Author Archives: Jay Butchko

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 »

Going Your Separate Ways In Your Golden Years
If trends continue in their current direction, gray divorce will be the only kind of divorce there is. The age at first marriage is increasing, and fewer young people are getting married. Some members of the young generation want to keep their friends close and their finances separate, even going so far as to… Read More »

Divorcing Your Spouse’s Family Business
Once a family business stays in the family for multiple generations, inevitably some of the family members who have participated in it are each other’s relatives by marriage. Perhaps you were married for such a long time, working in your spouse’s family business alongside your in-laws, that you stopped keeping track of who made… Read More »

Your Parenting Plan Can Determine Whether Your Co-Parenting Relationship Will Be Cooperative, Parallel, Or Conflicted
The first time you have an in-depth discussion with your spouse or your divorce lawyer about parenting plans, the focus will probably be on which days the children spend with which parent. Will either parent have to adjust their work schedule to accommodate their parenting time and transportation? Will the children need to take… Read More »

How Do Personal Injury Settlements Affect Equitable Distribution In Divorce?
People exchange marriage vows in which they promise to remain together in sickness and in health and in poverty or in prosperity, but physical and financial hardships put more strain on marital relationships than most newlyweds realize. You don’t know how a chronic illness or a situation where one spouse must leave the workforce… Read More »

Does Keeping Your Finances Separate During Your Marriage Simplify Your Divorce?
Some couples insist that the secret to the longevity of their marriages is maintaining separate bank accounts. This way they don’t have to fight about money or resent each other for making impulse purchases or vetoing each other’s splurge wishes. It is also why some couples sign prenuptial agreements in which they agree to… Read More »

Co-Parenting Is Not A Zero-Sum Game
It is obvious to you that your ex-spouse is a loser, and it is probably obvious to your family and friends, too, but you do not have to prove it to the divorce court. The family law courts of Alabama know that no one is perfect, and you do not have to worry that… Read More »

Selling The Marital Home After Divorce Is As Unpleasant As It Sounds
Listing your house for sale and preparing to move out is stressful no matter the circumstances, even if you are doing it so that you can move on to a happy new chapter of your life, such as a spacious house where each of your children can have his or her own bedroom, or… Read More »

How Much Supervision Is Involved In Supervised Visitation?
If you have heard about supervised visitation after divorce, your mental image probably does not seem much like a recipe for family togetherness. Doing jigsaw puzzles in a quiet room, surrounded by social workers with clipboards is not the best way to get your children to open up to you, especially when you consider… Read More »