Guidance Through One of Life’s Most Difficult Transitions Divorce is a life-changing experience that affects nearly every aspect of your life, including your family relationships, financial future, living arrangements, and emotional well-being. Whether your decision was reached jointly or you’re responding to a spouse’s petition, it marks a pivotal turning point. Decisions made during a …
Filing for divorce – legally known as a “Dissolution of Marriage” in Tampa, Florida — can be overwhelming for anyone. Fortunately, understanding the legal process and your responsibilities and deadlines can help you navigate it with greater confidence and peace of mind. At Melone Hatley, P.C., we help clients through every step of the divorce …
One of the biggest concerns couples encounter when going through a divorce is how their property and debts will be divided. If you are divorcing in Texas, it’s important to understand community property laws and how they may affect what happens to your assets and liabilities during the process. At Melone Hatley, P.C., our experienced …
Divorce is always challenging, but it can be even more overwhelming when one spouse refuses to participate or contests the divorce. If you are considering a divorce in Texas but your spouse is unwilling to cooperate, you can still end your marriage even if your spouse disagrees with it. The experienced Fort Worth family law …
If you are facing a divorce in Florida, understanding how your property will be divided will be one of the most important aspects of the process. How property is divided during a divorce varies from state to state. Unlike community property states, Florida follows an equitable distribution method of dividing marital property. Knowing Florida laws …
Just like a civilian divorce, a military divorce is emotionally and financially challenging. And for military families, divorce comes with its own unique complexities that can affect how long the process takes. While state and local statutes and procedures typically govern civilian divorce proceedings, particular federal statutes and military regulations will apply to your divorce …
If you are considering a divorce in South Carolina, where do you begin? Laws can vary significantly from one state to the next. You will want to understand the criteria for filing, residency requirements, your options for grounds and how they can affect your settlement outcome, and the legal procedures and steps involved. An experienced …
If you are going through a divorce in South Carolina, you are probably looking forward to getting it over with and moving on with your life. However, divorce can be a long and complex process, and the length of time it takes will depend on each couple’s situation. If you are wondering how long your …
If you are considering filing for divorce in South Carolina, you must have a legally accepted reason for seeking it. This is called “grounds” for divorce. In South Carolina, grounds for divorce can be fault-based, which requires placing the blame for the divorce on one party’s wrongdoing, or no-fault, which doesn’t require blame but a …
Virginia law does not specify a minimum number of years that you must be married to qualify for spousal support or alimony. There is no fixed rule or set duration that automatically makes one spouse eligible or ineligible for alimony payments. However, marriage length is a crucial factor judges consider when determining whether to award …
Navigating a divorce is never easy, no matter how amicable. Divorce is an emotional process for everyone, and divorce laws can be complex. Not only is each divorce unique, but each state has its own processes and legal requirements. For couples navigating a divorce in Florida, understanding the state-specific laws and processes allows them to …
A show cause hearing in a family law case occurs when one party fails to comply with a court order. During the hearing, both parties present their arguments and the party not following the order will be asked to explain thier actions to the judge. The judge will then evaluate the evidence presented and determine …
Military divorces often take longer than civilian divorces because divorce for a military couple has additional rules that don’t apply to civilian couples. The emotional burden for military families can be greater due to difficulties of being located in new duty stations, not having family for support, and deployments.The waiting period to get to the …
What is Equitable Distribution During Property Division? Equitable distribution is a legal claim for property division where a spouse can ask the court to divide assets and debts acquired during the marriage between both spouses. Equitable distribution can be fixed by court order or through a private agreement between the spouses, such as a separation …
If you are going through a divorce and own a business, you need to take careful steps to ensure your spouse will not be able to take what you worked so hard to build. You have put blood, sweat, and tears into your business, and your hard work has seen it thrive. Now that you’re …
Divorce is a stressful and painful process that can be emotionally devastating. If there are children involved, the divorce can stretch on for a long time due to custody battles and arrangements. A divorce decree signals the end of a marriage in the eyes of the courts. It also, however, brings an array of legal …
Deciding it’s time to end your marriage is difficult and stressful. Because obtaining a divorce is a legal process, you need to understand your rights and how the process works. This brief guide will walk you through the basic legal steps and give you an overview of the divorce process. However, it’s critical that you …
What a family looks like has been rapidly changing over the past few decades—no longer do we have a common family and are more turning to modern family structures. Beginning in the 1960s and accelerating significantly since then, changes in marriage, divorce, legal separation, cohabitation, and nonmarital familial creation have transformed family life, and therefore …
