Whenever there is domestic violence involved in a case, we advise our clients about protective orders. It’s really one of the only tools in our arsenal available to help protect clients who are at risk from their former partners. On the one hand, it’s just a piece of paper. On the other, it works in the vast majority of cases, and it can have other useful components, too. It’s technically on the criminal side, so it can have implications for a person’s security clearance, and their ability to … [Read more...]
Spouse Safe Protections Amid COVID-19
Spouse Safe Protections Amid COVID-19 Some things change, some things stay the same. Even though the coronavirus pandemic has totally upended the world as we knew it, there are some things that were challenges before that continue to remain so. For us, in divorce practice, one of the biggies is making sure that we’re able to get information to our clients in a spouse safe way. It’s different to be in a marriage; you and your husband are members of the same team. Once you start heading down … [Read more...]
Domestic Violence and Social Distancing
If you know me at all, you know I’m a huge anglophile. I can’t help it; I love the British. It has been a lifelong love, too. That’s generally not relevant to the work that I do. Once, I wrote a blog about Henry VIII and the differences between divorce then and now, and I may have mentioned my affinity for the Duchess of Cambridge once or twice since then. But then, the other day, while I was scrolling Facebook mindlessly (as one does when one is stuck at home with two kids under four) and … [Read more...]
Can my child’s other parent refuse to allow me to leave with the child?
Can my child’s other parent refuse to allow me to leave with our child? We get a lot of questions about what your child’s other parent can and can’t do as the situation moves towards a separation. I get it – it’s scary, it’s emotionally charged, and it can get ugly, really, really fast. There’s really nothing that pulls on our heartstrings quite as quickly and aggressively and viscerally as our children. We can’t help it. It’s biological. But what do you do? You can’t stay where you are … [Read more...]
Can I move out of the house?
Can I move out of the house? Even though most people these days live with their soon-to-be ex husband for a period of time during their legal separation, for most people it’s not a whole lot of fun. For others, it’s impossible. Depending on the specific factors that brought your marriage to this point, living together may be more or less feasible in some cases than others. (In some, it can be downright unsafe!) But probably you’ve heard about desertion as grounds for divorce – and desertion … [Read more...]
Amber Alerts, Parental Kidnapping, and Emma Grace Kennedy
When Emma Grace Kennedy was kidnapped last week by her sex offender father at a gas station, it seems like EVERYBODY knew about it right away. There were Amber Alert billboards, text messages, and stories on the news. It’s every mom’s worst nightmare, especially for moms who are separated from their children’s fathers, but especially in cases where there’s something wrong with dad – whether he’s a sex offender, a substance abuser, a physically violent person, or something else, it adds an … [Read more...]
Pro Bono Divorce
People call all the time, wanting pro bono divorce help. Though I certainly understand – wanting a divorce is not the same thing as being in a position financially to be able to afford to have a divorce attorney do it – it’s really not something that any law firms I know of actually offer. (At least, not because someone calls on the phone asking for it!) Our ethical rules, as most people are aware, do encourage us to provide help to people who can’t afford legal assistance – and we do! We … [Read more...]
Domestic Violence and Divorce
Domestic violence and divorce go hand in hand in a lot of cases. At first, that was a surprise to me. I didn’t realize quite how dangerous so many women’s family situations were. Maybe that was naïve of me, but I really didn’t realize, until I got into the practice of law, how many women are affected by family violence. If you’re one of those women, you should know that you’re not alone, and you’re not without options. That doesn’t mean that any of this is a walk in the park, but it does mean … [Read more...]
