Month: October 2018

October 2018

Graceful Bridge Builder

October 26, 2018 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

I stopped in the hallway to listen. History was about to be made. President Reagan announced the nomination of the first woman to the United States Supreme Court. It was the summer of 1981. I had just graduated from law school, I was working for a small law firm while awaiting my bar exam results. There being no cell phones or computers, the radio informed me. My emotions were mixed. She was a Republican appointee, and I had some vague concern about how she would vote on issues that mattered deeply to me. But she was raised an independent cowgirl,

The Last Thing

October 25, 2018 / Doing Divorce

“I agree with the parenting plan for our son and the child support amount.” Pause. “I agree with receiving half of the retirement accounts and home equity.” Pause. “I agree with how the debt has been distributed and it is fair.” Pause. “But I want the snow blower.” If I had a snow blower for every time negotiations in a divorce action came to a screeching halt over an item of personal property, I could pass them around like Oprah at Christmas. “You get a snow blower, and you get a snow blower – snow blowers for everyone!” Although it

Parenting Advisory Board

October 18, 2018 / Doing Divorce

Should I give up Christmas with my girls? Should I send them home early from our annual vacation for the funeral of their step-grandparent if he passes during the trip? Should I have my daughter’s migraines treated with acupuncture, which would be a significant monthly expense, even if her dad won’t pay a portion? I stared down each of these questions in the past 90 days. Christmas without my girls brings instant tears to my eyes. I want to stomp my feet on the ground like a five-year old not getting her way when I think of cutting my vacation

What Must Be Included In My Parenting Plan?

October 16, 2018 / Children, Divorce Made Simple

The Nebraska Parenting Act requires that a parenting plan is created for legal issues involving the custody of a child. While parents may choose to include a number of different agreements in their plan, there are some provisions that are required to be included. Below are 10 items which must be included in a parenting plan: Legal and Physical Custody. Your plan must state who has legal custody (the authority to make fundamental decisions on behalf of the child) and who has physical custody. Examples of some arrangements include the parents have joint legal custody while dad has physical custody,

When You Remember It’s You Too

October 12, 2018 / NEXT: An Empowerment Series

I felt a hand on my right breast. I sat up abruptly, frightened. My fear quickly turned to relief as I realized the hand was my own. Just a bad dream. The week before I had spent an entire day of my otherwise beautiful California vacation captivated and crushed as I watched the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on the Supreme Court nomination. Thereafter I watched for news updates on my phone, read my copy of The New York Times, and remembered. I remembered the familiar feelings. Of shock. Of disbelief. Of sorrow. This was not the first time. By the

Five Tips for Collecting Evidence for a Divorce

October 9, 2018 / Divorce Made Simple, Divorce Tips, Legal Process

Divorce trials and other court hearings often hinge on which spouse can provide the best evidence to the court to support his or her arguments. Which spouse has been his or her child’s primary caregiver? How much income has a spouse earned over the past year? Did a spouse acquire a disputed piece of property before marriage? When courts must decide these types of issues, courts must rely on the evidence they are presented by the parties. Here are five tips for improving the evidence for your case: Written Communication If something important must be said between you and your

Finding Friends: Kindred Spirits & F Yesses

October 4, 2018 / Doing Divorce

I was nervous. I carefully considered my outfit and my hair. I was being set up by a friend who cautioned me in her initial message that she did not make these introductions regularly or lightly. I respect her a great deal, so this added to my nerves. It was a blind date, but not the normal, romantic kind. I was being introduced to a potential friend. A potential new girlfriend. The stakes felt high. We met at the new coffee shop across the street from my building. She wore a pretty patterned dress and when I saw her through

5 Common Questions About Remarriage After Divorce

October 2, 2018 / Divorce Made Simple, Legal Process

If you get divorced in Nebraska, you must wait six months after your divorce is final before you can re-marry. If you are contemplating getting married after divorce, you may have some questions about what will happen. Below are answers to common questions about remarriage after divorce: Does remarriage affect child support? No. When calculating child support, only your income and your former spouse’s income is considered. Your new spouse’s income is not factored into the equation. In other words, you will not have to recalculate support based on your new spouse’s income. If I have children with my new