Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Co-Parenting When Your Children Are Grown Up
Some people stay in unhappy marriages until their youngest child graduates from high school and then file for divorce after his or her graduation, hoping to avoid all the stress of drafting a parenting plan and complying with a child support order. Certain problems are unique to divorce cases where the couple has minor… Read More »
You Know Your Divorce Is Messy When The Court Orders Your Spouse To Pay Temporary Alimony
The word “alimony” strikes fear in the hearts of many breadwinner spouses, but pendente lite does not. It just sounds like another legalese Latin term. In fact, pendente lite alimony is the most common type of alimony that the family law courts in Alabama award. Pendente lite alimony is also known as temporary alimony,… Read More »
Co-Parenting Disputes About Kids Staying Home Alone
If you and your ex-spouse never disagreed, she would not be your ex. Now that you are divorced, your court-ordered parenting plan is supposed to keep the peace. It sets guidelines for deciding about children’s medical care and education, but it puts you in a good position to stay out of each other’s business… Read More »
What Do The Five Modes Of Conflict Management Have To Do With Your Divorce?
When you and your spouse first got married, the things that stood out to you about her the most were her beautiful eyes and her contagious laughter. Now that you are getting divorced, the most memorable thing about her is her conflict style. The four horsemen of the communication breakdown are contempt, criticism, defensiveness,… Read More »
On The Challenges Of Co-Parenting Teens Who Are Adults In All But Name
Babies are so cute that you don’t want to share them with anyone, but before long, they grow into someone you barely recognize, and, if you are being honest with yourself, someone you would rather not know. You look forward to a time when you and your child can interact with each other as… Read More »
Can You Agree To Disagree In Your Divorce Settlement?
If you and your spouse could agree on everything, you would not be getting divorced. Somehow, though, going through a divorce is just as stressful as staying in an unhappy marriage. Once your divorce petition reaches the court, you begin the process of reaching an agreement with your spouse about property division and parenting… Read More »
What Happens To The Engagement Ring After A Divorce Or Broken Engagement?
You did everything right, saving up for months to buy an engagement ring that cost thousands of dollars. You staged a perfect proposal, but only after discussing the matter with her parents. You got professional engagement photos taken and invited your friends and both of your families to an engagement party. You went to… Read More »
Lifestyle Clauses In Prenups May Be Legal, But They Are A Big Red Flag
The purpose of prenuptial agreements is to formalize a strategy for dealing with your finances and debts. The fact that your inherited house is a non-marital asset, even after your spouse moves in, and because you and your spouse agree to this, matters whether the marriage ends in divorce or in the death of… Read More »
Why Is March The Most Popular Month For Divorce Filings?
By now, we have all heard that a divorce lawyer’s busiest day of the year is Divorce Monday, the first business Monday in January. More people file divorce petitions and contact divorce lawyers on Divorce Monday than on any other day of the year. You might think, then, that January sees more divorce cases… Read More »
Will The Divorce Court Require You To Take A Parenting Class?
Divorce is freedom, except when it isn’t. Your spouse can no longer micromanage your finances or your relationship with your children, but now, if your ex-spouse takes issue with something you do, especially if it involves money or children, the issue can turn into a full-fledged legal dispute to be decided by a judge. … Read More »