Palm Beach County Divorce And Family Law Blog

 Divorce attorneys from Jupiter to West Palm Beach agree that children can be victims of parental alienation. In April 2011, a victim of parental alienation spoke out and claimed that he had lied about being abused over ten years ago. Sometimes children of divorce are susceptible to brainwashing and creating their own little scenarios of how terrible the target parent is. The alienated parent may lie to their child about the target parent, so they can destroy the relationship between the other parent and child. More than ten years ago, Melinda Bronson was accused of sexually abusing her son. Her son recently spoke out and publically apologized for his behavior as a child. He stated that he lied in court because his father and stepmother “coerced and almost forced” him to say false statements. If he did not “satisfy them, [he] would have to pay the consequences.” What Bronson’s child did not realize was the impact of his accusations on his mother’s life— how could Bronson ever teach again with the title of a registered sex offender? It’s too late to compensate for the many years missed raising her children and the years Bronson was expelled from teaching, but it is not too late for us to realize that our actions can affect our children. It is important to keep children safe during a divorce and out of the middle of marital conflicts. For more information on parental alienation and destructive behavior, see this article.

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       Divorce attorneys from Jupiter to Wellington have learned that the American Psychiatric Association is considering the recognition of Parental Alienation Syndrome as a disease in the 2013 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Though the draft version of the DSM does not yet contain a definition for Parental Alienation Syndrome, the APA has specified that a group of mental health professionals has proposed a document discussing how to incorporate the term in the DSM-5.

        Parental Alienation Syndrome is defined as a theory that explains a child’s estrangement from one parent during a high conflict divorce. Without valid justification, the child allies himself or herself strongly with one parent, and rejects the relationship with the other parent. Individuals who want to see Parental Alienation Syndrome defined in the DSM believe that the term should be recognized as a legitimate mental health disorder because it has the potential to lend credibility to parental alienation in the divorce process. Opponents of PAS as a syndrome or disorder believe that the term lacks empirical research and should not be recognized in the DSM-5. For further reading on parental alienation syndrome as a DSM mental diagnosis, click this link

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With the downturn of the economy, many individuals can no longer afford legal services for their divorce. In order to save money, an increasing number of people are shifting from professional legal aid to “do it yourself” methods. Experienced divorce attorneys from Jupiter to West Palm Beach are beginning to use reduced cost options called unbundled legal services. This modern development in the legal field is comparable to the method that one would use to order other services: à la carte. This innovative method consists of an agreement between a lawyer and client, in which the lawyer and client agree that the lawyer will undertake certain aspects of a case for a prorated fee.

1. Using unbundled legal services for a divorce can benefit prospective clients in the following ways:
2. Financially: The use of unbundling legal services for a divorce is advantageous to the client, as it is a less expensive alternative to traditional representation. Using this method, a divorce attorney is able provide legal advice without the exorbitant cost associated with a full-fledged representation.
3. Expeditiously: Unbundled legal services can help a client to complete their case more efficiently and effectively due to the legal assistance provided by the divorce attorney. This service is valuable to the client, and it can help to ensure that they did not make any errors while completing paperwork.
4. Promoting Freedom: Individuals who use unbundled legal representation methods can acquire a sense of independence, as they can undertake more responsibility than people who use traditional legal representation. When a client assumes more responsibility, they have the power to make superior legal decisions. 

Individuals from Palm Beach Gardens and Wellington should be informed of all types of legal services when looking to hire a divorce attorney, or embark on their pro se divorce case. For further information on unbundling legal services, please click here.

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Many divorced couples in Jupiter, West Palm Beach, and Wellington are taking vacations with their ex’s and children. Divorce can be a difficult time for children, and some divorced parents believe that taking vacations together can help children create pleasant childhood memories. Cost- conscious individuals in the Palm Beach County area are fascinated with the concept of joint vacationing, and believe that these vacations have substantial benefits. Actor Bruce Willis has taken vacations with ex-wife, Demi Moore, their children, and her current husband, Ashton Kutcher. In an interview with Willis, he stated that Kutcher is his “extended family,” and he is thrilled that Ashton is such a great guy.

Some of the following explanations are reasons why divorced couples decide to take joint vacations together:

1. Financial benefits: With the economic downturn, many individuals are trying to save money. Joint vacations have financial benefits, as couples can split the cost of the vacation, including food, accommodations, travel expenses and entertainment.
2. Childhood Memories: Both parents are able to experience their child’s “firsts” while on vacation. Children can create positive childhood memories, as they are able to spend the same amount of time with both parents. 
3. Less Stress: Divorced parents who go on joint vacations can both supervise their children. This option of joint custody can enable parents to stress less about their children, and enjoy their vacation.

Divorced couples from Palm Beach Gardens and Stuart should be informed of all options when planning a vacation. For more information on divorced couples vacationing together, please click the following link.

