When a business is jointly owned, both spouses have the right to retain the value of their share of the business and its holdings. This can be difficult to quantify, however, and requires a carefully considered approach. Should a dispute arise concerning the value of the business, litigation can follow, which can greatly add to the stress and expense of a Massachusetts divorce.
]]> Couples can take a number of approaches when deciding how to fairly divide their business. One option involves simply selling the business and dividing the proceeds. This is not an option, however, for spouses who have worked hard to build their business and wish to continue operating it after the divorce is final. In such cases, the best approach is to have the business valued by an independent appraiser. The spouse who wishes to retain the business will then need to negotiate a payment or transfer of assets that will suffice to buy the other partner out.The process of dividing the value of a Massachusetts business can quickly become complicated. Contention between parties can lead to a legal scenario that can make the divorce longer and more costly than either party desires. When addressing how the business is to be transferred, divorcing spouses should make every effort to work together to preserve the wealth that lies in the business, so that the value of their shared hard work can be split between husband and wife, and not spent on excessive legal fees.
Source: phillyburbs.com, "Dividing Up the Business in a Divorce" Loretta Hutchinson, June 7, 2013
]]>The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago and it was funded by eHarmony. The study was recently published in the journal "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences."
]]> In the study, the researchers looked at a Harris Poll that was taken regarding marriage. The poll had around 20,000 respondents. The respondents were all individuals who had gotten married in the time period spanning from 2005 to 2012.The researchers looked at the answers the respondents gave to determine if there were any differences between the respondents who met their spouses online (35 percent of respondents) and those who did not (65 percent of respondents) when it came to marriage satisfaction levels and divorce rates.
Given the bad reputation society sometimes assigns to online dating, the results the study yielded are somewhat surprising. The study reportedly found that respondents that met their spouse online reported a higher marriage satisfaction level and had a lower divorce rate than the respondents who met their spouse offline.
There are many different factors that can lead to a couple being more likely or less likely to divorce. The study did not look at what specifically caused the difference in marital satisfaction and divorce rates between the respondents who met their spouse online and those who didn't. One wonders what specifically was behind this difference. It will be interesting to see if any studies are conducted in the future looking at this question and, if they are, what findings the studies yield.
Whatever a couple's reason for getting divorced, a divorce can be very impactful. A divorce can involve many complex issues (including property division, alimony, child custody and child support) and what happens in a divorce case can have significant effects on the involved parties. This, if an individual is considering getting a divorce, he or she may wish to consider consulting with an experienced family law attorney.
Source: TIME, "More Satisfaction, Less Divorce for People Who Meet Spouses Online," Maia Szalavitz, June 3, 2013
]]>Recently, a celebrity divorce was finalized. The divorce in question is the divorce of actress Courtney Cox and actor David Arquette. Cox and Arquette have played roles in many films and televisions shows. Cox is perhaps best known for her work in the shows "Friends" and "Cougar Town." Both Cox and Arquette have starred in the "Scream" film series.
]]> Cox and Arquette wed in 1999. In 2010, the two separated. In June 2012, they filed for a divorce.On Wednesday, the judge in the former couple's divorce case finalized their divorce.
One major issue that sometimes comes up in divorce cases is child custody. Cox and Arquette have one child, an 8-year-old daughter. It has not specifically been reported what child custody arrangement was reached in the former couple's divorce case. However, given the fact that both Cox and Arquette were asking for a joint child custody arrangement, it seems likely that this was the arrangement that was reached.
Another impactful issue that can come up in connection to a divorce is property division. No details have come out regarding what happened in relation to the issue of property division in the divorce of Cox and Arquette. One wonders what resolutions were reached in regards to this issue in this divorce.
Source: Los Angeles Times, "Courtney Cox's divorce from David Arquette finalized," Nardine Saad, May 29, 2013
]]>Akon brought a paternity lawsuit claiming that he was the father of two boys. In this paternity suit, Akon asked that he be legally recognized as the boys' father. He also asked that child custody and child support be established.
]]> Recently, a decision was made in this case. Akon has been given legal recognition as the father of the two boys.Akon was not granted physical custody of the two boys. Rather, sole physical custody of the boys was given to the boys' mother. However, Akon and the boys' mother will share legal custody of the children.
In regards to child support, Akon has been ordered to make payments of $5,000 a month. He has also been ordered to take care of the boys' health insurance.
As this case illustrates, paternity lawsuits are not only brought by mothers. Sometimes, fathers bring paternity lawsuits to establish rights regarding their children (such as child custody rights).
Regardless of who brings a paternity lawsuit, paternity cases can involve many important issues. This case highlights a couple of issues that often arise in paternity cases: child support and child custody.
