Myth: Mediation allows one spouse to dominate another. Fact: A good mediator pays close attention to the power balance between the spouses and uses specific techniques to address any imbalance. If one spouse persists in dominating behavior, the mediator will call a stop to the mediation rather than allowing it to continue. One caveat: Even
Q: My lawyer keeps talking to me about “temporary orders.” I have no idea what she is talking about, and her explanation makes less sense each time we talk. Can you tell me what these are? A: If she cannot explain “temporary orders,” you have a serious communication issue. Unfortunately, many lawyers forget that “lawyerspeak”
Some divorced individuals become depressed at the holidays and start to look for love, sometimes in the wrong places. Ed Housewright, an author and twice divorced dad says the holidays as a single person, even with kids in tow, are far better single than dealing with stress. His stress used to include fights with the
The word “divorce” does not conjure up positive thoughts of family wellness, but emotionally fit parents can strengthen family relationships even during the legal process and later as a divorced family. Typically, parents are so trapped in their own emotional chaos, not to mention the arduous divorce procedure, that they involve their children in the
Just as no two divorces are alike, no two divorce proceedings are alike. Most people know someone who has gone through a divorce or has heard about someone else’s experience but going through one yourself is a different experience. Here are four basic guidelines of what you might be able to expect while going through
Divorce is, by nature, complicated. You’ve spent years building your marriage and entangling your life with the person you’re sitting across the table from. Untangling your assets (and your emotions) takes time too. A family law attorney spends years studying the intricacies of divorce, which explains why divorce is overwhelming to most people. There are
The Advantages of Co-Mediation for the Divorce Process Mediation is gaining popularity as a strategy for divorcing couples. Mediation provides the opportunity for resolution of all of the issues required to be decided under the Illinois Marriage and Dissolution Act in a neutral setting, with the assistance of an objective impartial mediator. Once the couple
A survey of nearly 1,200 state trial judges around the country indicates that the weak economy has increased the number of litigants representing themselves in foreclosures, domestic relations, consumer issues and non-foreclosure housing matters; and the judges say litigants are doing a poor job as well as burdening courts already hurt by cutbacks. A preliminary
Money is a core concern of any divorce experience. Most people think of money in terms of dollars and cents and making the “right” financial choices. However, money is a much more complex part of our lives and has the power to trigger potent subjective emotions in everyone. Money symbolizes different things to different people
Domestic violence and child abuse are terrible crimes, and those who commit such crimes should be severely punished. An allegation of domestic violence is made in approximately 25% of divorces. Â Moreover, such allegations are more common in relationships involving children. Â What is the relationship between domestic violence and the existence of children in the relationship?
