To File or Not to File?
In Minnesota, a divorce case commences when the Petitioner serves the Summons and Petition for Marital Dissolution (and usually some other documents, too) upon the Respondent. The law requires that…
Who Claims The Kids? The Riddle of Claiming Tax Dependency Exemption
If you’re a parent, and you’ve filed taxes, you’re probably aware that the US tax code permits a taxpayer to claim an exemption for each of his or her dependents….
FATHER’S RIGHTS IN DETERMINING A CHILD’S NAME
I sometimes get asked by mothers whether they can change their child’s name, without the permission of the father. It’s a fair question; why should the child not have the…
Grandparent Visitation: Getting Your Foot in the Door
There are some laws on the books that although neutral on their face, can have different results when applied to different situations. Personally, I question whether the legislature truly intended…
A Lesson In Attorney’s Fees
As a lawyer, I don’t have any great products to sell you. My office is not like Best Buy or a car dealership. Other than a bunch of paper, you…
Divorce Settlements: Your Terms versus the Judge’s Terms
Clients will sometimes ask me whether the Court would “allow” a certain settlement proposal. My response is almost always that so long as both parties agree to the terms, you…
Are Style Points Important?
When I am meeting with a potential client during an initial consultation I am sometimes asked, “What is your style?” Or more to the point, they may simply say, “I…
Child Custody: The Importance of Making it Legal
When married couples separate with the intention of making it permanent, a divorce almost always follows. That is because the law recognizes the legal relationship known as marriage. In order…
Financial Infidelity
KARE-11 recently did a series on what they called “financial infidelity.” We linked one of the pieces to our Facebook page. By financial infidelity, KARE-11 is referring to situations where…
Out of State Moves
In my opinion, one of the most difficult issues in family court cases is out-of- state moves. Let’s say that following a divorce, Mom has primary physical custody of the…