What ultimately happens in a paternity case can have significant impacts on all of the parties involved. Thus, if a person is involved in a paternity case, he or she may wish to consider consulting with an experienced family law attorney.
Source: TMZ, "Akon - Ordered to Pay Kid Support Right Now (Na Na Na)," May 18, 2013
]]>Camp and Mosley have been married for around three years. Reportedly, late January, the couple separated.
]]> According to azcentral.com, last month, Mosley filed for a divorce from Camp. Irreconcilable differences were cited. This divorce petition was filed in a court in California.One issue that often ends up being a major one in celebrity divorces is the issue of how property will be divided between the divorcing parties. Given the higher-than-average income that celebrities generally earn, celebrity divorces tend to be fairly high-asset divorces. One wonders what will happen in regards to the issue of property division in the divorce of Camp and Mosley.
It is important to note that a divorcing couple doesn't have to be a celebrity couple or have vast amounts of assets for property division to be a serious issue. At all income levels, how the issue of property division is resolved in a divorce can have significant impacts.
Division of property is one of many important issues that can arise in connection to a divorce. Given how complex and impactful divorces can be, having a strong advocate on one's side can be very important when getting a divorce.
Source: azcentral.com, "Anna Camp to divorce husband Michael Mosley," May 2, 2013
]]>That 1990 figure is still low compared to other states. Of course, many studies have been published during the last few years about how the recession has affected divorces, so the numbers may have changed for better or worse since 2009. Additionally, many more older Americans are getting divorced than in decades past. Some other factors dropping the divorce rate could be that many younger people are choosing to live together before getting married. Those people may find out before they tie the knot that they aren't meant to be together, preventing a messy divorce.
]]> The prize for the highest divorce rate goes to Nevada, which had a rate of 6.7 divorces per 1,000 people. But the drop for that state has been much greater. It had a divorce rate of 11.4 in 1990. Of course, in Nevada, many people may run off to a Vegas casino to tie the knot before they've fully thought through what they were doing.No matter how low the rate for Massachusetts is, though, it's important to remember that every marriage is different. Some people in troubled marriages may see a low divorce rate and get worried about the social stigma that will be attached to ending a marriage. But that shouldn't be the case. Most people aren't happy to see marriages end, but if divorce is the best option, it should be pursued.
Source: The Huffington Post, "Divorce Rates Declining In The U.S. (Interactive Map)," Kevin Chern, April 11, 2013
]]>Recently, TMZ reported on a celebrity child support dispute that has come up. The dispute involves NBA star Steve Nash and his ex-wife. Nash has played for the Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers (his current team) and has won the NBA's MVP award twice.
]]> Nash and his ex-wife are currently engaged in a legal battle regarding whether or not Nash should be ordered to make monthly child support payments to his ex-wife.Nash's ex-wife argues that Nash makes considerably more than her and that it would be unfair if he were not required to make child support payments.
Nash, on the other hand, argues that he should not be ordered to make such payments. He claims that, between the money he paid his ex-wife in the divorce, the money his ex-wife makes and the money he is already paying in regards to their children (a large percentage of the children's school, extracurricular activity, medical and nanny expenses) there is more than enough to raise the children on. He has also voiced concerns that, if he were to pay his ex-wife monthly child support, she would spend the money on frivolous purchases that could spoil the kids. Thus, Nash is arguing that ordering him to pay monthly child support could actually hurt his children rather than help them.
This dispute came before the judge in the former couple's divorce case and the judge ruled in Nash's favor. Nash's ex-wife is appealing this decision. One wonders what will ultimately happen in this appeal.
Source: TMZ, "LAKERS STAR STEVE NASH - IN DOGFIGHT Over Child Support," April 27, 2013
]]>After being married for 72 days, Kardashian filed a petition for a divorce from Humphries. In response, Humphries claimed that the couple's marriage was a sham and requested an annulment rather than a divorce. Humphries and Kardashian then engaged in a fairly contentious legal battle.
]]> It is this legal battle that the recently reached settlement will be resolving. Reportedly, as part of this agreement, Humphries will drop his request for an annulment and the former couple will get a divorce. The settlement was presented to a judge last Friday and the judge approved it. All that is left now is for the settlement and divorce papers to be signed by Kardashian and Humphries; the former couple's divorce will then be a done deal.Divorce settlements can have a wide variety of terms in them. One type of term that such agreements often include are terms regarding financial issues. It has been reported that the settlement Humphries and Kardashian reached has terms saying that Humphries will be receiving no money in the divorce and that the two will each pay their own attorney fees. These terms are pretty vastly different from what Humphries is reported to have asked for in the divorce battle. Reportedly, he had asked that Kardashian pay him $7 million and cover his attorney fees.
