Blog entries

DadsDivorce In The Studio: 11-20-09

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:33:34 +0100

DadsDivorce.com editor, Rick Ortiz, tells you about what's new on DadsDivorce.

National organizations want to hear from you

Matt Allen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:32:16 +0100

A new national survey, said to be the first of its kind, will examine the emotional, financial, legal, and social impact of paternity fraud on men.

Carnell Smith, director of U.S. Citizens Against Paternity Fraud, and Sharon Squires, assistant professor of sociology at California State University-Dominguez Hills, are heading the survey’s efforts.

"We know very little formally about how men react to learning that they are not the biologicaRead More...

DadsDivorce LIVE Family Law Professionals Series Pt 1, Mediators and Mediation

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:12:18 +0100

DadsDivorce Live host, Dan Cuneo, discusses the role of Mediators with Cordell & Cordell, P.C. attorney, Kristin Zurek, J.D.. In this first episode of our "Family Law Professionals" series, we explore the role of the mediator in the Family Law system.

It is important to understand the role of the Mediator in your case in order to move most smoothly through the family law system. Our attorneys discuss the cost of mediation and even how to deal with coRead More...

Money Made Easy: Small Business Finances

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:01:04 +0100

The question of getting your small business finances in order is one that Dan Danford is passionate about. Using his own experience as a small business owner and financial advisor, Danford explains how you can get your small business finances whipped into shape.

Learn how to utilize books, software and other resources to strengthen or even begin your own small business.

Dan Danford, MBA, CRSP of Family Investment Center explains the best ways to best enhance your life on those oRead More...

Ask A Divorce Lawyer: Military Divorce

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Question: I am asking this on behalf of my son. My son is active duty Navy based on active deployment on an aircraft carrier based in Japan. His wife is in the states, Shreveport, LA. His state of residency is Texas, he was sent to Japan right after they married, a little over 2 years ago. He had to earn a higher rank and go through several processes to get permit for her to come to Japan.Read More...

Ask a Lawyer: Can custody be revoked if a child is put in danger?

Matt Allen — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:37:06 +0100

Question: My son is divorced and has standard visitation with his own son. The mother and her new husband took my grandson on a trip across the country. My concern is that my grandson said he and his stepbrothers were allowed to ride in a trailer on the way back from New York, in the trailer they purchased there. This is dangerous and illegal. Can we deny her to have the cRead More...

Ask A Lawyer: How Can I Keep The House And The Kids?

Rick Ortiz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Question: My wife wants a divorce and we are both living in our home right now. No legal paperwork is filed yet. She will not be able to afford the home on her own. Will the courts likely make me pay the mortgage and allow her to stay in the home?
We have 3 kids 15, 12, 4. I also know one of the three want to live with me. What chance do I have to keep the home? I have paid for all bills fRead More...

Know Your Divorce Decree

Rick Ortiz — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

What is this Decree and What do I do with it?

by Dorothy Ripka of Cordell & Cordell, P.C.

Your Divorce Decree, as it is called in most states, may well be the most important piece of paper you own. To be frank it is not a piece of paper, usually it is quite the opposite, a large hulking mass of papers filled with legal terms that you are not sure even your attoRead More...

Ask A Lawyer: When Does Child Support Officially Begin?

Rick Ortiz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Question: I need to know when child support officially begins. Is it at the point the divorce is filed, on the date I was served? How should I begin documenting this even if I don't have any kind of order that says I need to pay this or that amount?

The legal obligation to pay a specific amount of child support to the other parent requires a court or state aRead More...

Can I Be Effectively Represented By A Woman Attorney

Rick Ortiz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

by Dorothy Ripka of Cordell & Cordell, P.C.

How can a woman represent me as a father in family court?

It is a common question- Is it better to have a man or a woman represent me in family court?

The short answer is- It is better to have a competent attorney who cares about your case and will provide you with the kind of representatiRead More...

What To Wear To Court: Making A Comfortable and Confident Appearance

Rick Ortiz — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

by Jill Best of Cordell & Cordell, P.C.

