Notable posts in Family Law

Here are some excerpts and links to noteworthy posts in the family law blogosphere:

More on Alternative Billing Posted on October 5, 2007 by Mark Jakubik A little while ago I posted here regarding my belief that alternatives to hourly billing were best in many, if not most, cases, including family law cases. Ben Stevens at the South Carolina Family Law Blog has taken up the issue. Here is Ben’s latest post on this subject (and, for what it is worth, I agree completely with Ben, and disagree with his critics): 5 Common Finanical Mistakes in Divorce Posted on October 15, 2007 by Mark Jakubik 1. Trying to keep the house no matter the costs.‘ Many couples scrambling to obtain a divorce settlement wish to keep the house at any cost. However, financial experts say that more attention should be given to who can afford to maintain the property, pay the mortgage, and manage the taxes. While it is possible to ask for spousal support to help make the mortgage payments, unexpected maintenance costs may pop up, and make home ownership more of a liability than a luxury.2. Failing to get a clean financial break from your former spouse.‘ Clean separation of assets and debts is another difficult task, but one that Howard Dvorkin, the founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services says is absolutely necessary, or the consequences can be devastating. Although the task may seem insurmountable, ‘the alternative is much worse,’ says Dvorkin. ‘Having a spouse drive up your debt when you’re not married anymore’ can seriously affect one’s credit score. Social Networking Sites Are A treasure Trove Of Information Posted on October 17, 2007 by Mark Jakubik There is a very interesting article in this week’s National Law Journal, posted below, that discusses the increasing use that many lawyers are making of social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook as sources of information about their clients and adversaries. The takeaway is, be very, very careful about what you post online, and what you let others post to your site. If you think you might be embarrassed or have a difficult time explaining it in court, don’t let it see the light of day. Read the NLJ article in its entirety below the fold: Attorneys and Clients - Make Sure You Finish the Case Posted on October 18, 2007 by Charles Meyer Print This Article Trackbacks Everyone is relieved. The case has been resolved, hopefully through negotiation, but maybe through litigation. But the work is not done! At the end of every case, the lawyer should prepare a "List of Obligations", which outlines what needs to be done to implement the Agreement/Order. The list might include: Grandparents Denied Visitation with Children of 9-11 Victim The New York Law Journal (subscription required) reported that the parents of a victim of 9/11 were denied visitation with their grandchildren. I posted a couple of times in the recent past on the issue of grandparent visitation. Separate emotions, assets when facing divorce Q: My husband and I are divorcing. The prospect frightens me on many levels. What advice do you have for dealing with the financial issues and consequences? A: When you throw money conflicts in with other marital differences over religion, child rearing, dealing with family, sex and whether to recap the toothpaste tube, reaching an agreement to divorce and divide things financially can cause real fireworks. New Web Site Offers Women Modern Tools for Tackling Age-Old Divorce Problems Women who are separated, divorced or facing divorce now have a free online resource filled with practical knowledge known only by divorce lawyers and survivors of perilous divorces: The Modern Woman’s Divorce Guide http://www.themodernwomansdivorceguide.com. The site was conceived and created by a former family lawyer who also is divorced. “While I was practicing family law in California and Hawaii, I witnessed the plight of divorcing women everyday,” said Helene Taylor, the site’s co-founder. “I saw the pressing need for straightforward guidelines that they could use to confront and overcome the legal and personal challenges they were facing.” Ms. Taylor was also very familiar with the unforgiving nature of law and the significant, negative impact it had on under- or unrepresented women. “This knowledge motivated me to find a way to get that critically important information to as many women as I could, regardless of their circumstances. That is how The Modern Woman’s Divorce Guide was born.” Shared Parenting Custody Calendar Software Using a shared parenting custody calendar can help you keep track of everything important in your children's lives, including the visitation schedule and how the custody arrangement is working. One of the easiest ways to do this is by using child custody and visitation software, such as the Custody Toolbox.