On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Alimony on Friday, May 18, 2012
In Richmond and across the country, it's no longer just the men paying their ex-wives alimony in nasty divorce settlements. In today's society, more lawyers are reporting that things are changing and there are a greater number of men that are being awarded alimony. This is because women are reaching new career heights and their salaries are outpacing their former husbands', which means more women are having to pay their exes alimony and child support.
The American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers reports that 56 percent of divorce lawyers in Virginia and across the United States have noted an increase in the number of mothers paying child support to their children's fathers in the last three years. Forty-seven percent of lawyers also said they have seen a rise in the number of women paying alimony.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Divorce on Friday, May 18, 2012
Deion Sanders, the Hall of Fame football player, has been going through a series of highly-publicized personal struggles as of late. He and his wife have been dealing with marital trouble and the couple is now in the midst of divorce negotiations.
As the couple worked through their pending divorce, they decided to continue living together in their $6 million mansion. However, a domestic dispute reportedly took place at their home late last month. A judge has since decided that neither Sanders nor his wife committed domestic violence, but ordered the couple to live apart.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Alimony on Monday, May 14, 2012
Many people in Richmond remember Mena Suvari, an actress who has starred in movies and television commercials. Her Virginia fans likely know that she and her second husband are getting a divorce, but they may not have heard that he is asking for more than $17,000 a month in spousal support.
What has led to this request for alimony? The husband's court documents claim that he has no money and that within the 18 months that the couple has been married he has become quite the food connoisseur. Suvari's husband estimates that he will need at least $3,000 a month for food alone.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Divorce on Thursday, May 10, 2012
Though everyone in Richmond realizes that divorce is draining and stressful for both men and women, there are certain considerations that any woman going through a divorce needs to know about. It is undeniable that a woman needs strong family law attorneys and other professionals to help her get through a divorce, but she will also need support and assistance from her friends.
One of the best things that a friend can do to help a Richmond woman going through a divorce is to provide her with a list of Virginia-based family resources. Compiling information on attorneys, realtors, child-rearing experts, career counselors, financial specialists and therapists will help the woman get the resources she needs to get through a divorce. Nearly no one can survive a divorce alone and having a network of family law professionals at your fingertips will certainly make the transition to the single life easier.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Child Custody on Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Whenever a Virginia family court judge is making decisions about the future of a child he or she is almost always looking at what is in the best interests of the child. This standard focuses on the child and what he or she needs, not what is best for parents or what will be most convenient. When a judge is trying to resolve a Richmond child custody case for parents of a child with special needs, he or she will have to be a little more creative with the decision.
Some children with special needs require greater stability in their lives than frequently switching between parents with joint custody. In this situation, a judge may need to decide how to award both parents joint custody and allow them both to see and care for the child without moving the child from the home.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Property Division on Sunday, May 6, 2012
A lot can change after a divorce is "final," even many of the not-so-final terms of the divorce itself. Child custody and visitation agreements can be modified if circumstances warrant and the change will be in the best interest of the children. Alimony and child support payments can also be increased or decreased in appropriate circumstances.
There is one aspect of divorce, however, that spouses almost never get a second chance to get right. We're talking about property division, which Virginia courts and divorce lawyers also call the equitable distribution of marital assets and debt.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Divorce on Thursday, May 3, 2012
There has long been debate on whether a couple that lives together before marriage is more or less likely to break up. While there are certainly points to be made on both sides, some people within the family law sphere believe that cohabitation before marriage will actually increase the likelihood of divorce.
Divorce is now a common part of Virginia life. There are as many reasons why people leave marriages as there are people, but, for some, the reason is cohabitation. With the increase in living together before marriage, many young people find themselves cohabitating because of convenience or money, rather than because of an actual commitment to each other. Some believe that this could lead to feeling trapped when the couple actually does marry.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Divorce on Friday, April 27, 2012
Most married couples in Richmond start out happy with their relationship, but that happiness doesn't always last. As divorce becomes more common, some people in Virginia have wondered what factors typically indicated a breakdown which could ultimately result in the end of a marriage. Researchers who studied the question have identified communication difficulties, verbal aggression between spouses and undue pessimism that is not justified by the actual circumstances as leading factors in divorce.
The study involved the tracking of the lives and experiences of 136 married couples. Each of them reported a high level of satisfaction in their marriage during its first four years. Over a 10-year period that researchers followed their progress, they answered questions about how much their happiness or satisfaction changed, the amount of stress they derived from the relationship, the level of support given to and received from a spouse, and the whether they believed they and their partners were committed to the relationship. Researchers also looked into personality traits and whether the couple had problems solving problems.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Child Custody on Monday, April 23, 2012
When a Virginia couple goes through a divorce, there is almost always going to be one parent paying the other parent to help defray the costs of raising their children. While child support is an excellent way to help single-fathers and -mothers cover a child's expenses, many parents have trouble paying their fair share in child support. Many single-parents in Richmond may think that it is only the most destitute of people that can't afford their child support payments, but there are many professional athletes who file for bankruptcy after they retire.
There are many professional athletes who have children across the country and with several different mothers. Since many of these athletes do not have primary custody over their children, they have been ordered by the court to pay their children's other parents child support. When athletes have five, six or seven children, however, a monthly payment of $3,500 to each mother could soon become impossible to make.
On behalf of Jennings and Jennings, Attorneys at Law posted in Child Custody on Friday, April 20, 2012
Anyone in Richmond who has gone through a child custody battle knows that the thought of losing your children to your ex-husband or -wife can be terrifying. While you may have your reasons for wanting sole physical custody of your children, it is important to note that your ex is most likely feeling that same sense of panic. At times, this leads to desperate and inappropriate behavior on the part of the ex.
Although this happened outside of Virginia, it is not impossible to think that something like this could or already has happened here. A man had filed for sole custody of his 9-year-old son after he and his wife divorced, but she was not content to let the family court decide the case on its own. Instead, she sewed a recording device into their son's jeans in an attempt to record personal conversations.
