The 180 Day Rule and Jurisdiction
Almost every state has a requirement that you must live in that state for a certain amount of time before you can file for a divorce there. Minnesota is no…
What can I get out of it? Splitting Joint Property Interests Between Unmarried Cohabitants
Just like married couples, unmarried couples who live together still acquire stuff together (furniture, jewelry, vehicles, and real estate), and when they (hopefully never) split up, they still need to…
Using the Court’s Contempt Powers to Enforce a Child Support Order
I sometimes get asked what can be done about a parent who isn’t paying child support. It can be frustrating because there are sometimes different factors that explain why a…
Prenuptial Agreements – Not Always Enforceable
If you’re reading this blog, it’s probably because you’re related to me and doing it out of obligation (thanks, Mom). Or, it might be because you’re looking for information about…
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….
Family Court Lessons to be Learned from Prince
As we all know, Prince died last year. He died without a will, and the battle over his estate wages on in Carver County District Court. As we’ve also learned,…
Post-Decree Motions: Better to Let a Sleeping Dog Lie?
If you ever meet with an attorney to discuss a possible general civil litigation case (e.g. contract dispute, personal injury, defamation, patent infringement, or any number of other types of…
WHEN SCIENCE IS NOT ENOUGH; MAKING THE CASE FOR PATERNITY IN MINNESOTA
If you’ve ever wondered how a father can ‘prove’ he is dad, you wouldn’t be wrong in assuming that a genetic test, or a ‘paternity test’ is the way to…
THE COST OF INACTION – CHILD CUSTODY MODIFICATION BY ACQUIESCENCE
Remember when our parents warned us not to make goofy faces lest they get stuck that way? Sadly, this kind of, sort of, happened recently when a parent failed to…