In cases where parents are divorced or not married and living separately, most parents are familiar with the idea of child support (i.e., one parent paying money to the other parent for the benefit of the children.) However, calculating child support and what goes into the calculation is a mystery to many.
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What Income Counts Towards Child Support Obligations?
By Stuart Scott
A common misperception in divorce cases has to do with what income is considered when determining child support. Some people believe it is the amount of their paycheck which is determinative. Others ask whether the value of certain assets, like a home, may be considered.
Tennessee law requires the “gross” income of the parties be…
Same-Sex Partners – Child Custody Land Mines
By Stuart Scott
The recent decision of Compher v. Whitfield from the Tennessee Court of Appeals is a prime example of how far child custody law in Tennessee has to go to catch up with today’s same-sex partner realities. In Compher, two women were in a same-sex domestic partnership. In approximately 2009/2010, the parties decided to have a child together. The…
Heard/Depp Trial: 3 Lessons Learned For Your Family Law Case
For weeks we were intrigued by the news and headlines of the court proceedings involving the defamation action by Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard. We watched their lives behind closed doors as a married couple play out to audiences everywhere. However, the lessons learned from that trial are not unique to celebrity couples.…
“But It’s Legal in Michigan, So It Can’t Be Used Against Me…Right?” – Marijuana Use in Custody and Parenting Time Matters
In case you live under a rock, marijuana is legal in Michigan for both medicinal and recreational use. However, a stigma remains around marijuana use and the user that continues to evolve. The long-existing public perception of the squinting stoner on the couch devouring a bag of chips remains a problematic stereotype to overcome, especially…
Three Ways to Ensure Text Messages Are Relevant in Custody Cases
You have hundreds of text messages between you and the other parent. You hand them all over to your lawyer, expecting the lawyer to be ecstatic that you can show every cancellation of parenting time, refusal to take the child to the doctor when sick, and general uncooperativeness. Yet, after pouring through them, the attorney…
Tips for Divorcing a Narcissist
Individuals displaying narcissistic personality traits may have an inflated belief in their own self-importance, often need constant admiration and reinforcement from others, do not handle criticism or rejection well, and have an overall sense of entitlement. If you live with a narcissist, you already know this, and these traits may be some of the reasons…
Five Tips for Making the Holidays Less Stressful for Separated or Divorced Parents
The holidays are here, and with the season, a certain amount of family stress is expected. However, if you have a child and are recently separated or divorced from your child’s other parent, understanding and helping the stress your child will undoubtedly feel during this time is important. For you, it may be a sense…