Child custody is typically one of the most challenging aspects of any divorce. While issues like marital property division and spousal support can lead to heated exchanges, custody matters are considered by the court with the utmost importance. Courts are heavily invested in child custody decisions, ensuring they are in the “best interests of the …
Coupled with all the emotional and legal complexities of a divorce in Florida is the financial disentanglement and division of your marital property. And this can significantly impact your taxes and other financial matters. If you are navigating a divorce, you will want to understand how marital property division, child support, and spousal support have …
Divorce isn’t just the emotional and physical end of a marriage. It’s also the dissolution of two deeply intertwined financial lives. You have probably amassed a home, vehicles, a mortgage, credit card bills, retirement accounts, and investments during your marriage. And the law says that before you can settle your divorce, you and your spouse …
Of all the issues you may face in your divorce, alimony, also known as spousal support or maintenance, might be one of the most contentious. The topic of alimony often generates strong emotions, aggravating an already volatile situation. By ensuring that a lower-earning or non-earning spouse receives essential financial support after a divorce, alimony can …
If you are going through divorce, you know it is challenging. When one or both spouses are military service members, there are additional legal complexities. While civilian divorces are regulated by individual state law, federal and international laws often intersect with state law in a military divorce. What are the Hogue Cases? The Hogue cases …
No matter how forward-thinking we’ve become as a society, sometimes the law is slow to catch up. For instance, in Florida, when an unmarried couple parted company after having a child, the courts historically declared the mother the natural guardian. If the father wanted to play a part in the child’s upbringing, he had to …
Historically, parenting duties fell to the mother. Dad would pack off every morning, leaving Mom to navigate heart, home, and parenting. After work, Dad would come home and relax. Mom? She still had dinner to cook, kids to bathe, homework to check, and lunches to pack. Fortunately, those gender-specific roles are being pushed aside for …
Going through a divorce is an emotional process that often leads to regrettable mistakes. These mistakes can make your divorce more expensive and damage your relationship with your children and other family members. With so much at stake—such as asset division, spousal support, and child custody—it’s crucial to avoid common errors. To help, we have …
Summertime is around the corner, and keeping to agreed-upon visitation schedules can be challenging when working around the end of the school year, summer camps and activities, and separate vacation plans. Unfortunately, when summer temperatures soar, co-parents often find it hard to keep their cool with each other. At Melone Hatley, P.C., our experienced Charlotte …
Learning about a Dissolution of Marriage can be overwhelming. Not only does a person have to deal with the feelings of uncertainty about finances and their future, they’re also trying to understand what to ask the Court to do for them and how to prove their case. The purpose of this article is not to …
As of July 1, 2023, the passage of SB 130 also known as “Greyson’s Law” created in new statutory language and 61.13(2) that expands upon what the court shall consider when determining whether shared or sole responsibility would be detrimental to a minor child. The bill also expanded the 13th factor to include letter “m,” …
Divorce can be a messy process that takes a toll on you emotionally, physically, and financially. It is not just about dividing assets and selling your home. It is essential that you understand the legal aspects of it, including your responsibilities and obligations towards your estate. One thing you might overlook during this process is …
If you are going through divorce in North Carolina, it can raise several challenges. Even if you have successfully litigated and fought for child custody and visitation, child support, alimony or spousal support, and the division of the marital assets through equitable distribution, there may still be more that needs to be done. During the …
Are you considering estate planning but feeling hesitant about delving into the details? While it may not be the most enjoyable task, working with a Virginia Beach trust and estate planning attorney is crucial to ensure your affairs are in order. Estate planning encompasses creating wills, medical directives, powers of attorney, and trusts, but one …
Melone Hatley, PC had six lawyers selected by their professional peers for inclusion in Coastal Virginia Business magazine’s 2024 Top Lawyers, published in the January 2024 issue. The firm’s lawyers were honored in 3 Top Lawyers categories. “As a relatively small firm, we were honored to have so many of our Virginia Beach attorneys recognized …
Melone Hatley, PC had eight lawyers selected by their professional peers for inclusion in Virginia Business magazine’s 2023 Legal Elite, published in the December 2023 issue. The firm’s lawyers were honored in 3 Legal Elite categories. “As a relatively small firm, we were honored to have so many of our attorneys recognized by their peers …
Having children is one of life’s most joyful experiences for countless people in the US today. As a parent, however, you might worry that something may happen one day that leads to your children being taken away from you. This fear can become a reality if the other parent is fighting for custody. Virginia law …
Divorce is an unpleasant reality for many people in North Carolina. The divorce rate in 2021 was 3.2 per 1000 people, an increase compared to the previous year. Divorces are most likely to happen in January around the holiday season, but they can, of course, occur at any time of the year. If you are …