This matter illustrates a couple of important points. The first is that divorces can involve many complicated issues and can sometimes become pretty contentious. The second is that divorce battles sometimes end up being resolved through a settlement agreement rather than a trial.
Sources:
USA Today, "Kim Kardashian, Kris Humphries divorced at last," Ann Oldenburg, April 19, 2013
Los Angeles Times, "Kris Humphries the big loser in divorce case with Kim Kardashian," Dan Loumena, April 22, 2013
]]>However, these new communication technologies also come with their challenges. A recent study from the UK indicates that one area such challenges might arise in connection to is communication within a marriage. The study indicates that too much social media/electronic communication use by a married couple may be harmful to a marriage.
]]> The study was conducted by researchers from the University of Oxford's Internet Institute. The subjects of this study were 24,000 married individuals. In the study, the researchers looked at the marriage satisfaction levels of the individuals and the amount of social media/communication channels the individuals used to communicate with their spouses.In its look at social media/communication technology use by the individuals, the study looked at 10 specific communication channels. Included among the channels the study looked at were: texts, emails, instant messages and Facebook.
The study found that the married couples that used over five of these channels had a 14 percent lower marriage satisfaction level.
Thus, it appears that there is a link between high levels of social media/communication technology use in a marriage and lower marriage satisfaction.
Some important and intriguing questions arise in connection to this study's results. What is the nature of the link found in the study? Did high levels of social media use cause the drop in marriage satisfaction seen in the study? Could high levels of social media use in a marriage lead to a higher likelihood of divorce? It will be interesting to see if any studies are conducted in upcoming years looking at these questions.
What do you think of the study's results?
Source: The Huffington Post, "Social Media Study Finds Link Between Media Use And Relationship Satisfaction," April 15, 2013
]]>A celebrity divorce case has recently come up. The case involves the musician D'wayne Wiggins and his wife. The two have been married for around 12 years. The couple has a 17-year-old boy and a 14-year-old boy.
]]> Wiggins is a member of the musical group "Tony! Toni! Toné!," which enjoyed a fair amount of success in the 1980s and the 1990s.Reportedly, Wiggins' wife is now seeking a divorce from Wiggins. She recently filed a divorce petition. In this petition, irreconcilable differences are cited as the reason for the sought divorce.
According to the TMZ article which reported this story, in her divorce petition, Wiggins' wife has asked for a child custody arrangement in which she has full physical and legal custody of the children and Wiggins only has visitation rights. The article did not mention if Wiggins' wife has made any requests regarding financial issues such as child support, spousal support or property division.
It will be interesting to see how Wiggins and his wife ultimately resolve the issue of child custody and any other issues that come up in connection to their divorce.
As this case illustrates, sometimes, a married individual will seek a divorce.
As we mentioned above, a divorce can be a very complicated thing, involving many issues. This is one of the many reasons why having a strong advocate on one's side can be very important in a divorce.
Source: TMZ, "Tony! Toni! Toné! - Divorce! Divorce! Divorce!," April 10, 2013
]]>Shumlin and his wife were married for over two decades. A few years ago, they separated. Recently, a divorce between Shumlin and his wife was finalized. Reportedly, Shumlin and his wife resolved the issues related to their divorce through a settlement.
]]> One issue that often comes up in connection to a divorce is property division. The Shumlin divorce settlement contained several terms regarding property division. Included among the property division-related terms in the settlement are terms that:
Another issue that can arise in connection to a divorce is spousal support. The settlement agreement in the Shumlin divorce touches on the issue of spousal support. Under the terms of the agreement, Shumlin will make monthly spousal support payments of $10,000 to his wife.
Another issue that can come up in connection to a divorce is child custody. While Shumlin and his wife do have two children, child custody was not an issue in their divorce as both of the couple's children are adults.
This case illustrates a couple points worth noting. The first is that many important and impactful issues can arise in connection to a divorce.
The second is that divorcing couples sometimes take care of the issues related to their divorce through a divorce settlement. The process of negotiating a divorce settlement can have many complicated aspects and what terms such settlements ultimately contain can be very impactful. Thus, when a person is in settlement negotiations in a divorce, having strong representation can be very important.
