.

One of the most contentious issues that can arise in any divorce case involves spousal support.  Not only is the decision to award support or not within the discretion of the court, but the amount and the duration of the support is also a part of the decision.  In California, courts tend to lean against awarding permanent support in most cases, and in Tennessee, the state supreme court there has recently ruled that permanent support awards are not appropriate when the receiving spouse is generally in good financial health.

Celebrity divorces are not of much interest to most people, but there are situations that arise with these marriages that can provide some insight into how different aspects of a marriage and/or a divorce can be handled.  One such example could be in the process of arising with regards to the possible Salahi divorce.  The couple gained notoriety for crashing a White House dinner, and since then they have been in the public eye.  Now comes word that their marriage could be ending, and if the leaked tenets of a prenuptial agreement are accurate, it could lead to serious problems for Mrs. Salahi.

Divorce is hard on anyone who is involved with this difficult process, and one of the most difficult periods that must be faced by those who end their marriages is the time period that arises after a divorce is complete.  For many years, most have known that children tend to suffer greatly as a result of this process, but a new survey that was performed in Europe has revealed that men tend to suffer after a divorce more than women.

As the economy has continued to be mired in a state of disrepair, more and more people have encountered financial needs that they never have in the past.  As a result, many families are turning to new forms of assistance simply to help them put food on the table and to care for their health.  Government programs such as Medicaid and welfare are two such examples, and a new study has looked at a link between the use of these forms of assistance and the effect of them on marriages.

Anyone who has children and who is contemplating a divorce will often hesitate to take that first step because they are deeply concerned about the effect such a process will have on those children.  While there are situations where a divorce can lead to serious difficulties for children, a new study has been released that concludes that when children of a divorce are of college age, they tend to avoid the suffering that tends to inflict younger children of marriages that are ending.

When a California divorce is complete and the order that dissolves the marriage is entered by the court, there are several duties and responsibilities that are assigned in that document.  Failure to meet those obligations is tantamount to contempt of court, and there have been situations where a former spouse has failed to pay child support that led to arrests and criminal law problems.  Recently, an appeals court in the state ruled on an issue regarding notice when the California DCSS levied a former spouse's retirement account to collect on past-due child and spousal support.

We posted recently regarding an uptick in legal matters that arise post-divorce involving the signing of quitclaim deeds and still having former spouses winding up in foreclosure proceedings.  The issue that led to these serious legal and financial problems for so many people was the fact that many believed that the divorce decree would automatically remove their responsibility from these secured debts.

The State of California, like millions of its residents, is facing a serious financial problem on many levels.  As a result of a nearly complete lack of funds that would continue to keep staffs at their current level, the state is being forced to lay off state workers at a breakneck pace.  One of the areas that will soon begin to feel the pinch is in courthouses around the state, and the result of these cutbacks could mean that divorce cases will take longer than they do now to complete.

For many years, society in general has assumed that people who remained single lived longer and happier lives because of the lack of stress that can and often is part of a marriage.  Any time two people attempt to build a life together, it involves much in the way of work and diligence.  However, a recent study has revealed that when it comes to heart problems, married people actually tend to stand a much greater chance of long-term survival than their unmarried counterparts.

For decades, professionals and academics tracked marriages and divorces in order to learn many lessons.  Specifically, much has been learned about divorce in the United States since it’s been studied from innumerable angles by people all over the country.  Over those decades, several different patterns regarding the divorce rate in the country have been detected, and it seems that the overall divorce rate has been falling in recent years.  In fact, there are other social phenomena that have been gaining on divorce in terms of overall rate in recent years, and one of them is cohabitation.

When a California divorce begins, many things are put at risk.  One of those things that needs protection is your credit, which is always at risk of harm when this process begins.  Unfortunately, one of the biggest long-term setbacks that people suffer as a result of a California divorce is credit rating harm, as this problem can take years to correct.  However, there are steps that can be taken in order to protect your credit so that you can emerge from this process with a better chance to succeed.

There have always been misconceptions attached to men who have been through a divorce, and these misconceptions have persisted to the point where the men who have been through it must deal with these ideas.  One of those misconceptions appears to have been clarified by a recent study that dealt with the statistics regarding men who were paying child support and their tendency to remarry.

