Divorce & Family Law Isn't Just Something We Do
It’s The Only Thing We Do

One of the challenges of divorce is trying to work out a schedule for the children. This is hard on them because they have to learn how to adjust to two different homes. Both parents will have to work to make the transition as easy as possible. There are many ways that you can help children with the transition from one home to another. It takes effort with you and your ex working as a team. Start with the exchange Try to make the child custody exchange as peaceful as possible. Keeping the conflict down during this time can set the mood for everyone involved. For some parents, the exchange will happen at a home, but it might be necessary, in some instances, to pick a neutral location. Both parents must ensure they are on time for this event. If you are doing the hand off at a home, the … Continue reading Keep transitions from one home to another stress-free for kids →

Child and family psychologists and psychological researchers agree that children of divorce benefit when they can spend as much quality time as possible with both of their parents. However, when two parents divorce, achieving this becomes a little more difficult since the parents won’t live in the same home. One solution involves the 50-50 child custody plan. With a true 50-50 parenting plan, i.e., joint physical custody arrangements, both parents will share the responsibility of caring for and raising the child equally. The child will divide their time living with both parents — and essentially maintain two homes. Although one might suspect that having two homes would be difficult for the child, psychologists have found that the benefits of spending more time with both parents trump any potential instability involved with shuffling between two residences. In fact, children adjust to these arrangements easily. When does 50-50 custody work best for … Continue reading Have you thought of the advantages of a 50-50 custody agreement? →

Parents who choose to raise a child separately often face numerous conflicts over sticking to their custody order. Unfortunately, some parents seem to believe that custody orders are a strong suggestion from the court, not legally binding orders. While it is normal for most parents to run into unavoidable scheduling issues from time to time, some parents push the issue. They wish to see what they can get away with. They want to gain more time with the child or punish the other parent. This behavior is not only unacceptable on a personal level, it is also illegal. It may result in loss of privileges by the offending parent. Does the other parent steal your time with your child? Broadly speaking, there are two forms of parenting time interference, both direct and indirect. Direct interference occurs when one parent physically prevents the other parent from spending their court-ordered time with … Continue reading Protecting your parenting time rights is essential →

You’ll have many difficult conversations in your life, but if you find yourself asking your spouse for a divorce it’ll probably move to the top of the list of challenging talks. There is nothing easy about this, even if your spouse knows it’s coming. Despite the difficulties, there are many things you can do to ease your stress and push the conversation forward in an efficient and productive manner. Here are some top tips to keep in mind: Prepare for everything: You don’t know what your spouse will say or do, so you need to prepare for anything and everything. If you neglect to do this, you could be caught off guard during the conversation, and that’s not something you need. Choose the right time and place: There is more to asking for a divorce than blurting it out at dinner, leaving the house and hoping that everything works out. … Continue reading Top tips for asking your spouse for a divorce →

Finding out that your spouse has been carrying on an affair is often emotionally devastating. You likely trusted your spouse until you discovered this indiscretion, and now you feel like there is no hope for rebuilding trust and saving your marriage. That is a very common response to infidelity, and it can lead people to begin considering divorce. Infidelity is a common reason for couples to seek divorce. When one spouse cheats, the other spouse may choose to initiate a divorce. Regardless of who filed, if your spouse cheated on you, you are probably wondering if that will have any effect on the outcome of your divorce. While every divorce case is unique, there are certain standards in place. The courts generally do not take marital misconduct into consideration Understanding how an affair will impact a divorce means looking at each contested area in your divorce carefully. The two most … Continue reading How an affair can impact your divorce in Alabama →

Splitting up your possessions and debts from your marriage can be a contentious issue in divorce. After all, money often plays a major factor in the breakdown of marriages. Whether one of you has trouble spending money or can’t seem to save any money, financial disparities can cause major marital strife. Now that you are on track for a divorce, you probably worry about whether you will get held responsible for your spouse’s habits and debts. Depending on your situation, it may be possible for you to avoid responsibility for certain debts during an Alabama divorce. The courts will do their best to split your assets and debts fairly Alabama uses an equitable distribution standard for the assets and debts of couples going through divorce. Unless you have a prenuptial agreement on record, the courts will look at certain factors from your marriage and determine a fair manner in which … Continue reading You may not be responsible for malicious spending by your ex →

For the average family considering divorce in Alabama, child custody and splitting up assets are the two biggest issues. When it comes to asset division, the biggest source of contention is often the marital home. After all, your house is likely the most expensive purchase you made during your marriage. Your monthly mortgage payment probably represents a significant amount of your monthly income. It is only natural and normal to want to receive a fair amount of the equity you have built up in your home during the course of your marriage. Informing yourself about Alabama laws and how the courts handle them can help you understand the likely outcome of your divorce. It is important to understand, however, that every divorce is unique and there is no guarantee about how the courts will rule on asset division in any given case. Alabama courts look for a way to split … Continue reading What you need to know about dividing your home in an AL divorce →

Many fathers in the state of Alabama feel frustrated that they do not have enough time with their child because of the current child custody set-up. Often, if biological parents have split up while the child was still very young, for one reason or another, the mother will become the primary custodian and spend more than 50 percent of the time with that child. However, it is generally regarded to be in the best interests of the child to have equal bonding time with both parents. It is quite common for fathers in Alabama to decide to push forward with filing for joint custody as the child gets older. There are many benefits for both the parents and the child when it comes to joint custody. It means that the parents are better able to work toward parenting decisions together, and that the child is able to spend quality time … Continue reading Child custody modifications for Alabama fathers →

As you approach your wedding day, you may contemplate the many steps you can take to protect your future. For example, a prenuptial agreement can go a long way in protecting both individuals’ assets in the event of a divorce. While there are many benefits to creating a prenuptial agreement, doing so can be a challenge. Your future spouse may not necessarily be on the same page as you are regarding the necessity of drafting a prenup. Here are some tips you can follow when asking for a prenuptial agreement without angering your partner: Never issue demands. When you tell your partner to sign a prenuptial agreement, as opposed to asking him or her, you’re entering dangerous territory. The person may feel threatened, which could result in them “shutting down” and not wanting to discuss the matter any further. Talk about your fears. If you’re going to ask for a … Continue reading Ask for a prenuptial agreement without angering your partner →

Some people in Birmingham support their families by running their own businesses. It’s a great way for families to seek financial independence, but it can quickly become complicated if a marriage fails. If you are considering divorce and started a business during your marriage with your spouse, there are likely going to be complications. Unless you have a prenuptial agreement or have taken special steps to protect your company, your ex could receive half of the company in the divorce. If you don’t think you will be able to continue operating the business together without issue after you divorce, you may need to start planning now. Take proactive steps while building your business Ideally, you and your spouse would agree on risk management practices that reduce the potential impact of a divorce on the business itself. Implementing these during the business formation process is usually the best option. After all, … Continue reading Can you run the family business together after divorce? →