Lawyer

Careers That Increase Risk of Divorce

Published on: July 26, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How are military divorces different from a regular divorce?”

What factors lead to divorce? It could be problems communicating, a lack of money, an abundance of money, disagreements about children, about in-laws, about chores, about infidelity. Working too much or too little is also a common issue in the demise of a relationship. There are too many to name and each divorce involves factors unique to that marriage. That said, it appears that what a person does for a living might be one (of a multitude) of things that can make it more or less likely that he or she eventually divorces.

What’s a bifurcated divorce?

Published on: July 19, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How is social media evidence used in divorce proceedings?”

Sometimes divorce can be a bumpy process, everyone knows that. In a divorce, especially where important issues are in contention, there can be a desire by one party or the other to hurry things up, get the process done as quickly as possible and settle the complex issues down the road. Though most people may agree with the sentiment and would relish the opportunity to move on more quickly, it’s rare to take action to try and force it to happen. A messy divorce in Kansas recently took a turn for the worse and led to an unusual request, with the wife asking the court to allow what’s known as a bifurcated divorce.

Jail and divorce

Published on: July 12, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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

If you have been through a divorce you understand that interaction with the legal system is a requirement. No matter how agreeable you and your ex might be, a judge will still have to be involved. Someone, maybe not you, but your attorney, will have to set foot in a courtroom. Formal papers will need to be submitted to clerks. Hearings and deadlines and other judicial-related hoops will need to be jumped through. And that’s if things are reasonably cooperative. If you and your ex are at each other’s throats the justice system can become much more invasive.

Equal division of assets may be thing of the past in some UK divorces

Published on: July 5, 2017 | 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?”

Though Brits and Americans diverge when it comes to their love of the Queen and tea, court cases, both criminal or civil, tend to be remarkably similar on either side of the pond. Given that the justice system in the US is based on British common law, this may not come as much of a shock. One area where the two countries have tended to agree concerns divorce, with courts in both countries going about things like division of assets in largely similar ways. A recent court ruling in London may mark the beginning of a divergence, at least as it relates to a certain segment of the population.

What does and (doesn’t) happen if your divorce case goes to trial?

Published on: June 28, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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

Many people have skewed views of what happens in a courtroom. Television and movies have done a disservice to our understanding of what really goes in when you’re in front of a judge. We expect fireworks, tears, shocking revelations, audible gasps from the jury and if we don’t get it we’re disappointed. The reality is that in the vast (and I mean vast) majority of cases, you’re simply trying to hold people’s attention. Just as one example, discovery obligations and rules of evidence make it unlikely that surprises will occur, both sides usually see any “surprise” coming long before it’s ever presented in court.

How to secure your digital privacy during a divorce

Published on: June 14, 2017 | 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.

It’s a question that few people think about until it’s too late: what happens if your electronic privacy is compromised? There are a lot of reasons for this. Some people think they just aren’t interesting enough to worry as they don’t have dirt worth digging up. Others (mistakenly) believe their password will serve as a fortress, shielding their secrets forever. For others, it never even crosses their mind that a significant other would try to do something like invade their privacy. The reality is that, in some sad cases, individuals learn the hard truth that privacy, especially online, is incredibly hard to maintain.

Supreme Court Sides With Veteran In Spousal Support Case

Published on: June 7, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How are military divorces different from a regular divorce?”

It’s rare that spousal support cases make their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. The justices are usually grappling with weighty issues involving constitutional rights, but occasionally make time for less headline-grabbing matters. Recently, that’s exactly what the Court did, hearing and then deciding a small case with an even smaller amount of money on the line. Though the ruling won’t go down in history, it does clarify an area of confusion in the law and will bring certainty to a number of other military divorces.

Change to Illinois Family Law Causes Concern

Published on: May 31, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How is the amount of child support decided in North Carolina?”

Family law is an aspect of our legal system that can sometimes seem immune to change. It can take years for the family law world to react to changes in society, and even longer for those changes to trickle down through the various states. One state that hasn’t changed its family laws in decades is Illinois. Legislators there have decided to finally tackle the outdated legal code and are in the midst of a multi-year overhaul.

Tennessee Judge Says Woman Has The Rights of a Husband

Published on: May 24, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “What are my custody rights if the other parent moves?”

Though it’s gone smoothly in some places, other courts in more conservative states have had a bumpy road adapting to changed legal realities since the landmark same-sex marriage case decided by the Supreme Court in 2015. A good example of this is in Tennessee, where one same-sex couple has spent months and months fighting to get a divorce, something that has proven harder than many expected.

Insurance Company Offers Divorce Coverage

Published on: May 17, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Board Certified Family Law Specialist Matt Arnold answers the question: “How is the amount of child support decided in North Carolina?”

Most people know that it’s important to have health insurance. Same thing with car insurance or life insurance or homeowner’s insurance or renter’s insurance. We rely on insurance, in all its many forms, to protect us when things go badly and we encounter some financial setbacks that we aren’t able to cover on our own. It’s based on this premise that an insurance company recently announced it would begin offering divorce insurance, adding to the long list of insurance that a person could consider paying for.