The dynamic that exists between spouses is something that has been studied closely for generations, and while no magic formula has been found that allows people to decrease the number of conflicts they encounter with each other, some researchers are learning other important lessons.  One of those lessons was recently publicized when a study was released that tracked the amount of conflict that exists between married couples over time.

One of the most common orders that stems from a California divorce is one that requires a non-custodial parent to pay child support for children of the marriage.  While there are strict laws in place that deal with the collection of these child support payments as well as the penalties that can be faced by parents who do not remain current on these payments, statistics indicate that almost $1 billion in child support payments are not made on an annual basis in the state.

Clearly, the way the modern world works means that our lifestyles and our overall approaches to life tend to be dictated to a degree by our occupations.  As such, there are certain professions that tend to lead to a divorce at higher rates than others.  Researchers at Radford University recently made the effort to compile a list of the occupations that tend to lead to higher rates of divorce than others, and many of the entries on that list were far from surprising.

For generations, people have believed that even if a marriage encounters problems, parents of children will likely make an effort to remain together for the good of the whole family.  While many people do make this effort, most experts agree that deciding to remain in an unhappy marriage often leads to more harm for those who live in the home than good.  However, recent statistical analyses have led to a surprising result with regards to how this belief may be prevalent.

California is in a similar position to many other states these days in that it faces the reality of tough budget cuts in order to reduce its growing deficit.  These cuts are in the process of being made, and one of the areas that's been significantly affected has been the state courts.  Therefore, anyone who is seeking a California divorce or who wants to handle any other divorce-related issue could be looking at a long wait before resolving whatever problem is in front of them.

When the divorce rate remains high for many years and people show a high propensity to remarry, they often find a bond with someone who has also been through a divorce.  These bonds lead to marriages where children are brought together under one roof, and step-brothers and sisters are now a common familial relationship in the United States.  While the number of children who experience this situation is growing, it was only estimated with any degree of particularity recently.

When economic times are tough, millions of people tend to suffer the consequences.  One of the foundational results, or causes depending on whose opinion is sought, of the current recession is the plummeting and suffering real estate market.  When people own a home that is upside-down in value, it can place an extreme strain on the lives of those who struggle to stay current on a mortgage that is worth more than the home.  This strain, according to more than one study, is leading to a downturn in the divorce rate.

There are innumerable reasons that will lead a married couple to pursue a divorce.  These cases are filed on a daily basis in California and around the United States, and for many years researchers have been studying the issue in an attempt to learn more about this phenomenon.  Recently, the preliminary results of a study were publicized that have led to much in the way of reaction from professionals in many disciplines.  This study suggests that divorce can actually be contagious within social circles.

Recent generations have shown a remarkable shift in what would have been considered ‘traditional' American family dynamics, where the father worked and earned the bulk of the household income and the mother stayed at home and took care of the household.  Clearly, as society has continued to advance, more and more women have entered the workforce in the United States.  In addition, the recent recession and its resulting explosion in unemployment has resulted in more men staying at home.  This shift has led to an emerging phenomenon regarding divorce.

Anyone who has been through a California divorce tends to understand that perhaps the nastiest and most antagonistic issue that can arise with relation to these situations involves child custody.  In fact, these battles can arise even if the two parents were not married.  As a result, there have been numerous cases decided by courts involving this issue, and the latest one relates to actor Mel Gibson and his former girlfriend as they continue to fight over the custody of their child.

For many years, people have generally understood that while spouses find a divorce difficult to handle on several levels, children of the marriage suffer immeasurably.  However, few people have taken steps to specifically define how and when children of divorce tend to suffer setbacks.  That has all changed with a study recently released by the University of Wisconsin that tracked specific difficulties encountered by children whose parents were either pursuing or who already had completed a divorce.

Obviously, the past 10 years have been difficult for military families all over the United States.  Soldiers, men and women alike, have been deployed in Iraq, Afghanistan and many other locations in that part of the world as the United States has continued its military campaigns since just after September 11, 2001.  While the bravery that's required to serve in this fashion is impossible for many to understand, soldiers are human, and they often face the same types of struggles as anyone else.  One such common struggle is that of divorce.