Kathryn L. Harry & Associates, P.C. - Divorce

NBA All-Star Dwyane Wade has scored another victory in his highly contentious divorce from Siovaughn Wade.

As the housing market continues in a largely downward trend nationwide, there have been some unintended and unexpected consequences for couples in the midst of a divorce.

In any divorce involving at least one minor child, the parties’ divorce decree must define the custody and visitation arrangements for the child. Defining the word “custody,” however, is no simple matter. For instance, one person’s idea of “joint custody” can be quite different from another’s person notion of “joint custody.” Therefore, it is essential that the parties be aware of the definition of these terms in the state of Illinois.

The recent headlines about movie mogul Bob Weinstein showcase just how quickly things can spin out of control in the legal arena when marriages break down. Weinstein, the producer of many successful films including Pulp Fiction and the Lord of the Rings trilogy, was in a Manhattan courtroom Monday, where his wife had filed for both divorce and for an order of protection.

Acrimonious and emotionally devastating, divorces can have a far-reaching impact on a divorcing couple’s family members, especially when children and grandparents are involved. With almost half of all U.S. marriages now ending in divorce, the rights of grandparents have been garnering more legal attention during the past decade due to the rising number of divorces. In addition, any hostility felt by one parent can have a negative effect on the children’s other set of grandparents.

Divorces can be devastating to the quality of life for spouses, children and close family members involved in the conflict. Contested divorces represent the worst kind of divorce because of the degree of animosity punctuating the entire event. Unfortunately, many contested divorces can drag on for up to two years if neither spouse is able to concede to any of the disputed issues.

According to Americans for Divorce Reform, it’s estimated that between forty and fifty percent of all marriages will end in divorce. Currently, there are six states in this country that allow same sex marriages – Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, New York, Iowa and the District of Columbia. What happens when a same sex couple seeks to dissolve their marriage, especially if they now live in a state that doesn’t recognize their marriage as legal?

An estimated 18 million children throughout the United States have parents who are divorced or separated, and another 17 million children have parents who have never been married.

State courts have jurisdiction over divorces taking place within their state, and thus divorce laws can vary by state. One area in which states have very differing laws is the matter of cohabitation and how it affects alimony (aka spousal maintenance or spousal support) payments to an ex-spouse.