Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Does Poverty Mean That You Are Exempt From A Messy Divorce?
The last thing you want to hear when you are going through a divorce is that you should count your blessings. What is there to smile about? Now that you and your spouse have suffered an irreversible communication breakdown and have decided to divorce, your financial situation has gone from bad to worse. You… Read More »
Alabama Family Law For U.S. Permanent Residents
Remember when getting a permanent green card meant that you could breathe a sigh of relief, when all you had to do was wait a few more years and you would be eligible for U.S. citizenship? U.S. permanent residents are in a more vulnerable position these days than they have been for as long… Read More »
Can A Mental Health Counselor’s Testimony Affect The Outcome Of Your Co-Parenting Dispute?
Most people who get divorced do not do so on a whim. They only file for divorce after they have tried to resolve their differences with their spouse and reached the conclusion that their efforts will not work. Some states recognize covenant marriage, although Alabama does not; in a covenant marriage, the court will… Read More »
Looking At Co-Parenting From Your Ex-Spouse’s Perspective
Therapists will tell you that you are the protagonist of your own story, and that you should think of yourself as a sympathetic character, even a heroic one. Of course, influencers who only ask you for clicks instead of an insurance co-pay will tell you the same thing. There is nothing wrong with thinking… Read More »
When Can The Courts Deviate From The Child Support Guidelines?
Most aspects of divorce cases are individual to the couple, and you have more control over them than you might realize. For example, Alabama’s equitable distribution laws make it so that, if your divorce case goes to trial, the judge decides on a case-by-case basis how to divide your marital property and, if you… Read More »
Common Mistakes Of High Net Worth Couples That Make Their Divorce Cases More Complicated
Whether you are an incorrigible optimist or you have grumbled and complained your way through life, divorce will eventually lay bare your vulnerabilities until you reach the point where you have no choice but to embrace gratitude. It is at that moment that you will realize that, even though your spouse dumped you or… Read More »
Co-Parenting A Child With A Chronic Illness
Parenting plans provide a road map for almost every aspect of raising children with your ex-spouse, except for financial matters. Most parents put the most effort, and the most conflict, into provisions about holiday parenting time; sometimes the courts have ruled that, in odd-numbered years, the children will spend Black Friday with Mom, who… Read More »
How Bad Is The Financial Crisis Of A Pending Divorce?
The loneliness and lean times of being divorced have nothing on the chaos of living through a divorce while it is going on. As bitter as you might be about your ex-spouse’s actions years later, it is even worse when the pain is raw, when your ex is telling bald-faced lies about you in… Read More »
Setting Boundaries With Your Co-Parent Is Important, Even If The Court Does Not Order You To Engage In Parallel Parenting
One of the most important lessons you must learn as a parent is that you cannot control everything. For example, you might struggle with the fact that your teen does not share your views on religion, politics, or social etiquette, but you will eventually have to accept that what your son or daughter believes,… Read More »
Don’t Worry If You Missed The Boat On Divorce Monday
While the rest of the world is humblebragging about their New Year’s resolutions on social media, you are feeling stuck. Your cousin is changing her diet from vegan to raw foods vegan, and your coworker who competed in a triathlon last year has resolved to compete in two triathlons this year. As for you,… Read More »