Blog
Barney Connaughton on divorce and mediation: custody, support, property, and how the process works.
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Divorce Mediation and the Preservation of Relationships
Divorce poses the very unique challenge of finding a practical way to bring the marriage to an end while keeping an eye to preserving all the other important relationships that have grown over time from the intersection of the worlds of the two spouses. Finding a way to divorce in a healthy way can allow […]
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Making Sure Divorce is the Answer
By the time couples are sitting across from me for their Divorce Mediation there is a pretty strong assumption that a final decision has been made by one or both spouses that their marriage is over and that the divorce will be moving forward. I am a very strong advocate that if a couple is […]
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How Long Does Spousal Support Last?
One very important and challenging issue in divorce is figuring out how the family finances will be handled once the couple has separated. When children are involved the management of the children’s needs is addressed through child support. Whether or not there are children the financial needs of either spouse is also addressed through spousal […]
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Divorce and Lessons About Letting Go From a Cat.
There is a lot to grapple with when you decide to divorce. There is anger, frustration, disappointment, fear of what lies ahead, and often an overwhelming sense of failure. These feelings can be paralyzing and can get in the way of moving forward and making sound decisions as you move through the process. Us human […]
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Debt, Divorce and Untangling Liability
One often extremely challenging issue in divorce is figuring out a way to fairly divide any accumulated debt as well as what to do with assets that have outstanding loans held in joint name. The divorce judgment is binding against the couple getting divorced but since the creditor is not part of the case, the […]
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Why Must we Disclose in Divorce?
Perhaps one of the most challenging and time consuming tasks required in a California divorce is disclosure. Before a Judge will grant a divorce or legal separation both parties must certify that they have fully disclosed all of their assets and liabilities, have exchanged their income and expense information, and have provided supporting documents to […]
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Mothers, Fathers and Divorce.
This week’s blog focuses on our parents and the important role each parent has to play in the lives of the children. An important task in every divorce involving children is to find a way to preserve a healthy relationship between the child and each of their parents.
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Decisions in Marriage and Divorce: From Me to Us and Back Again.
When we are young our parents are involved in a lot of our decision making. As we get older we take over this responsibility and start getting the opportunity to make our own decisions. When we enter romantic relationships and marriage we move to a new phase where we share decision making with our partners. […]
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Embracing Change
This week is a week of change for me. My wonderful assistant, Rosie, is saying goodbye and my new assistant Brianna is coming into the fold. We are creatures of habit and change can be uncomfortable, challenging and stressful. It is a part of life and the sooner we are able to embrace it, the […]
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Sound Decision Making and Divorce
I spent my coffee time this morning pondering how some seemingly insignificant decisions I have made over the course of my lifetime have altered my path and left me sitting in a halo of lamplight in this comfy leather chair in a home filled with a sleeping wife, children, cats and dogs. Wouldn’t it be […]
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Child Sharing and Divorce
Perhaps one of the most difficult things that parents must grapple with when the decision is made to divorce is accepting that they no longer have the opportunity to spend every day with their children. Factoring in the need for children to attend school and the hours devoted to sleep, coupled with work commitments, there […]
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Inspiration, Motivation, Perseverance and Divorce
I have been developing a writing practice where I get up each morning at 5:00 a.m. when the house is still sleeping, I grab my cup of coffee and sit down in the quiet to write. I will write about whatever comes to mind and the one requirement I have is that it is to […]