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Divorce attorneys in Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington and Jupiter are surprised to hear that a same-sex divorce was granted in Wyoming earlier this week.  Same-sex divorces can challenge the legal system, especially in states like Florida that do not recognize same-sex marriages.  Paula Christiansen and Victoria Lee Christiansen were legally married in Canada in 2008.  In 2010, a lower court in Wyoming dismissed the divorce petition due to a lack of jurisdiction.  In 2011, the state of Wyoming’s Supreme Court unanimously reversed the district court ruling permitting the same-sex couple to obtain a divorce.  Nevertheless, the Supreme Court made it clear that the court’s decision addressed only the issue of divorce, and that the state of Wyoming would confront the issue of same-sex marriage another day.  The court relied on a state statute, which declared that “marriage contracts which are valid by the laws of the country in which contracted are valid in this state” (Billings Gazette).  Furthermore, individuals in the LGBT communities believe that same-sex divorces are a step in the right direction.  For additional information on this court case, click the following link

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Divorce attorneys in West Palm Beach and Jupiter are able to spot some reasons why couples are getting divorced. An article published in The Daily Beast provides the top 15 reasons for couples to get a divorce. The article also provides the likelihood and percentages of why individuals get divorced.
Some of the following signs were listed in the article and provide reasons for the high divorce rates in the United States:
1. Age. Statistics show that if a woman got married before the age of 18, their marriage faces a 48 percent likelihood of divorce within 10 years.
2. Children. If one spouse wants a child more than the other, their marriage is more than twice as likely to end in divorce than the marriages of couples who agree on how much they do or don’t want children.
3. Sex of children. Data reveals that if you have sons, you face a 36.9 percent likelihood of divorce, whereas if you have daughters, the likelihood rises to 43.1 percent.
4. Men with high testosterone. A man with high testosterone levels is 43 percent more likely to get divorced than a man with low testosterone levels.
5. Children with ADHD. If your child is diagnosed with ADHD, you are 22.7 percent more likely to get divorced before the child turns 8 than parents that don’t have a child with ADHD.
6. Cohabiting with a lover other than your spouse. If you are currently married, but have lived with a lover other than your spouse, you are more than twice as likely to get divorced than someone who has never lived with a lover.
7. Not smiling for photographs at a young age. If you didn’t smile for photographs early in your life, your marriage is five times more likely to end in divorce. Optimistic people find it easier to get along with others, and smiles are revealed at a young age.

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Divorce attorneys from West Palm Beach, Wellington, and Jupiter understand that young children are using social networking sites to communicate with others. Several social networking sites attract pre-teens, sometimes as young as 5 or 6. These sites don’t allow the same types of communication that adults have, but parents should still be wary of these websites and help their children socialize safely online.

Even though websites such as Facebook have age limits, and no one under the age of 13 is technically permitted to have a page, 30 percent of parents admitted to allowing their tweens to log on. Parents should talk to their kids about social networking sites and help them realize the consequences of sharing information with strangers. Some of the following suggestions offer ways that divorced parents can protect their kids on the internet:

1. Teach children to keep personal information private: No matter what kids think, nothing is really private. It is up to kids to protect themselves by thinking twice before they click the "post" button. Moreover, it is important for parents to help kids define what information should be withheld from the public.
2. Use privacy settings: Using privacy settings to restrict access and postings to your child’s webpage can limit who can view their online profile and can control the online functions they may use.
3. Talk to your kids about bullying: Bullying can take many different forms—from spreading nasty rumors online and posting or forwarding private messages without the sender’s consent. Tell your children that the words they use online could have real-world consequences.
4. Make sure kids know to respect other people’s privacy: It is important to respect the privacy of others because we live in a world where everyone is connected. If kids spread a rumor, they can’t assume that what they post will stay private. Whatever they say can and most likely will, come back to haunt them.

For more information for divorced couples on tips for monitoring kids’ social networking pages for please visit:

http://www.parenting.com/article/kids-social-networking

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Divorce attorneys in West Palm Beach, Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens are astonished by one man’s attempt to rescind his divorce agreement with his ex-wife. Steve Simkin, a wealthy partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton and Garrison in New York City is suing his ex-wife, Laura Blank, for proceeds that she received from their settlement after his assets with Bernie Madoff turned out to be worthless. In 2006, after 33 years of marriage, Blank and Simkin were divorced. Before the divorce, Blank and Simkin had assets worth $13.2 million. The couple had $5.4 million invested in a Madoff account, which Simkin withdrew towards his $6.6 million cash payment to Blank. Simkin continued to invest with Madoff, while his ex-wife did not. In 2008 when Madoff admitted to his Ponzi scheme, Simkin’s investments diminished.

        Simkin argues that both he and his ex-wife were mistaken about the value of their assets at the time of the divorce. Simkin’s lawyers argue that Blank should be required to turn over millions to her ex-husband, while Blank’s lawyers dispute that under the law, an error regarding an account’s future value should not validate redrafting the agreement. Annual profits per partner at Simkin’s law firm are about $3 million, and Simkin is being represented by his firm for free.   Most attorneys in Palm Beach County would agree that Simkin’s argument does not have a great chance for success.  For more information about this lawyer attempting to do a “divorce do-over,” please see click on the following link :

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