Published on:

By

If you were unsatisfied with the ruling in your divorce case, you may be wondering if you can appeal the judge’s decision. Ultimately, the straightforward answer to that question is that it will take more than you being unhappy with the outcome of your divorce in order to successfully appeal what was decided.

When you and your spouse cannot reach a settlement on all of the issues to your divorce, you essentially turn the decision-making power over to the family court judge. There is no guarantee that you will agree with whatever the judge decides. 

However, you may be able to file an appeal if an error was committed or the decision was otherwise unjust. Judges are only human, which means that they do make mistakes from time to time. Here are a few examples of situations that could lead to rulings being altered, amended or vacated:

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Let go and move on: It is very difficult to have a peaceful divorce if you are still living in the past, the writer said, and blaming yourself and your ex for what went wrong. The best way to move forward is by forgiving yourself, and your ex, and putting your energy toward a brighter future.

There are also divorce processes that can help you achieve a peaceful divorce, including mediation and collaborative divorce. These two processes are alternatives to the traditional litigation process and involve settling a divorce outside of the courtroom, often with less emotional turmoil.

In mediation, the parties use a neutral, third-party mediator who facilitates negotiations and helps keeps the parties focused on reaching a mutually acceptable agreement.

In a collaborative divorce, the parties agree that they will not go to court, and they must find new representation if they decide if court is necessary. This ensures that both parties are fully invested in reaching an agreement.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Many parents in Alabama have been ordered to pay child support that becomes unfair or unmanageable for a variety of different reasons, including a job loss or an unexpected decrease income. The good news that it may be possible to modify a child support order so that a more reasonable amount can be paid.

The most important thing that someone in this situation can do is act. The court won’t modify the child support order on its own, it is up to you to ask the court for a child support modification and prove why it is necessary.

Because this isn’t always an easy thing to do, you will likely benefit from having an experienced family law attorney on your side.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Divorce can happen to anyone, including members of the military. Just like a civilian divorce, a divorce involving a member of the military must address issues such as property division, child custody, child support and alimony.

However, a military divorce is unique in many ways, as well. There are certain laws in place that protect members of the military and their spouses that don’t apply to civilians. Military retirement or pension benefits as well as disability benefits are both very important aspects in any military divorce.

Jurisdiction is also an issue that needs to be addressed in many military divorce cases. In order to file for divorce in a particular state, residency is required, which can be difficult for members of the military to achieve if they have only been stationed in the state for a short time.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

So what can you do to protect yourself?

First, it is best to avoid trusting your soon-to-be ex with your finances, both generally and in terms of taxes.

If your divorce was not yet final on the last day of the tax year, then you have the option to file jointly, but you might not want to. Filing separately can offer you added protection, and while you may lose out of some benefits of filing jointly, you will know that your ex is not getting you into trouble with the IRS.

If you do file jointly, make sure to check that your tax forms have been completed properly and filed with the IRS on time. And, of course, don’t sign anything until you have read it thoroughly.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

As a family law firm, we have many clients who come in believing to know what they are going to be ordered to pay in child support because they used an online calculator that spit out a number. Unfortunately, these calculators are often far from accurate.

As a FindLaw.com article explains, these calculators can give you a ballpark estimate at what your child support payments could be, but they can rarely predict exactly what you will owe. That’s because judges have the final say over how much child support should be ordered after considering state statutes.

The reason these calculators typically cannot tell you with accuracy what you will be ordered to pay in child support is because they don’t take into account the unique circumstances of your situation. Most child custody and child support cases are complicated, which the online calculators don’t account for.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

The Alabama legislature is considering a bill that would result in some major changes for people getting divorced in the state. First, Alabama Senate Bill 208, which was introduced this month, would reverse the currently policy that requires judges to wait a full 30 days after a divorce complaint is filed to grant the divorce.

The new law would allow the court to grant a divorce within 30 days of the filing of the complaint, making it possible to obtain a divorce in much less time.

Under current law, a divorce cannot be granted if there are still issues to the divorce pending, such as property division, child custody or alimony. However, the new bill would reverse this policy as well, allowing for a divorce to be granted even when there are still issues pending.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

In our last post, we discussed the important issue of deciding what to do with the marital home during your divorce. In this post, we are going to discuss deciding what to do with the marital home after the divorce.

As we stated in our last post, the marital home is many couples’ largest asset, but it can also be the biggest source of debt for other couples. Either way, it is likely the biggest investment that that the couple has made in life.

Additionally, the marital home often holds a lot of sentimental value for one or both spouses. For all of these reasons, the marital home is often one of the most important aspects of the property division process during a divorce.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

For some couples in Alabama, the marital home is their most valuable assets. For other couples, it’s their biggest source of debt. Either way, deciding what to do with the martial home during a divorce is not a decision that should be taken lightly.

Additionally, many families have strong emotional attachments to their homes that can render decision-making even more difficult. Here are a few tips to consider that may help you decide what to do with your home while your divorce is pending.

When deciding what to do with the home during the divorce process, find a solution that will work for your unique situation. If you still get along with your ex and are trying to save money, it might be a good idea to both remain in the home until the divorce is completed and you find a more permanent solution.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

Have you seen all of the advertisements out there claiming that you can get divorced for a couple hundred dollars? Or the ones saying that you complete a “DIY” divorce without ever having to talk to a lawyer?

You might have been tempted by the low cost of these options, but keep in mind that when it comes to legal services, you get what you pay for… or don’t pay for.

Divorce is one of the most important legal processes you will ever go through. The outcome of your divorce will affect your life — and the lives of your children, if you have them — for many years to come. That’s why it’s important to make sure it’s done right.

Continue reading →