Charlotte

Annoying Misconceptions About North Carolina Divorce

Published on: January 14, 2014 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What children’s expenses are covered by child support?”

Divorce can be painful or it can be a tremendous relief, sometimes it can even be both at the same time. Given how emotional the divorce process is, it’s no surprise that people react in very different ways. That’s because divorce is an incredibly personal process. Having friends or family offer what they think are helpful bits of advice can actually lead to even more frustration, as outsiders attempt to generalize the specifics of your marriage.

A recent article in The Huffington Post discusses one woman’s perspective on her divorce and lists some of the most irritating pieces of advice she was given by friends and family members. Though they may have been meant to be helpful, the author of the piece explains that they were often maddening and perpetuated wrongheaded views of divorce.

One of the first irritating bits of advice listed in the article is that it is normal for divorce to be adversarial. Though this idea has become conventional wisdom, the author of the piece explains that it is simply not true for all couples. Though divorce can often be stressful, couples are frequently able to put their hurt feelings aside for the good of their children and behave like the adults that they are. Assuming that divorce will always devolve into a war often is a self-fulfilling prophecy and should be avoided at all costs.

Another bit of advice that got under the author’s skin was that when people say that broken marriages, like other things, should simply be fixed. The problem with this overused line is that it oversimplifies the complexities of marriage. Relationships are not broken down water heaters that can simply be repaired with a bit of hard work. Divorce should not be viewed as the easy way out, it is a very difficult process for most everyone and requires a lot of strength to make the decision to leave a bad marriage. Just because you chose to leave your marriage does not make you a quitter.

Texas Surgeon Facing Charges After Electronically Spying On Wife

Published on: January 9, 2014 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “What does uncontested divorce mean?”

A prominent surgeon at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX is in hot water after being accused of working with an IT specialist to electronically monitor his wife while the two were going through a bitter divorce.
Back in 2011, authorities claim that Dr. Steven Curley began working with a hospital IT specialist to install spyware programs on his former’s wife’s computer. The software that was installed on the woman’s computer is called eBlaster and is available for only $99. The program works by recording keystrokes to capture emails, passwords, web searches and Internet history.

The wife began suspecting that she was being monitored after the divorce was over and took her concerns to authorities. Investigators slowly built a case and a grand jury was empaneled to consider the matter. Ultimately, Dr. Curley and the IT analyst, Hank Lehmann, were both arrested on felony charges.

Since the charges were filed, Dr. Curley has left M.D Anderson and has moved to Baylor College of Medicine where he now serves as chief of surgical oncology. Dr. Curley’s attorney says that his client wants to fight the charges, but is afraid that media attention surrounding the accusations will harm his career.

Adultery To Blame For Potential Breakup Of Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel

Published on: January 7, 2014 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “Does adultery affect my divorce case?”

Infidelity appears to have caused serious problems in the marriage of Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake. According to several gossip sites the couple are preparing to split after rumors of infidelity surfaced. In addition to the alleged adultery, friends close to the couple are saying that their constant fighting over baby plans have also weighed on the relationship.

According to OK! Magazine, the marriage between the couple has been on the rocks for months now as the two have faced a variety of marital troubles. For one thing, Timberlake’s busy schedule touring around the world has made it difficult for the two to spend any substantial time together. His touring schedule has led Timberlake to put off having children and starting a family, something that Biel has taken issue with. Apparently before the two agreed to tie the knot, Timberlake promised Biel that they would try for a baby in short order. However, touring appears to have taken precedence.

In addition to the hectic professional schedule and disagreements over children, others have said that rumors of infidelity have wreaked havoc with the couple. Though rumors have plagued Timberlake for years, Biel appears to have now had enough. Friends say she has moved out of her home and has gotten an apartment of her own. The decision to live “separate and apart” was designed to lay the groundwork for the eventual divorce.

Divorce Based On Improper Pea-Eating

Published on: January 2, 2014 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Attorney Matthew R. Arnold answering the question: “When do you get alimony?”

Anyone who has been married or even in a long-term relationship knows that some things your significant other does can be irritating. Whether it’s snoring or taking too long to get ready, small habits can overtime become less quirky and more obnoxious. Though these pesky traits might boil over into arguments, they are seldom the cause of divorce. However, a couple in Kuwait say that their divorce is moving forward precisely because of such an annoying behavior.

So what’s the offending conduct that justifies divorce? According to Al Arabiya News, the problem has to do with the way one husband eats his peas. The report indicates that the Kuwaiti couple was only married a short time, less than a week in fact, before the trouble arose. The wife said that she had no idea that her husband ate peas in such an unusual way and that she could not tolerate a lifetime of coping with the offensive conduct.