On the page below you can find links to documents, reports, publications and discussions provided by Hofheimer Family Law Firm.
The documents below are available to the public to gain a better understanding of the legal challenges facing them, and why an experienced attorney is so important for success.
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By Katie Carter
Custody cases are some of the hardest. Even in cases that – to me, at least – seem more or less routine, there’s still the fact that parents who otherwise would have had (and probably did have, up until recently) complete autonomy over how their children were going to be raised are going to suddenly face the involvement of the court, a guardian ad litem, and others when it comes to their parenting choices. As a parent myself, that’s something I honestly can’t imagine, even though I handle … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
In many marriages, the house is the biggest asset. In others, it can be the biggest liability. Either way—asset or liability—the way the house is handled in divorce is a really big deal. Whether you want it, he wants it, or you just want it gone, the marital residence is a biggie. Whether you want it, he wants it, or you just want it gone, the marital residence is a biggie. Whether it was the home you brought your first child home to, the first big purchase of your adult life, or just the … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
Separation agreements are great, because they allow parties to reach an agreement about how their divorce will be handled, rather than litigating things and ultimately leaving it up to a judge to decide. Judges are super smart and all that, but (1) they don’t know your case as well as you do, and (2) don’t have the time to dedicate to figuring it all out, with all the other cases that are jamming up their dockets. It’s not a judgment; it’s just fact, and it’s something that you need to be … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
I spend a lot of time preaching about separation agreements. Obviously--see here, here, and here, for more information. I talk a lot about how useful they are, how much control they give parties over the way their assets will be divided, and the benefits of spending less on attorney’s fees (so you have more for your happily ever after). But a separation agreement isn’t possible for everyone, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. When I talk about the benefits of separation agreements, … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
What to expect at a judicial settlement conference Judicial settlement conferences can happen for a couple of different reasons. If your divorce is contested, oftentimes courts require that you have a judicial settlement conference before your trial, in an attempt to encourage the parties to settle on their own without the judge’s involvement. (If your divorce is contested, you may find there are a great many procedural road blocks in place designed to help facilitate settlement and keep your … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
There’s a lot of uncertainty when it comes to most divorces. At the beginning of the process, tensions are usually high, and there’s a lot of mistrust on both sides. Coming to the realization that your marriage is at an end is difficult and emotional, and it’s often surprising how fast people go from “till death do us part” to bitter adversaries. It’s understandable, though. It’s really shocking when the person you promised to love most in the world suddenly turns on you. No matter what … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
It doesn’t happen all the time, but every so often I get a question about what to do in the event that someone else starts recording your conversations—ostensibly to use against you in some kind of civil or criminal proceeding. In divorce law, most of the time those conversations are intended to be used as evidence against a wife by her husband in a divorce, support, or protective order case. There are very few things as infuriating as having someone following you around with a recorder … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
You’d think that what constitutes “do it yourself”, especially when it comes to a divorce or custody case, would be pretty clear. A do it yourself resource is one that allows you to do it yourself (duh). The best types of do it yourself resources would take you through from start to finish and explain the entirety of the process to you. Right? But, still, there are more and more “do it yourself” resources popping up all over the place, or, at least, it seems that way to me. Recently, the … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
Worrying about money is the worst. When you’re not quite sure how you’re going to pay your bills, keep a roof over your head, provide for your children, save for retirement, hire a divorce attorney, and put food in everyone’s bellies, it’s a concern. Not to mention all the little extras that come up, and how uncomfortable it is to have to say no to invitations and social stuff because you honestly don’t have the money to pay for it. And, of course, this time of the year, we’re heading into … [Read more...]
By Katie Carter
It’s only in the movies that people dramatically break up before the wedding. Or, at least, that’s what it seems like to me. As many weddings as I’ve been to (and been in!), no one has broken up at the altar. Of all the people I know, only one has even broken a serious engagement. It’s really not all that common. For a lot of reasons, I’m sure, but I suspect most of it has to do with pride—who wants to admit to all their family and friends that they were wrong? After making a fuss and … [Read more...]
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