This story is about a big change in New York.
Apparently, as of today, New York is now a no-fault divorce state. New York was the last state where someone had to state grounds such as abandonment, abuse, adultery, or cruelty in order to move forward with a divorce. Now, like Washington, it is enough for [...]
Category Archive for 'Offbeat'
This piece on CNN.com captures a trend in Japan: Divorce ceremonies.
While the idea of a divorce ceremony can sometimes evoke images of an anti-wedding, I think the underlying emotional motivation makes sense. The piece notes “…when it came to settling the heartache over the end of her eight-year marriage to Taka, the legal system [...]
This story offers a new twist on marriage and inappropriate Facebook disclosure. The list of “don’t do its” is so long, and obvious, that I won’t spoil the story by saying any more…
Some version of this story has been going around: Namely, divorce lawyers look to Facebook to see what information about themselves folks (usually the opposing party) are making public. The example the story offers is this: “Forgot to de-friend your wife on Facebook while posting vacation shots of your mistress? Her divorce lawyer [...]
See this story about two attorneys who managed to make it through a major case in their career…while in the process of divorcing each other. That’s focus!
What happens when lawyers divorce?
Well, if you’re this lawyer, you laugh in the court, call your wife’s request for spousal support a “joke”, call opposing counsel “a moron” and then find yourself found in criminal contempt of court.
Edward Weltman did apologize and the results fall into the good news/bad news realm: The good news is [...]
Just for fun…
Posted in Offbeat on Feb 26th, 2010
As a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate, I remember when “The Onion” (www.theonion.com) was actually published in town. I think they’ve moved their publishing offices to New York, but they still have a soft spot in my heart.
Here’s a joke video they’ve posted about a fictitious proposal to ban loveless marriages in Minnesota: http://www.theonion.com/content/video/new_law_would_ban_marriages.
It’s just funny…don’t [...]
Divorce Attorneys Aren’t Only Ones Concerned About Facebook
Posted in Offbeat on Feb 12th, 2010
This little snippet on the ABA Journal homepage points out the reasons why attorneys in other areas of the law are concerned about Facebook. I’m particularly amazed by the information that is conveyed by photos as opposed to through words!
Having just celebrated a belated Christmas with my family, I’m “ok” to revisit some UK holiday gift ideas.
Not sure what to get your friend or family member who is contemplating divorce? The UK firm of Lloyd Platt & Company offered divorce advice vouchers for sale prior to Christmas. The firm, which typically charges almost [...]
Here and here are short accounts of the Wynn break-up. Steve Wynn is a Las Vegas “Casino billionaire” and his wife Elaine has served on the company board.
Not only is the story remarkable for the value of the stock being transferred to Ms. Wynn–about $741 million–it’s also interesting because it’s the second time that the [...]
“Record 11th divorce granted“. BBC News is reporting that a 50-year-old man in Jerusalem has been granted his 11th divorce. His dubious honor? He set a new Israeli divorce record.
Maybe the dating pool is a little different in Jerusalem, however I’d be awfully skeptical about marrying a man who has been divorced 11 time, who [...]
I often quote my mother, who has said that “Truth is stranger than fiction”. In Tennessee, a divorce case inspired a movie script.
In this case, it sounds like an enterprising individual felt that his case had so many “twists and turns” that it would make a good movie script. The individual, John Lewis, has teamed [...]
The first story on this page is a synopsis of case in North Dakota where that state’s Supreme Court is considering whether the $5,000 that Erik Isaacson spent on breast implants for his wife should be counted in their divorce settlement.
What I’d like to know is: How would you value implants? Fair market value upon [...]
This is a story of “he said”/”she said” that must have more to it than the media is reporting.
A Pakistani court found in favor of “Zakia of Bund Road” and granted the divorce that she requested. Her allegations were that her husband, Pervaiz, was not treating her well. His version of the story is that [...]
Technology + Divorce = Nothing George Orwell Imagined
Posted in Divorce, Offbeat, Prenuptial/postnuptial on Oct 22nd, 2009
This story is a short update on the Smith and Walsh-Smith divorce and, despite the title, YouTube has a minor role in the update. The news is that, on Wednesday, New York’s Appellate Division upheld a lower court ruling that granted the couple’s divorce and found their pre-nup valid.
If you’re an internet regular, you probably [...]
As have government entities in other countries, Malaysia’s state of Terengganu is now offering a three-day honeymoon package worth about $450 to help couples with marital difficulty reconcile and avoid divorce. While Malaysia did not reveal its divorce rate, the story describes the rate as “soaring”. Malaysia is a predominantly Muslim country, and it’s for [...]
Here in the Puget Sound area, many of the local counties require that parents in family law cases take a class to help them see things from the perspective of a child in the process, with the goal being that parents will know what to do to help their family successfully navigate the transition they’re [...]
Here is a little snippet about another way divorce is popping up in mainstream culture. Project Runway’s October 8, 2009 episode featured the challenge of having the designers cast on the show take divorcees’ wedding gowns and transform them into something new for their new life (after divorce).
If you want to spoil the surprise, you [...]
I’m just guessing about those two attributions in the header, although if you read the interview here, I’m betting you’ll agree with me.
The article title: “Drunk Hubby Defecates In Cooking Pot.” This may be the most unusual reason for divorce I’ve heard; it competes with that of the German woman who divorce her husband because of his cleaning obsession. (The full story is here.)
I don’t know what Nigerian divorce laws are like, and–if the prolific email scams [...]
From the lovely Susan Carroll, and posted here, is another example of the terribly public and embarrassing things that can happen on Facebook.
Eek.
Divorce alternative, number two?
Posted in Divorce, Domestic Partnership, Offbeat on Sep 4th, 2009
On the lighter side…
I’ve posted previously about a UK attorney who encourages couples contemplating divorce to take dance lessons. Today’s news bring this story about “divorce tourism” in India. Yes, divorce tourism.
On one hand, the cynic in me says that a couple who is having problems may find the stresses of travel to exacerbate tensions. [...]
I have an earlier post about tech-infused breakups, including those that happen by Facebook or by cell phone. Well, proving that the written word has power regardless of what medium it is transmitted through, Yahoo has this story about how passionate text messages sent to lovers can now be used as evidence against you in [...]
The title says it all
Posted in Child Support, Financial, Offbeat on Aug 14th, 2009
“Childless man released from child support debt”
I can’t take credit for finding this story, but I will take credit for appreciating it!
As states have gotten tougher and tougher on enforcing child support obligations, Georgia has apparently taken the approach of jailing non-payors.
(By the way, in Washington, Child Support Orders include language that “The Obligor Parent’s [...]
It’s been a growing trend in America that adults “baby” their pets and consider them to be part of the “family”. I’m no different, although I do realize that the law treats pets as property in family law cases.
This story in the ABA Journal has the legal perspective on a recent court ruling regarding which [...]
Today’s posts are all over the map, both literally and figuratively. The first post of today was about the growing trend in an Afghan province of women choosing to divorce their husbands in a legal system where the men have nearly all of the control. Post number two is this collection of divorce cakes, which [...]
A British divorce attorney has apparently started advising clients to take up dance lessons if there’s a chance of reconciling. I’ll admit the Daily Mail headline, “The couple that sway together, stay together… TV divorce lawyer advises ballroom dancing to save marriage”, sounds like fertile ground for a number of snide comments (”TV divorce lawyer”–really?…”advises [...]