Don’t Litigate a Divorce Because Your Spouse Had an Affair!
{2:54 minutes to read} I often work with couples where one of them has had an affair. When this is the case, it is common for the other spouse to feel hurt and angry. In [...]
Separation of Church and Parenting Plans
{3:48 minutes to read} I was working with a couple recently that was having a great deal of difficulty agreeing on how to modify their existing parenting plan. It happens frequently with parents who have [...]
Who Sets and Enforces Ground Rules in Mediation?
{2:42 minutes to read} My friend, Chip Rose, is a mediator in California. One of the things he believes is that it is the responsibility of the mediator to control the process while the clients [...]
How to Lose Custody
{2:24 minutes to read} The law with regard to custody is fairly simple to recite. A court will award custody to the parent it feels has the “best interest” of a child in mind. I [...]
Child Support: The CSSA
The Child Support Standards Act (CSSA) imposes a legal obligation on parents to support their children until they are emancipated. This is defined to be the age of 21, unless they demonstrate that they can [...]
The “Mediation Friendly” Attorney
{2.9 mins to read} I have often heard mediators say that they recommend that their clients each see a “mediation friendly” attorney for legal advice either during or after the mediation process. But I do [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]