TAMPA — He got the furniture. She got the car. They split custody of their daughter and everybody’s happy. The divorce of Tyler Nelson and Pamela Burton will be finalized on Friday, but they didn’t have to go through years of litigation or deal with months of acrimony to legally end their marriage. The couple
After my last two columns, it didn’t take long for readers to start reaching out. The messages were numerous. They were also kind, encouraging and empathetic. “Hang in there. It gets better,” one fellow denizen of divorce said. Some assured me that I was brave to be so open and honest (which, of course, made
Maybe “lies” is a bit strong. Maybe you’re more comfortable with the words “myths” or “stories”. I was, when I originally titled this article, but the truth is, there are divorce lies out there. And many people suffer needlessly when they’re trying to recover from divorce as a result of believing these untruths. I suffered
When families “blend” to create stepfamilies, things rarely progress smoothly. Some children may resist changes, while parents can become frustrated when the new family doesn’t function like their previous family. While changes to family structure require adjustment time for everyone involved, these guidelines can help blended families work out their growing pains and live together
Let’s cut to the chase: compulsive shopping and credit card addiction are genuine problems, and they’re more common than you may think. If you suspect that you suffer from a compulsive shopping and/or credit card addiction, it’s important that you understand two things: You are not alone. There is a way out. This article isn’t
Over my many years of specializing in family law I have handled thousands of divorces. These have run from very simple, uncontested matters to complicated cases. Many involve custody and other disputes regarding children. I have also had divorces where people have fought over millions of dollars in assets. The question that I am posing,
Are you stuck in a bitter divorce fight? Couples often get caught up with their perceived injustices in the divorce settlement negotiations. The disdain that they personally have for each other usually just adds fuel to the fire when negotiating. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we believe to be right that we
Stay together for the sake of the kids? Generations of miserable parents followed that advice, hoping their sacrifices would pay off for their children in the end. Many still believe that it’s the only option for parents stuck in a dead-end marriage. Based on my own personal experience, I have another perspective. Having been raised
In family law mediation, it is not uncommon to hear the parties question their judgment regarding the difficult decision to proceed with divorce. I am often asked by one of the two individuals sitting in my office, “Don’t you think we make a cute couple?” or, “Aren’t we great together?” These are uncomfortable questions in
Money issues – particularly when you don’t have enough of it – spell stress. Stress can cause marital problems, and marital problems can result in divorce. The correlation between income and divorce isn’t quite that clear cut, however. Although a University of California study indicates that financial problems are directly linked to marital problems, other
