Call 301-933-1814 to
Schedule a Consultation
Recent Blog Posts
Tips to keep your divorce from becoming a drama
If you watch American soaps or Latin American novelas, you will have seen many divorces become long, drawn-out dramas. While they make for great television, they are best avoided in real life because they're stressful, damaging and expensive.
The best kind of divorce is actually rather boring. They involve two people sitting down and discussing things in a civil manner, without dragging up the past or flinging mud at each other in court.
Focus on the solution rather than the problem
You cannot change the past. If your marriage has reached a point where it is no longer working then ending it is typically best for both people and any children involved. It can sometimes be hard for both parties to see this right now of course.
There are various issues you need to resolve to end your marriage:
- If you have children you need to think about where they will live, how much time they will spend with each parent and how you will split paying to raise them.
Reasons to mediate your divorce
Divorce is difficult no matter what the circumstances. It can be especially difficult if children are involved. Going through a divorce via the court system can be a lengthy, adversarial process that often leaves the parties exhausted and resentful of the other.
However, going through the court system is not the only option for going through a divorce. Mediation, a form of alternative dispute resolution, is an alternative that works for many people, is cost-effective and efficient, and you can still bring your attorneys with you.
What is mediation?
Mediation is a process that brings together the divorcing parties, their attorneys (if they choose to), and a trained mediator who is a neutral third-party tasked with facilitating a structured conversation between the parties.
Mediations can take place with everyone in the same room or in separate rooms, in-person or virtually, and the mediator will help the parties come up with solutions that work for both of them.
Vital tips to help you manage stress during your divorce
Going through a divorce will automatically increase your stress level because it's such a major life change. It's up to you to find ways that you can bring it back down some.
Every situation is different, so one of the first things you need to do is to determine where your stress is coming from. Once you do that, you can take proactive steps to reduce stress.
Acknowledge your emotions
Accept that it's normal to feel a wide range of emotions during a divorce and give yourself permission to experience them without judgment. Share your feelings with friends, family or a support group, and let them help you through this challenging time. Ensure that you are getting enough sleep, eating well and exercising regularly to maintain your physical and mental health.
Set realistic expectations
Understand that divorce is a process, and it will take time to adjust to your new reality. Instead of dwelling on the things you can't change, concentrate on the aspects you can influence, such as your own reactions and decisions. Take the time to set a budget so you know what you can realistically handle financially.
How to keep informed as your immigration application progresses
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) usually notifies applicants about updates in their application status in two ways. First, an update is posted on an applicant's online account. Then, most of the time, confirmation of this update is sent to the applicant via the U.S. Postal Service.
It is critically important to understand how to check application updates online. All too often, time-sensitive information gets lost in the mail or is delayed by the Postal Service. As a result, applicants may find that they miss requests for information, notifications about appointments or other consequential updates to their application status until it is too late to address them.
Checking your application status online
To stay informed about the status of your case, log in to the USCIS case status portal by heading over to USCIS.gov. Once you're on the site, you'll need to enter your case receipt number, which is 13 characters long. It should appear on all of your notices from USCIS. It begins with three letters, followed by 10 numbers.
Divorce later in life is becoming more common
For young couples in the United States, divorce is becoming less common year after year. A big part of the reason for this is simply that people are waiting longer to get married. Your odds of divorce are far higher if you get married at 23 instead of 33, for example, so people waiting longer makes their relationships a bit more stable.
However, for those who are 50 years old and older, divorce rates are just going up. These are often referred to as gray divorce cases. This age group is the only one with a rising divorce rate.
Why does it happen?
There are a lot of reasons for these changes. Couples becoming empty-nesters will often spur divorce, for example. Couples will sometimes drift apart over time, as well. On top of that, a lot of the negative stigmas and perceptions about divorce have changed, so older couples may feel free to get a divorce in 2023 in a way that they haven't felt before.
3 possible defenses to assault charges
Assault charges carry heavy penalties in Maryland. You risk years in prison if convicted, depending on the nature of your charges and the circumstances of your offense. For instance, assault in the first degree carries up to 25 years in prison.
