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2 Answers | Asked in Child Custody, Divorce and Family Law for California on
Q: Divorce with a minor child that a family member gave us custody of, what do we need to do to ensure I will have rights?

I am filing for divorce, however, my soon-to-be ex and I have a minor child that a family member gave us custody of when she was 2 weeks old. What do I need to do to ensure I keep my parental rights? As my ex said she is going to be filing papers that give her all parental rights, basically... View More

Martha Bronson
Martha Bronson
answered on Oct 22, 2024

Greeetings and so sorry to read of your troubling situation. In order to adequately and specifically respond to your important questions, we would need to know exactly what "papers" are already on file of which order/ grant you and your ex equal and sole parental rights over the child.... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for California on
Q: Legally requirement around 401K & stock portfolio

I'm Self-Represented and my Ex has an attorney. The attorney is requesting, to start discussing financial settlement. The attorney has requested I share the most current statements for 401K & Stock portfolio.

Qs -

1) Am I legally required to share these statements? They... View More

Martha Bronson
Martha Bronson
answered on Oct 22, 2024

Greetings. Yes, you are required to share the statements. While the community has an interest in the 401k during marriage up to date of separation, the value of that interest does not end on the date of separation, it ends on distribution.

There is no set number of days or hours that you...
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2 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Nevada on
Q: I am recently divorced. I feel my attorney did a very poor job of representing me in the divorce. can someone help me?
Philip Spradling
Philip Spradling
answered on Oct 21, 2024

Unfortunately, there are rarely any second chances once the divorce has been finalized. Especially if the problem is with your attorney and not the court.

You can file a motion to reconsider, if you believe the court made a mistake. In Clark County, you only have a week to do this. But...
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3 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for New Jersey on
Q: if a marrried couple getting a divorce and dont have assets property etc will there be spousal and alimony
Richard Diamond
Richard Diamond
answered on Oct 21, 2024

It depends. The fact that there may not be assets to divide, does not mean that there is no potential entitlement to support. The starting point of that inquiry is whether there is a difference between the party's income settings, who occupied what role in the marriage and how long the parties... View More

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3 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for New Jersey on
Q: if a marrried couple getting a divorce and dont have assets property etc will there be spousal and alimony
Valerie Hemhauser
Valerie Hemhauser
answered on Oct 21, 2024

Having no assets alone does not negate the possibility of an alimony support obligation.

Alimony is intended to enable the supported spouse to share in the economic rewards of the marriage, occasioned by the paying spouse's income level. Considerations in whether an alimony support...
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3 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for New Jersey on
Q: if a marrried couple getting a divorce and dont have assets property etc will there be spousal and alimony
LaDonna M. Cousins
LaDonna M. Cousins
answered on Oct 21, 2024

The answer depends on several factors. The factors are detailed in the statute. The factors include, but are not limited to, each of the parties' incomes, the parties' lifestyle during the marriage, a party's need, a party's ability to pay, childcare responsibilities, and more.... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for California on
Q: How is an alimony buyout calculated?

I was presented with a buyout scenario by a mediation lawyer, but I don't understand why he calculated a 5% interest earned on the money. He said if I invested the money I would earn 5%, but I am not going to invest it.

Also he calculated it for 10 years of alimony, but we were... View More

Martha Bronson
Martha Bronson
answered on Oct 22, 2024

I would recommend asking the person who gave you that information. That being said, it appears to me that the 5% is an estimated rate of return on the buy out amount offered. The key word being "estimated". In California, marriages under ten years, are not considered long term... View More

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2 Answers | Asked in Divorce, Family Law, Immigration Law and International Law for Washington on
Q: I recently got divorced in Costa Rica. I live in the United States and hired a lawyer in Costa Rica to represent me.

My lawyer is asking me if I want an official English translation of my divorce decree from the “Casa Amarilla” that would include an apostille. He said in order for the decree to be used or recognized in the United States, it must have the apostille. I called a lawyers office here in Washington... View More

Stanislav Kshevitskii
Stanislav Kshevitskii
answered on Oct 18, 2024

Both the U.S. and Costa Rica are signatories of the 1961 Hague Convention which abolished the requirement that U.S. consular officers authenticate Costa Rican civil documents for use in the United States. The Convention became effective in Costa Rica in 2011.

The Government of Costa Rica...
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1 Answer | Asked in Family Law and Divorce for Georgia on
Q: Question as to how to go about registering a vehicle in Georgia to an ax spouse solely?

My wife and I recently divorced and we have a loan on a Hyundai Santa Fe. I am first on the loan and she is a co-borrower. According to the court documents, she has all rights to the vehicle and it’s in her possession and the loan itself is addressed to her address in northern Georgia. She lives... View More

Alake Colwell Furlow
Alake Colwell Furlow
answered on Oct 17, 2024

All of this should have been addressed in your divorce. Either you would have signed a settlement agreement or you should have spoken about this during your trial, where the court should have made a final decision. That final decision would have been included in your final judgment. Anything not... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Family Law, Arbitration / Mediation Law and Child Support for Georgia on
Q: Questions about an arbitrator's authority and abilities in Ga.

My ex and I are in a disagreement about the wording of parts of our parenting plan, and it is currently causing some financial burden for me and our daughter with bills that would normally be split between us and my ex not paying their portion (there have been no issues for the last 18 months with... View More

Alake Colwell Furlow
Alake Colwell Furlow
answered on Oct 17, 2024

You don't want to hire lawyers but you posted a question to ask lawyers what they think? You all can go through any arbitration you want. But whatever comes out of that neither party has to abide by. So I'm not sure what would be the point. Not to mention an arbitrator can only... View More

4 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Immigration Law for California on
Q: Need help . Need to divorce my wife of 2 years. No kids. She has provisional green card. I petitioned her to come to US.
Stephen Arnold Black
Stephen Arnold Black
answered on Nov 13, 2024

Be forewarned that she may try to enforce the I-864 affidavit of support that you filed with your Immigration case.