Preparing for your first court appearance can be time consuming and stressful. By the time your hearing date approaches, you have probably had at least one meeting with your attorney to discuss the order of the day, review your anticipated testimony and familiarize yourself with exhibits. Up to thiRead More...

Helping Yourself by Taking a Broad Family View

Rick Ortiz — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Understanding the Collaborative Approach By: Kim Douglas Sherman, Esq.
I am a dad, and I am an attorney practicing family law in Florida for over thirty years. In those years I have seen some colossal battles over children. Most of the time, when emotions are running high, one of the parents decides that the best way to inflict pain on their soon-to-be ex-spouse is Read More...

Ask A Lawyer: How Do I Get Uninterrupted Time With My Children?

pmcmahon — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Question:

I am wondering what the laws are on several issues.

1) On the weekends that I have our children, my ex-wife continually schedules appointments for them that interrupt my parenting time. What are the laws that protect my time so that it is uninterrupted?

2) We have a 13 year old son that my ex-wife wants to continue taking to a babysitter (her mother) on my weRead More...

Cordell Cordell Attorney: Speaks Out On Dads By Default

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:19:11 +0100

Cordell & Cordell, P.C. attorney, Jill Best, speaks out about a man forced to pay child-support for a child who is not biologically his. In a two-part segment titled Dad By Default, the attorney whose firm sponsors DadsDivorce.com weighs in on the state of family law in Kansas and Missouri that can require a man to take responsibility for a child that is not his.

Read Ms. Best's Read More...

Ask A Lawyer: The Generalities of Divorce

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:02:57 +0100

DadsDivorce LIVE editor, Rick Ortiz, discusses the topic of divorce modification from beginning to end with family law attorney Dan Cuneo, J.D. of Cordell & Cordell, P.C., a firm focusing on representing men in divorce.

Dan Cuneo is a Senior Attorney in the St. Louis office of Cordell & Cordell, P.C. He isRead More...

Dollars And Sense: Alimony A Troubling Reality of Divorce

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

By: Barry Finkel

Alimony, spousal support and the concept of “continuing a lifestyle” are among a couple’s most frustrating separation and divorce issues.

It’s no surprise. In today’s troubling economy, finances are the root cause of many marital problems that lead to divorce. Even in good economic times, dividingRead More...

A Mans Mind: Divorce And Depression In Men

Rick Ortiz — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Are You Sure You’re Not Depressed?

Most men will experience temporary periods of downheartedness or imbalance in their lives during the divorce process and for a period of time once the divorce is final. Experiencing long periods of downheartedness or imbalance can be dangerous to their health, be destructive to their relationships and can negatively affect their job perRead More...

Ask A Lawyer: Can She Really Take 1/2 My Income And My Child?

pmcmahon — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Question:

Is it true that my wife can take my child, half of my income, and never let me see him? I’m wondering what the truth is because this is what she is threatening me with.

Answer:

Generally speaking, the answer is, “No”. Talk with an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction regarding your options and her options, but geneRead More...

Book Excerpt: Misinformation From the Stepmothering Industry

Rick Ortiz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

by Wednesday Martin, Ph.D., Author of Stepmonster: A New Look at Why Real Stepmothers Think, Feel, and Act the Way We Do

Books for stepmothers tend to perpetuate certain myths. The myth of the blended family and the myth of the maternal stepmother are the most glaring examples. These books' relentlessly upbeat tone can make stepmothers feel as though our own occasional negativiRead More...

Money Made Easy: Should I Invest in Gold?

Rick Ortiz — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 05:00:00 +0100

The question of whether putting money into gold or other precious metals is a good investment strategy comes up often. DadsDivorce finance and investment guru explains the myths and realities of having your money tied up in gold.

Dan Danford, MBA, CRSP of Family Investment Center explains the best ways to best enhance your life on those occasions when you are the beneficiary of an inheritance, unexpected bonus, or other financial windfall.