Divorce Advice for Men | Fathers Rights Divorce | Child Custody

Cordell & Cordell attorney Richard Coffee is quoted in an article about how interest on missed child support payments is driving one disabled man into poverty.

The Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat article describes the plight of Carnell Williams and how a $250 federal stimulus check mailed last year that he never got to cash set off government computer alarm bells that may doom him to a life of poverty.

The stimulus payment was automatically applied to missed child support payments and alerted state officials who began applying the arrears to him.

By Matt Allen

Editor, DadsDivorce.com

The time has come and you can see the writing on the wall. The marriage just isn’t working anymore. You don’t hate each other, you’re just growing apart and the best thing for the family is to just move on to a new phase in life.

It won’t be a nasty divorce, you tell yourself. The process has been amicable and you think, "This will be an uncontested divorce so it should be quick and inexpensive."

Cordell & Cordell attorney Richard Coffee said when he hears this, his response is, "It may end up being an agreed or settled, but there is almost always something that is contested, otherwise you probably wouldn’t be seeking legal advice on divorce."

Question: My brother has filed for divorce without using an attorney. His soon to be ex-wife will not allow him to have their daughter every other weekend like was customary. What should he do to ensure that he be allowed to see his daughter regularly until divorce is final, and how should he document his soon-to-be-ex's resistance to allowing him time with his daughter? Also, any advice as to how to make hand-off times go smoothly and protect himself against her rage and possible threats to make false allegations?

Question: I am typing this after my wife just called me and told me she is filing for divorce. She cheated on me earlier this year. I am trying to forgive her and work on our marriage. She told me she wants a dissolution of marriage and she wants to move our kids from Ohio to Missouri, 8 hours away. She basically wants me to give up my rights to my kids. She said I will have no choice in anything because I am collecting unemployment right now. How can a guy in a tough financial situation begin to fight having his kids taken away from him?

Question: My ex wife has primary physical custody of my 2 children ages 10 and 6 , she states that I have no choice but to deal with the boyfriend dropping off and picking up my kids from my house. I do not agree with this. Do you have any advice as to how I can handle the uncomfortable situation of the new boyfriend further injecting himself into my life and my children's lives?