CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — MY wife and I disagree, sometimes vehemently, about how best to raise our four children. She’s a lawyer, and I am sure the thought of suing me has crossed her mind once or twice. But she cannot. American courts consistently refuse to entertain child-rearing disputes between married parents. In 1936, the New…
Child Custody & Visitation
Deciding To Become A Stay At Home Mom? Consider This Cautionary Tale
There’s a story I’ve heard countless times over the years, from both clients and colleagues. The details vary from one couple to another, but in general, the plot goes something like this: Out of school, Amy and John each landed plum jobs in their fields. They worked hard and made excellent salaries, affording them the…
Home schooling and child custody
When parents split up, and there is a dispute over who is to get primary custody, judges generally decide this based on what they see as “the best interests of the child.” One recurring question is whether a judge may consider the ideology that a parent is teaching the child— for instance, may a judge…
Hey, Divorced Parents, How About Going Beyond Civility?
I’m living with my ex-husband again. It’s not what you think. When we married in the spring of 1998, before wedding registries were online and photos were still shot on film, our chances of staying together forever looked pretty darn good. Great, in fact. We were 26-year-old college graduates who had dated for four years,…
Massachusetts custody proposal rightly stresses time with both parents
Slowly but surely, Massachusetts is reshaping its laws around divorce. First, a task force of experts and advocates prompted a sweeping overhaul of outdated alimony laws. And two years ago, the governor’s office convened a similar committee to review the state’s child custody laws. That committee’s work is done, and the result is promising: a…
Children of divorce grieving their losses
In my last two columns, I addressed the grief and loss process experienced by couples during separation and divorce. But what do the children experience? At a time when so many marriages fail, it is important to understand how youngsters are affected by the loss. Children of divorcing parents go through the same four stages…
Tips for Successful and Healthy Co Parenting
A client recently expressed her frustration over co-parenting with her ex-spouse. Managing summers, choosing extra-curricular activities and figuring out the best food to feed your children are just a few issues that can become an uphill battle for many parents in a divorce. For the lucky ones, co-parenting may come easily especially if the divorce…
Facebook, Twitter, and Other Social Media: A Party’s Best Friend or Worst Nightmare in Family Law
Any matter pending in a family court is emotional and difficult for both parties. There are all types of cases that are heard by family courts: divorces, child custody and visitation, child support, paternity, and many more types of cases. Within these types of case, many issues are addressed, such as property division, the income…
Good Tips for Co-Parenting After a Divorce or Breakup
When a couple divorces (or in the case where they were never married, breaks up), it can be difficult to get along after the breakup or divorce. However, when there are children involved, the couple has no choice but to stay in touch and try to get along after the divorce or break up. As…
10 Things All Divorcing Parents Should Say To Their Kids
Divorce is undeniably a tumultuous experience for any couple, regardless of how amicable the dissolution may be. It is very easy to get caught up in our own roller coaster of emotions, as well as with the challenges of navigating the divorce process itself. It is important to remember there are innocent bystanders sitting on…
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