Therefore, it helps to mount a formidable defense against such charges to avoid the potential legal consequences. Beloware some common defenses to violent crimes like assault and battery.
Self-defense
Everyone has a right of self-defense, and you can legally use force to protect yourself, your property or others from imminent harm. However, for your self-defense claim to stand, the threat to your life or safety must have been in immediate or imminent danger, and the magnitude of your response must have been relative to the threat.
Consent
You may use consent in your defense if an individual voluntarily consented to a particular act on which your charges are based.
Why does the right attorney matter for a high asset divorce?
You're clearly headed for a divorce, and you know you need representation – but you may not realize the advantages of choosing an attorney who has successfully handled high asset cases in the past.
Divorce is rarely a simple, easy process – and that process gets even more complex when there's a lot to lose. Here's where experience can make all the difference:
When determining what counts as marital property
Both Maryland and Virginia are equitable distribution states, which means that the court focuses on dividing the marital property fairly, not equally. However, you can't even start to divide the marital estate until you've defined it – and that isn't always easy.
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements may come into play, and couples may have inadvertently commingled their private funds, so you need someone who is experienced to help you have realistic financial expectations as you move forward.
While determining the value of various assets that can be divided
You also need someone who can help you better understand the choices you have so that you make sound financial decisions – and that starts with understanding the true value of different assets both before and after taxes.
Contractor defense: Steps to take if you don't get paid
One of the most frustrating things about working as a contractor is the clients who don't pay. They might claim that they can't afford it or raise a dispute with you about the quality of the work that you don't feel is justified.
You deserve to be paid what you're owed for the work you've done — so here are some steps you can take to make things happen:
1. Talk to the client and try to negotiate
Maybe your client is waiting on payment from a third party before they can pay your invoice. If your invoice is late and you have a good relationship with the client that you'd like to protect, try talking to them and see if you can arrange a date for payment that is satisfactory to you. That way, you can preserve the long-term relationship.
2. Go back to your contract
As an independent contractor, federal laws that protect employees, unfortunately, do not cover you. The most powerful weapon you have in your arsenal is your contract, and it's where you should always start when facing a payment dispute. If your client ignores you or refuses to pay, you can use the contract as a means to take legal action. Review its terms to make sure you've complied with any dispute resolution procedures and for clarity on how to proceed.
Tips for creating custody arrangements
When you had a child, you didn't envision a time when you would have to create a child custody arrangement with your spouse. However, life didn't go exactly as you expected. Now you're working with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse to maintain the well-being of your child.
The problem is that people frequently don't know where to start when negotiating a child custody agreement. Here's what you should know:
Try to stay positive
It's often beneficial for a child if both parents work together to work out how they'll share custody. However, some children aren't so lucky. When determining a custody arrangement, it may be best to stay positive about the future and work alongside your co-parent.
Decide on who will have legal and physical custody
There are two kinds of custody: legal and physical. Legal custody focuses on a child's educational needs, dietary restrictions, religious upbringing and medical care. Physical custody is a parent's right to have parenting time with their child. Typically, both parents share legal and physical custody. However, parents can decide on – or ask the court to order – a different type of arrangement. For example, one parent might seek sole legal and/or physical custody.
3 ways to stop a family member from drunk driving on the holiday
Many of the biggest holidays are coming up and many people are going to spend most of their time with family and friends. The holiday is the perfect time to spread good cheers, laugh, take a much-deserved break, eat delicious food and — as one of many people's favorite celebratory traditions — drink.
The holiday spirit can quickly get cut short when your family thinks driving home after a few drinks won't hurt anyone. Not only is driving while intoxicated one of the biggest dangers at the end of the year but it can lead to major legal fines if your family member is caught. How can you keep your family safe during the holiday? Here are some ideas:
Find a designated driver
One of the best ways to avoid a DWI or DUI (depending on your state) is to plan ahead. Having someone assigned as a designated driver could prevent your family from driving under the influence. However, you may find it hard to find a designated driver who isn't celebrating the festivals - unless they're a non-drinker - causing your plans to go downhill.
CONTACT US TODAY
Set up a consultation by calling 301-933-1814 or filling out our contact form:
