Why One Lawyer Is Better – Part 2
My last blog post, which discussed why I believe having one lawyer helping a couple to obtain a divorce is better than two, generated a lot of comments. Many of those comments caused me to [...]
Why One Lawyer Is Better than Two
In my last blog post I suggested that sending mediation clients off to separate attorneys was not being helpful. In response to this proposition one reader, an attorney and mediator from California, suggested that I [...]
Breaking an Impasse
Bob* and Mary* were about halfway through their first mediation session when Bob announced that he was never going to leave the house. He did not want the divorce and did not feel it fair [...]
Ode to Dale
My friend Dale died the other day. He was 45 years old, had a wife and a job that he loved, and suddenly he was gone. I was talking and joking around with him on [...]
6 Factors to Consider When Considering a Divorce
As I have said before, I believe that couples who are seeking a legal separation or a divorce do not have a legal problem; rather, I believe they have a practical problem that has legal [...]
Judicial “Approval” of Divorce, Part II
Many divorce lawyers, as well as divorce mediators, did not agree with my suggestion in a recent blog post that a couple be allowed to obtain an uncontested divorce without court approval (Judicial “Approval” of [...]
Why Should a Judge “Approve” a Divorce?
Hal and Sheree had been dating for several years when they decided to get married. Neither had been married before, and they did not have any children, although they agreed they would like to someday. [...]
I Hate Daddy’s New Girlfriend
In my previous blog I addressed the idea of creating a “dating agreement” for a couple who had ended their marriage but who were still living together. Today I would like to discuss a related issue. [...]
Still Living with Your Soon-to-Be Ex? A “Dating Agreement” Might Help
Many of my clients have been “separated” from their spouse for quite some time, even though they are not living apart. I am talking about couples who decided long ago that their marriage was over, [...]
Preliminary Private Planning Sessions – Do They Work?
I just attended the Annual Conference of the New York State Council on Divorce Mediation (NYSCDM) where I heard the keynote speaker, Forrest (Woody) Mosten, discuss “47 Things” every mediator should know or do. One [...]