Saturday, September 25, 2010

Divorce/ Children Resources Available

There are many low cost and no cost services available to families. Some of those available are;

FIT (Fathers In Training) Virginia Beach Social Services 437-3200
www.vbgov.com (Search "Fathers In Training")

For Children's Sake Seminars by The UP Center
622-7017
www.theupcenter.org/events/classes.html

Children & Divorce
Fleet & Family Support Center
444-NAVY
www.ffscnorva.navy.mil/info-parent.html

You also can contact the Departments of Social Services in your locality.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

New Addition To The Team

Linda Cataldo, formerly Director of Mediation for Catholic Charities, a certified Family and General Mediator and Mediator Mentor has joined the team. Linda has extensive experience mediating court-referred and private cases. We are very fortunate to have her!

Friday, September 17, 2010

"Neuroticism" Can Kill Your Marriage

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/insight/201009/the-personality-trait-can-kill-marriage

Friday, September 10, 2010

18 years of marriage and 4 boys with 15 years at home mother. Will I lose everything because she's not happy? - Avvo.com

18 years of marriage and 4 boys with 15 years at home mother. Will I lose everything because she's not happy? - Avvo.com

Update Your Will--Or Else

Last week I had the unfortunate experience of a divorce client committing suicide. The acrimonious nature of the divorce, no doubt, was a contributing factor to his decision to end his life.The divorce had not ended. He still was legally married. So, in the eyes of the law, his wife is his next of kin. This is something that my client did not consider.
Just before he took his life, he sent text messages stating his clear wishes as to how he wanted his property to be divided and that he wanted his wife to receive "nothing". Unfortunately, his expressed wishes, in this form, carry no legal weight. He died without a Will, so his assets pass according to law, not according to his wishes. This is a grim reminder of the need to take care of legal formalities well in advance of the time when you think that they will be needed. This is not an advertisement for legal services , because you can write your own Will so long as it is all in your own handwriting (not typed), signed and dated. It is just a reminder and a warning to take care of your own business so that your family does not suffer because you did not take care of some paperwork.

Talk Show Interview

On September 9, 2010 I was a guest on the HearSay with Cathy Lewis radio show on NPR. We were discussing Collaborative Divorce, Mediation, Judicial Settlement Conferences and the current state of alternative means of divorce settlement. The entire show is available for your listening pleasure (?). Clink on the title above to access it. Also on the program was Karen Richards of the Conflict Resolution Center and Lonnie Broussard, a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. You cannot cover everything in 45 minutes, but we did hit most of the high spots.