Guardians ad Litem

June 2nd, 2010

Many divorces get messy fast and much mudslinging begins quickly.  Often times it seems like these situations pit one party’s word and position directly against another with neither willing to budge.  When children are involved,...

Factors Used by Courts to Determine Allocation of Child Custody

April 8th, 2010

The Court of Civil Appeals in the Ex Parte Divine case (398 So.2d 686) listed factors that should be (but are not necessarily always) considered in a trial court’s initial determination of child custody.  Those factors are,...

Legal Separation and Separation Agreements in Alabama

April 2nd, 2010

One of the most common questions I am asked by new divorce clients is “Is there some kind of ‘separation’ status in Alabama?”  Lots of clients ask this because some states have a minimum waiting period that spouses have...

Custody Terminology - What a Difference Wording Makes

March 24th, 2010

Writing a solid agreement for a domestic action involves using resources of proper language and terminology, insight into the controlling law and legal standards, and the highest attention to detail.  An Alabama Court of Civil Appeals case...