Source: Burlington Free Press, "Gov. Shumlin's divorce finalized," Sam Hemingway, April 3, 2013
]]>The case involves reality TV star Porsha Williams and former NFL player Kordell Stewart. Williams is part of the reality TV show "Real Housewives of Atlanta." Stewart played quarterback in the NFL for several years, spending the bulk of this time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
]]> In May 2011, Williams and Stewart got married.Last Friday, Stewart filed a petition for a divorce. This divorce filing reportedly was made in a court in Georgia. According to Stewart's filing, the marriage between Stewart and Williams is "irretrievably broken."
Stewart is asking that Williams not be granted any spousal support in the divorce. It will be interesting to see what happens in regards to the issue of spousal support in this divorce and what resolution is ultimately reached in regards to this issue.
Sometimes, spousal support issues are resolved amicably through an agreement. Other times, such issues lead to legal disputes that end up being resolved through a court decision.
Many different things can play a role in spousal support cases and what resolutions are ultimately reached in spousal support matters can have significant impacts on all of the parties involved.
Spousal support is one of the many complicated and impactful issues that can arise in connection to a divorce. Given how impactful divorces can be, having a strong advocate on one's side can be very important when getting a divorce.
Source: TMZ, "KORDELL STEWART - SLASHES MARRIAGE to 'Real Housewives' Star," March 26, 2013
]]>Divorces can give rise to many issues. One issue that often comes up in connection to a divorce is property division. Property division can be a very complicated issue, as there are many different types of property this issue can touch on. The fact that divorce-related property division can involve many different types of property can be seen in the recently finalized divorce of Giovinazzo and Marcil.
]]> One of the types of property that property division matters often involve is real estate (such as a former couple's home). In the divorce of Marcil and Giovinazzo, possession of the former couple's Los Angeles home was given to Marcil.Another type of property that property division matters often involve are vehicles. In the divorce of Marcil and Giovinazzo, Marcil was given possession of a Chevy Silverado and Giovinazzo was given possession of several vehicles, including a Chevy Camaro, a Pontiac GTO and a Mercedes CLK.
A third type of property that property division matters often involve are bank accounts. In the divorce of Marcil and Giovinazzo, each were given certain bank accounts.
Yet another type of property that property division matters sometimes involve are business assets, such as interests in companies. In the divorce of Marcil and Giovinazzo, all rights for a baby clothes company Marcil started (Baby Gagoo) were given to Marcil.
Source: TMZ, "FORMER '90210' STAR - Divorce Final from Nicest DUI Arrestee Ever," March 18, 2013
Our firm handles a wide variety of divorce-related matters, including property division matters.
]]>A movie portraying such topics is coming out this spring. The movie is called "What Maisie Knew." The movie is a modern adaptation of a novel of the same name that was written in the late 1800's. The movie stars Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan and Alexander Skarsgard. The movie is slated to come out in May.
]]> The movie is about a divorced couple and their 6-year-old daughter. One of the things the movie reportedly involves is a custody battle over the 6-year-old daughter. Another thing the movie reportedly looks at is the relationship between the 6-year-old daughter and the new spouses of her two parents.The increased appearance of family law topics in movies and other forms of media (such as books, TV shows, etc.) gives rise to some interesting and important questions. When movies or other forms of media portray topics such as child custody or divorce, do they portray these topics accurately? If they do not, do these incorrect portrayals have any impacts on how these topics are viewed by society in general? What impacts, if any, do how such topics are portrayed in movies and other media have on divorced individuals and their children? One wonders what the answers to these questions are.
Source: The Huffington Post, "Divorce Movie: 'What Maisie Knew' Stars Julianne Moore And Alexander Skarsgard," March 5, 2013
]]>Recently, a celebrity paternity case has arisen. The case involves the famous former NBA player Michael Jordan.
]]> Recently, a woman filed a paternity lawsuit against Jordan. The woman has a 16-year-old son. The woman claims that Jordan is the son's father. In her paternity lawsuit, the woman has asked that Jordan be ordered to take a paternity test. She also has asked that Jordan be ordered to pay child support in regards to the boy.Jordan has since filed a request asking that the woman's lawsuit be dismissed. Jordan claims that he is not the child's father and that it was established in an earlier case (a divorce case between the woman and her ex-husband) that someone other than Jordan is the father of the child. In addition to asking that the paternity lawsuit be dismissed, Jordan is also asking that sanctions be leveled against the woman.
Many questions come up in connection to this paternity case. What will happen in this case? Will Jordan's request that the paternity lawsuit be dismissed be granted? Or will the court side with the woman and order Jordan to take a paternity test? One wonders what the answers to these questions will ultimately turn out to be.
Source: ABC News, "Michael Jordan Wants Paternity Lawsuit Dismissed," Kate Brumback and Steve Reed, March 4, 2013
Our firm handles a wide variety of family law matters, including paternity matters.
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