Divorce

Illinois Implements New Rules To Simplify Divorce Process

Published on: December 6, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Do I need an attorney to get a Divorce in North Carolina?”

Anyone with friends or family who have been through the process have likely heard how difficult divorce can be. Even putting aside the emotional toll (a hard feat to accomplish), the costs, time, uncertainty and bureaucratic difficulties of divorce can be overwhelming, especially to those with limited financial resources. Legislators in Illinois realized this and made a big effort to roll out a host of changes to the state’s divorce process. These new rules aim to simplify and streamline divorce and custody proceedings as well as standardize the approach taken to awarding spousal maintenance (also known as alimony) and child support.

What Can an Injunction Do in My Divorce Case?

Published on: December 1, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How will the judge divide our property?”

The holiday season is upon us, as is the impending traditional uptick in divorce filings that comes after. Given the hot tempers that often accompany both extended amounts of family time and divorce, now may be a helpful time to answer a question frequently posed by family law clients. It often comes in the form of “What can I do to keep my soon-to-be-former spouse from doing X?”

The strange world of family law in India

Published on: November 22, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What does a “No-Fault’ divorce mean in NC?”

Recently released statistics from the National Center for Family & Marriage Research indicate that Americans are increasingly less likely to divorce. The numbers reveal that the divorce rate is at its lowest level in more than 35 years. Though the rate in the U.S. may be low, it’s nowhere near as low as it is in India. A recent New York Times article explored some of the bizarre and interesting legal obstacles couples in India must combat if they want to end their marriages.

Updated Cyberstalking Law Now Criminalizes GPS Tracking Your Ex

Published on: November 17, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold being interviewed on the Legal Forum. This was recorded in Charlotte, North Carolina. Topics discussed include: How to choose a divorce lawyer? How long does a divorce take? How much does a divorce cost? When can a person get an annulment?

For many people who are thinking about or have gone through divorce, it can be all too easy to imagine the circumstances that could lead to you wanting to slip a secret GPS on your partner or soon-to-be ex’s car.

The impact of divorce on personal electronic data

Published on: November 15, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Can any attorney help me with my family law needs in North Carolina?”

The recent episode involving Hillary Clinton’s aide Huma Abedin and Anthony Weiner illustrates something that many married couples understand: when you’re married you have to get used to sharing everything, even intimate electronic details. Huma and Anthony may have thought that their multiple devices kept their personal information separate, but the FBI investigation proves otherwise.

Lifestyles and Divorce of the Very, Very, Rich

Published on: November 4, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: ” Is there some property that the judge cannot divide?”

Divorce is tough for almost everyone, but the Stephensons are having a particularly long and tumultuous time of it—with an emphasis on long. The multimillionaire founder of private hospital network Cancer Treatment Centers of America and his wife are now in their seventh year of divorce court and have finally reached the trial stage after failing to reach a settlement privately.

Court says herpes is reason enough to divorce

Published on: November 1, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Does adultery affect my divorce case?”

Everyone knows there are lots of reasons why a marriage might come to an end. Money problems, infidelity, health issues, disagreements about how to raise the kids, career stress, you name it. Though there are lots of causes, most people choose the lower conflict no-fault route when seeking their divorce. Even if a partner cheated on the other, most people filing prefer to avoid the mess of accusing the other party of misdeeds and instead say that the marriage ended due to no one’s fault. Though most people may prefer the quieter approach, some occasionally like to name names.

Are juries used in divorce trials?

Published on: October 13, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What is an Absolute Divorce?”

For those only passingly familiar with the judicial system, it can be confusing to understand the process of a family law case. You may have heard that everyone has a right to a trial by jury, which would seem to indicate that the same is true when it comes to a divorce. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your perspective), this doesn’t always apply across the board. To learn more about when and where juries can be used in a family law context, keep reading.

Should I Get a Religious Annulment?

Published on: October 6, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What does uncontested divorce mean?”

Note: This blog discusses the procedure and effects of a religious annulment, and how it differs from a legal annulment. Because the Catholic Church is by far the most common institution to provide/necessitate religious annulments, we have limited the discussion in this post to Catholic annulments for simplicity’s sake, but acknowledge that other institutions may have other procedures and views on the issue.

Newspapers Try And Fail To Get Trump’s Divorce Records Unsealed

Published on: October 4, 2016 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “Can I keep my Kids from seeing the other parent?”

As the number of days remaining until the election continues to dwindle, the media has been eagerly uncovering every bit of information it can get its hands on concerning the two candidates. Though we seem to know so much about Trump and Clinton given their many decades in the public spotlight, the reality is that some things have been able to remain hidden. Though many reporters have been working to get a hold of Trump’s tax returns, a few newspapers have also sought another unpublished record: Trump’s divorce documents.