Month: June 2017

June 2017

The Focus of Feelings

June 29, 2017 / Doing Divorce

I watched the news in disbelief. A 10 year old St. Cecilia student drown. He was a classmate and friend to my daughter, Sophia. I knew him from the time spent over the years teaching Junior Achievement in their classrooms. He was well-liked, quiet, and humble. My heart started to break open for his parents and his 8 year old brother now in the midst of this tragedy. At the funeral, I could not take my eyes off of her. His mother trying to find her footing to stand up for hymns. She barely took her eyes off the casket

What is the Difference Between a Restraining Order and a Domestic Abuse Protection Order?

June 27, 2017 / Divorce Made Simple, Legal Process

There is a distinct difference between a restraining order and a domestic violence protection order in a divorce case. Restraining orders and protection orders are both court orders that direct a person to engage or not engage in certain behavior. A restraining order may be issued in a divorce case regarding multiple aspects of your case. For example, a restraining order may instruct both parties not to display any behavior meant to harass, insult, or intimidate the other spouse. It may also order both parties not to take any actions that impact the marital estate, including transferring, hiding, or disposing

Seeing the Light

June 22, 2017 / Doing Divorce

I have a regretful confession. I nearly forgot my dad on Father’s Day this past Sunday. Father’s Day was sandwiched between coming home from a week long family vacation on Saturday and dropping my daughters off to camp on Sunday afternoon. While I was doing parenting pirouettes with laundry in and out, suitcases emptied and filled, and finding the plastic rain ponchos I knew I had somewhere, I was distracted to say the least. Add to this, my daughters and I gave my dad – their Funpa – his Father’s Day gift a week prior to the actual day. We

What is a Parenting Plan in Nebraska?

June 20, 2017 / Children, Divorce Made Simple

The Nebraska Parenting Act requires all parents involved in a legal action regarding custody or parenting time to have a parenting plan. A parenting plan is a document that details how you and the other parent will parent your child upon divorce or separation. To finalize a parenting plan, you have three options: You and the other parent may agree on the terms of the plan, with or without the help of legal counsel. You and the other parent may use a parenting plan mediator to reach agreement regarding the terms of the plan. If an agreement regarding all aspects

What To Do if You Aren’t Receiving Your Child Support Payments

June 13, 2017 / Children, Divorce Made Simple

If an order has been entered that awards you child support and the other parent is behind by at least one full month in the child support payments, it is possible to pursue an enforcement action to collect the past-due child support. In Nebraska, most counties have designated the county attorney as responsible for enforcement of child support obligations. Some counties have attorneys who are specifically designated to perform child support enforcement services. These attorneys are often referred to as authorized attorneys or child support attorneys. If the other parent is not paying the court ordered child support obligation, you

Passports and Parenting

June 8, 2017 / Doing Divorce

This glorious view was that of my daughters last week while they vacationed in Mexico with their dad. They sunk their toes into the sand, tasted their first virgin pina coladas, and zip lined away their fears of heights. I lived vicariously through them with their photos and sporadic text updates when they stopped in their rooms long enough to use wi-fi. I jealously regarded the photo with so many mixed feelings it left me reeling. I tried to stay most focused on how genuinely happy I was that they were having this incredible experience. I pushed aside worry-wart wondering

5 Tips for Successful Parenting Plan Mediation in Nebraska

June 6, 2017 / Children, Divorce Made Simple, Legal Process

The Nebraska Parenting Act requires any parent involved in a court case regarding child custody, such as a divorce, legal separation, paternity action, or modification of custody action, to create a parenting plan for the court’s approval. A parenting plan is an agreement or court order that sets forth both parents’ rights and responsibilities regarding their minor children, including custody and parenting time arrangements. If the parties are unable to develop a parenting plan on their own or with the help of their attorneys, the parties will be required to attend mediation. Mediation is a process in which a neutral

Taking the Tennis Shoes

June 1, 2017 / Doing Divorce

I encouraged her more times than I can count to collect all of the items from my house she would want or need for her trip to Mexico the following week with her dad. The day she was leaving my house I ran through a mental checklist with her. Swimsuit? Check. Sandals? Check. She gathered her bag of items and off she went. A few days later – the day before her departure – I get the message. “Mom, I forgot my tennis shoes at your house and I need them for the trip. Can you bring them after work?”