You Thought NY was Tough? Here's what is happening in other jurisdictions.....

A controversial bill to mandate that a child in a divorce spend equal time with father and mother was resurrected Tuesday in Tennessee’s House of Representatives. Representative Mike Bell wants a new law that says when a couple divorces, father and mother would have equal time with the children. Bell doesn’t like what he says is the “standard plan” – a father gets his kids for a weekend every two weeks, and for two weeks in the summer.

Bell and his backers, mostly unhappy fathers, were upset when the “equal time” language was crossed out and “equal opportunity” written in by members of the House Children and Family Affairs Committee. Last week Bell yanked the bill out of play. But this week he went back to the committee and accepted the compromise.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles.....

 

A judge has ruled that a father may take his 3-year-old daughter to Mass even though her mother is raising her Jewish. A Cook County Judge  said this week that the father may take his daughter to "church services during his visitation time if he so chooses" and that he have visitation rights every Christmas and Easter. Likewise, the order stipulated that the mother always have their daughter on Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Passover.

The judge refused to bar the father from taking his daughter to church as long as no evidence exists that it would harm the child. Although  the mother said that contrary religious teachings could confuse the preschooler, the judge avoided doctrinal questions, saying it was not the court's place "to focus on or attempt to interpret or judge official religious doctrines."

And in Texas........

The state of Texas,says a union granted in a state where same-sex marriage is legal can't be dissolved with a divorce in a state where it's not.

A judge in Austin granted a divorce for two women, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing the decision. He also is appealing a divorce granted to a gay couple in Dallas, saying protecting the "traditional definition of marriage" means doing the same for divorce. A state appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments in the Dallas case .

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You Thought NY was Tough? Here's what is happening in other jurisdictions.....

A controversial bill to mandate that a child in a divorce spend equal time with father and mother was resurrected Tuesday in Tennessee’s House of Representatives. Representative Mike Bell wants a new law that says when a couple divorces, father and mother would have equal time with the children. Bell doesn’t like what he says is the “standard plan” – a father gets his kids for a weekend every two weeks, and for two weeks in the summer.

Bell and his backers, mostly unhappy fathers, were upset when the “equal time” language was crossed out and “equal opportunity” written in by members of the House Children and Family Affairs Committee. Last week Bell yanked the bill out of play. But this week he went back to the committee and accepted the compromise.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles.....

 

A judge has ruled that a father may take his 3-year-old daughter to Mass even though her mother is raising her Jewish. A Cook County Judge  said this week that the father may take his daughter to "church services during his visitation time if he so chooses" and that he have visitation rights every Christmas and Easter. Likewise, the order stipulated that the mother always have their daughter on Rosh Hashana, Yom Kippur and Passover.

The judge refused to bar the father from taking his daughter to church as long as no evidence exists that it would harm the child. Although  the mother said that contrary religious teachings could confuse the preschooler, the judge avoided doctrinal questions, saying it was not the court's place "to focus on or attempt to interpret or judge official religious doctrines."

And in Texas........

The state of Texas,says a union granted in a state where same-sex marriage is legal can't be dissolved with a divorce in a state where it's not.

A judge in Austin granted a divorce for two women, but Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is appealing the decision. He also is appealing a divorce granted to a gay couple in Dallas, saying protecting the "traditional definition of marriage" means doing the same for divorce. A state appeals court is scheduled to hear arguments in the Dallas case .

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OPINIONATED

Presumably many heard Frank Skinner last night on his TV Show, "Opinionated," quip that one of the tiers of his wedding cake lasted longer than the marriage itself, which broke down after only 10 months. Regrettably, how true this must be in so many cases.

THE ELECTION DEBATE

For those of you who missed the first live television election debate last night, let me describe it through the eyes of a divorce solicitor as thus:

Two chaps, Gordon and Dave, claimed their love for Britannia and their desire to support and nurture her. There was significant disagreement between them as to how to care for her in sickness and in health, and a huge sum of £6 billion was continuously mentioned.

A third chap, Nick, was the kind of boy who might appeal to Britannia’s mother. Well spoken, apparently trustworthy (or so he claimed), heart in the right place but young and perhaps naïve.

Soon it will be up to Britannia to decide. Whether she makes her decision based on looks, style or substance, allow me to predict the outcome in 4 years time: discontent and disagreement; name-calling and public pillorying; estrangement and eventually divorce.

NEW YORK - A CITY OF DIVORCE

I have just got back from a brief sojourn in the USA. New York is such a diverse city that it must hold something for everybody. In my case you will not be surprised to learn that I discovered it to be a city of divorce.

Immediately I got into a cab at JFK airport I was greeted by a video screen on the back of the driver’s seat in front of me. A comedy show was playing but across the bottom news items were scrolling. So it was that I had hardly set foot on American soil before I read: “Judge will hear arguments in Dennis Hopper’s divorce case.”

The next day, whilst walking through Central Park I couldn’t help overhearing a conversation; “Single, divorced, whatever,” it went.


From one of those open topped tourist buses which had stopped near City Hall, I heard the guide announce: “And in that building you can get married and conveniently divorced too!”


Then at the next table in an Italian restaurant on 46th Street, a new divorcee was given this advice: “Remember in New York you must not date cheap.”


Finally reading the headlines of the newspaper held by the passenger on the subway opposite me, I saw: “Ex wants a cut, but she won’t get my billions.”


I confess I loved New York.

Hot Dogs, Sandals, and the Mets

Spring has finally arrived and with it the freedom from boots, socks, shoes and all other manner of strangulation which my feet have endured all winter long. I will shortly be looking for my "formal" court sandals so that I do not flip flop my way down the hallowed corridors of the matrimonial world but instead stylishly express my love of the seasons with a new summer wardrobe and a fresh pedicure.

What about hot dogs? Well I hear they have good ones at the new Citi Field.  The Mets are one and one so far , not a great start but as I start every baseball season with Tug McGraw's mantra of "You gotta believe." I find it also fits as a life saying especially to those in the minefield of divorce American style. 

As a client you gotta believe that some justice will be served as you enter the court house right? Not necessarily I burst the bubble of each optimistic client. My power suit and heels can only go so far, if the facts and circumstances fail to support my arguements even if passsionately delivered.

What tends to happen in the spring? People fall in love. Not necessarily with their own spouse, mind you.  Maybe with someone else's maybe with some one new. My job is to accompany them on their journey to end the failed relationship. I hold the door open so they can advance into their future. Wish I could help the Mets....hey you gotta believe.

Hot Dogs, Sandals, and the Mets

Spring has finally arrived and with it the freedom from boots, socks, shoes and all other manner of strangulation which my feet have endured all winter long. I will shortly be looking for my "formal" court sandals so that I do not flip flop my way down the hallowed corridors of the matrimonial world but instead stylishly express my love of the seasons with a new summer wardrobe and a fresh pedicure.

What about hot dogs? Well I hear they have good ones at the new Citi Field.  The Mets are one and one so far , not a great start but as I start every baseball season with Tug McGraw's mantra of "You gotta believe." I find it also fits as a life saying especially to those in the minefield of divorce American style. 

As a client you gotta believe that some justice will be served as you enter the court house right? Not necessarily I burst the bubble of each optimistic client. My power suit and heels can only go so far, if the facts and circumstances fail to support my arguements even if passsionately delivered.

What tends to happen in the spring? People fall in love. Not necessarily with their own spouse, mind you.  Maybe with someone else's maybe with some one new. My job is to accompany them on their journey to end the failed relationship. I hold the door open so they can advance into their future. Wish I could help the Mets....hey you gotta believe.