Even if a spouse immigrant is denied alimony in divorce proceeding, she or he can seek support as set out under form I-864. Further, the spouse immigrant has no obligation to...
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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for New York on
Q: My wife inherited a very large inheritance in October 2023 which she never told me and wants my IRA, Annuity in divorce

Need legal advice concerning this matter if that is legal

Peter Christopher Lomtevas
Peter Christopher Lomtevas pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Oct 17, 2024

Current New York law (and the law of most other jurisdictions) excludes any inheritances given spouses unless the spouse commingles the inheritance with marital assets. The wife had no duty whatsoever to inform the asker of her inheritance, and in so doing, likely kept her inheritance separate from... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Texas on
Q: How can I drive the family car when my wife won’t let me as we are about to get divorced

The car is in my wife name but was bought while we were married. No paperwork has been filed for divorce yet but she took the extra keys and will not allow me to use the car to go to work (delivery job) so I can not make money. I just need the car when she is not working and she will not agree.... View More

John Michael Frick
John Michael Frick
answered on Oct 16, 2024

Locate the keys, take them, get in the car, and drive it. Since the car is community property--and no doubt you are listed as an authorized driver on the commercial automobile liability insurance because you are a delivery driver--she cannot legally exclude you from using the car without a court... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Real Estate Law, Divorce and Family Law for Texas on
Q: Can a divorce decree recorded with the county serve as valid title transfer in Texas, or must a deed follow for owner?

Could a divorce decree in Texas be legally recognized as a sufficient transfer of title, similar to a deed, if it is recorded with the county? If not, what specific legal requirements or steps are necessary to convert a divorce decree into valid title ownership? For my adverse possession claim, I... View More

John Cucci Jr.
John Cucci Jr. pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Oct 13, 2024

Your questions are complicated and hard to answer without seeing your Divorce Decree, and other deeds and filings on the property, prior to your Decree.

The short answer: No. A divorce decree does not transfer ownership or title to land. You need to get your ex to execute a deed, or you...
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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Ohio on
Q: My boyfriend has been trying to find out when he was divorced. His ex will not give him any information.

We’ve tried everything on the Internet to try and find it with no luck. She said it was in the mid 90s, but that’s all she’ll say. She lives in Ohio. He tried calling every county he could think of with no luck. What else can we do?

Nicholas P. Weiss
Nicholas P. Weiss pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
answered on Oct 11, 2024

I think it's possible based on this description that he was never actually divorced. This is usually something that is pretty easy to check. She would have had to file in a domestic relations court of the county in which she resided. If you have already contacted that county's clerk of... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Arizona on
Q: In Arizona, can a respondent spouse withdraw consent to dissolve a covenant marriage after filing pleadings
Stephen M Vincent
Stephen M Vincent
answered on Oct 10, 2024

We would need to know more. But I will say the covenant marriage laws do not address this situation, and there is only one published case involving a covenant marriage, and it did not involve this situation, so, in other words, this is a situation the law has neither dealt with nor anticipated.... View More

1 Answer | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Nebraska on
Q: Does my ex have a say in who I choose for childcare?

My ex is refusing to pay his half of the nanny’s hourly rate (market rate) because he says it’s too expensive.

Other items of note:

Custody is Joint legal and Sole Physical

Ex lives overseas and visits are infrequent - He does not use most of the agreed parenting time... View More

Julie Fowler
Julie Fowler
answered on Oct 9, 2024

If there is joint legal custody, then both parties have some say. Most orders include language about making sure the child care is reasonable and necessary. Thus, you generally don't have to choose the cheapest child case but you also can't choose a child care that costs what is beyond... View More

2 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Florida on
Q: Divorce q - Are all investments owned prior to marriage but since sold then re-invested considered marital assets?

I have been married for 7 years and likely filing for divorce. We have a 3 year old. My wife has not worked during this entire time. I handle all finances, though we keep separate accounts. I owned significant financial assets prior to the marriage (retired shortly prior) and have since actively... View More

Ira Markowitz
Ira Markowitz
answered on Oct 9, 2024

Did you have prenuptial agreement?

After you sold the property that you owned prior to the marriage,did you deposit the funds in a joint account or an account you had prior to the marriage ?

You can claim a Special Equity but if the purchase of the real estate property or properties...
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2 Answers | Asked in Divorce and Family Law for Florida on
Q: Divorce q - Are all investments owned prior to marriage but since sold then re-invested considered marital assets?

I have been married for 7 years and likely filing for divorce. We have a 3 year old. My wife has not worked during this entire time. I handle all finances, though we keep separate accounts. I owned significant financial assets prior to the marriage (retired shortly prior) and have since actively... View More

Rand Scott Lieber
Rand Scott Lieber
answered on Oct 9, 2024

The starting point for equitable distribution is 50/50. However, if you are able to establish the value of the assets on the date of marriage then you can argue that the premarital value should be subtracted off and that only the increase from the date of marriage forward should be divided 50/50.... View More

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1 Answer | Asked in Divorce, Family Law and Education Law for Oklahoma on
Q: If a parent files a VPO against their spouse, can that spouse still have access to the child's educational records?

Both parents are listed as guardians in the school database. The Victim Protective Order does not state anything about educational records.

Charles Watts
Charles Watts
answered on Oct 7, 2024

So long as the VPO is not on behalf of the minor children as well, the VPO does nothing to affect the 'legal custody rights' of the other parent. If the VPO is only in the name of the one parent against the other parent, then access to the children/children's records would remain... View More

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