Mediation and Hiring a Lawyer: Not Mutually Exclusive
Many people think that you have two basic options when you start a divorce: You can hire a mediator and try to settle your divorce amicably with your spouse in…
Get it Right the First Time: Hire a Lawyer
For many people, saving money whenever possible is human nature. No one wants to spend more money on something than necessary. A penny saved is a penny earned, right? Take…
It’s Just Discovery
A very common and routine part of any court case – including divorces – is what we call discovery. After the case is started, both sides have the opportunity to…
The Price of Freedom
During the divorce negotiation process, it is easy to become entrenched in a certain position. Say, for example, that your spouse is seeking spousal maintenance. You make a greater income…
Tough Love
As the party to a divorce case, you see the world through a different lens than I do. Your perspective is necessarily clouded by emotion and the daily grind of…
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…
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…
Honey or Vinegar?
I often hear from my clients that they “just want this to be over.” And, who doesn’t? Divorce is not pleasant. Not too many people enjoy it. Yet, despite making…
Divorce and Personal Property
One thing that is accomplished by a divorce is a “just and equitable division” of the marital estate. Your marital estate can consist of real estate, a business, retirement accounts,…
Divorce: Your Life is an Open Book
One of the things that we do in a divorce case is fully disclose assets. Whether it is real property, a checking account, savings account, retirement account, stock, life insurance,…