Divorce When “Denial” Isn’t Just a River in Egypt
Divorce denial is a real phenomenon that can occur in divorces, where one partner springs the desire to get a divorce on the other. Divorce can be an emotionally devastating experience for those who are not initiating it, or who still wish to hold on to the relationship and try to make it work. Depending…
Read MoreWhat is Second Parent Adoption?
Second parent adoption is when one partner legally adopts the other partner’s child, giving them both equal and legal parental rights. People typically choose second parent adoption when they are unmarried or if they’re a same-sex couple who wants to ensure their parental rights stay protected. Families may benefit from having an attorney complete a…
Read MoreSupervised Visitation in Maryland
During a divorce or child custody dispute, the court typically makes the ruling regarding parents’ access to the child or children. The judge may grant the non-custodial parent unsupervised quality time or overnight visitation with the children. However, there are instances where the court may decide that this unsupervised access with minor children is not…
Read MoreShould I Change My Last Name After My Divorce?
During or after a divorce, one of the many decisions you’ll have to make is whether or not to keep your married name. This decision can carry both practical and emotional consequences, and there are no right or wrong answers. The decision is personal and specific to every person. However, if you are considering whether…
Read MoreHow Parenting Coordinators Help Manage Conflict in a Divorce
Divorce conflict is likely the most intense level of conflict a person may be involved in. Songs have been written about it, and the plot of movies have been based on the vitriolic acrimony between people whose love has morphed into bitter hatred. While we may sit in the movie theatre and laugh at the…
Read MoreTools for Documenting Text Messages for Divorce Matters
Updated 2020 We all use text messaging as an easy, instant way to communicate with each other without the hassle of dialing a phone and speaking. In 2017, for the first time, the use of mobile messaging apps hit a growth milestone of more than 76.3% of the world’s smart phone users in 2017 and…
Read MoreExpensive Wedding? Shorter Marriage, According to a New Study
You have the sparkly engagement ring, planned the parties, rehearsal dinner, and even a family brunch the day after. You’ve hired a great DJ, rented one of those cool photo booths, and every single detail is taken care of. Your wedding is going to be an event! Wait a minute. You might want to go…
Read MoreThe Six Most Common Reasons Couples Split Up
Nobody goes into a marriage intending to get divorced one day. We hope not, anyway. They enter into their marriage with high hopes of a “happily ever after,” or at least a nice, long life together. Most people understand that marriage takes work. If you feel like you’ve given your marriage everything you have but…
Read MoreSo You Think You’re Married? Not So Fast…
You may have heard of the Universal Life Church (ULC), the self-described online “multi-denominational religious organization” that allows members to become ordained and perform functions that ministers can, like weddings. There are other sites that offer online ordination, but ULC is the biggest and the most well-known. Many celebrities have famously used it to perform…
Read MoreWelcome to the McCabe Russell Family, Lauren S. Keiser!
All of us at McCabe Russell, PA would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest Associate Attorney, Lauren S. Keiser. Lauren joined our family in July 2018, and we could not be more excited to have her with us. She will focus her practice on family law matters, including divorce, child custody, alimony,…
Read MoreMaryland is Fighting for 50/50 Parenting Rights – But Should We?
The traditional family unit – Mom, Dad, Children – has evolved over the last few decades. The laws, however, have only started to catch up. One of the changes that has developed over time is the move from the “tender years doctrine” – the idea that mothers are more natural caregivers, and therefore should be…
Read More5 Divorce Expenses You Might Not Think About
After a divorce, it can be difficult to adjust to any financial changes, especially if one income has to support two households. That’s an expected expense, but there are other costs that crop up after divorce that you may not have expected. And these may take you by surprise and add a lot of unwanted…
Read MoreHow to Deal with Divorce Stalling Tactics
How long is this divorce going to take? How much is this divorce going to cost me? These are questions that we hear from many of our new clients during the initial consultation. Even though delaying the divorce means higher fees for both parties, some spouses will do whatever is in their power to stall…
Read MoreBring Your Child to Work Day Gave New Meaning to “Family” Law Firm
April 26, 2018 was Bring Your Child to Work Day – and at McCabe Russell, PA, we were lucky enough to meet two extraordinary young women because of it. Dacian Noel and Kierra Wiggins and brought their daughters, Gisele (left) and London (right) to the office last Thursday to spend a day with us. We…
Read MoreCould Parallel Parenting Be a Solution in High-Conflict Custody Situations?
Most people are aware of how fraught with conflict custody battles can become. But over time, many of those parents can learn how to work together, and how to co-parent effectively. For other parents who are ending high-conflict relationships, there is a need for them to keep their distance from each other, but to stay…
Read More5 Tips for Adult Children Dealing with Their Parents’ Divorce
Its seems that divorce is difficult on the children regardless of their age. In the past, parents might wait to get divorced until the youngest child had graduated high school or college, or had moved out of the family home. But when it comes to the breakup of your parents’ marriage, it seems like there…
Read MoreWhat Do You Have to Prove to Get a Protective Order for Domestic Violence in Maryland?
If your spouse, partner or close relative is hurting you, Maryland law has provisions for protecting victims of domestic violence. A judge can issue a temporary protective order, which orders the abuser to stop threatening or abusing you, stay away from you and not contact you or harass you at home, work or school, and…
Read MoreWhat Is a Parenting Plan?
With many divorcing couples, issues of child custody and visitation are often the most thorny and contentious. A detailed parenting plan, agreed upon by the parents and endorsed by the courts, can help parents meet their child’s needs, set forth each parent’s responsibilities, and allow flexibility. Well thought-out parenting plans avoid the need to go…
Read MoreWhat Is a Best Interest Attorney?
During a particularly contentious child custody case, the court may appoint a “best interest attorney” for the child. This attorney does not represent either parent, but advocates for the child’s interests and the child alone. Best interest attorneys must represent the interests of their client, complete an independent evaluation, and advocate the position concerning custody…
Read MoreWe’re Getting Divorced. Who Keeps the Family Business?
When going through a divorce, other than matters involving children, division of marital property can get quite contentious. The more assets a couple has, the more contentious a divorce can become. Maryland is an equitable property state, meaning that all property acquired during the marriage should be divided equally, unless a judge decides that division…
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