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Parenting Plans: Questions to Ask Before You Develop a Schedule
Last week we looked at how to create a parenting plan to divide your decision making after divorce. Establishing details and processes for decision making is the foundation of a terrific parenting plan. Create a plan with the help of an experienced mediator, family counselor, or collaborative attorney to draft a strong agreement-- built to withstand a lot of wear of tear! Next, you’ll develop the second part of your parenting plan, a schedule outlining what nights your child is sleeping at each house—or “allocation of custodial responsibility.”
Five Things to Consider When Filing for Divorce Without a Lawyer If You Have Children
In the last several months, I’ve blogged about how to get divorced in West Virginia without a lawyer. The series has addressed everything from working out an agreement to filing the paperwork with the court. During May, my blog posts concern issues about children. Today’s post provides an overview of five things to consider when filing for divorce (with children) without a lawyer. In subsequent posts the month, I’ll provide some guidance so that you can develop your own, unique parenting plan. Are you thinking about filing for divorce without a lawyer? Think about this:
Five Things That Every Victim of Crime Should Know
Today’s blog post is another in the series recognizing April as National Crime Victim’s Rights Month. In today’s post I will address five things that every victim should know:
Medical bills can be paid by the crime victim’s fund in most states.
The prosecutor is not the victim’s lawyer.
Most cases do not go to trial.
Restorative Justice may provide you with more options than the conventional judicial system.
When an offender is incarcerated you should sign up for a notification if he or she is released.
Registration Limited for Webinar on Trauma-Informed Mediation Practices
The final session of the Virginia Mediation Network spring series is open for registration. In the session participants will be introduced in how to construct a mediation process that is trauma-sensitive and trauma informed. This webinar will focus how members may come into mediation with experiences of trauma, how mediators are affected by secondary trauma, and how the court system can be traumatic and thereby impact some participants in mediation. While the speakers will address the impact on children, they will also provide a broad overview of the topic of trauma and mediation. The speakers will include Jamie E. Austin, the Regional Director for Pathways in Culpepper, Virginia and Shannon Sneary, a mediator with the Fairfield Center in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Due to the nature of the webinar, pre-registration is required no later than May 1! (The cost is only $10.00 for VMN members!) You may register by visiting the VMN website.
Filing for Divorce in West Virginia Without a Lawyer: Should Victims of Domestic Violence File Without a Lawyer
Between mediations, court appearances and the Virginia Mediation Mini-Conferences, I missed writing my monthly post on how to get a divorce without a lawyer. I’m back and this week is National Crime Victim’s Rights Week. All of my posts during April will focus on crime victims. Today, I’m addressing whether or not you can get a divorce without a lawyer when you, or your child, are a victim of crime and the offender is the other parent, or a stepparent.
Restorative Justice for Victims of Crime
This weekend I will be joining lawyers from all over the United States in Harrisonburg, Virginia to participate in a symposium, “Restorative Justice’s Role in the Expanding Concepts and Structures of the Practice of Law in the United States.” Sponsored by the Campbell University College of Law and the Zehr Institute for Restorative Justice, we will be addressing topics such as “A Trauma-Informed Legal Practice” and “How Restorative Practices are Affecting Systemic Change.” Of course, I am most excited to hear what Professor Zehr will bring to the symposium during Friday night's session, “Restorative Justice: Continuing the Conversation.”
How To Fill Out the Financial Statement in West Virginia
This week I return to my monthly series blog posts about filing for divorce without a lawyer in West Virginia. This post applies only to West Virginia! Details for the District of Columbia and Virginia are located elsewhere on my blog. Previous posts addressed where to file for divorce, reaching an agreement, and filing initial pleadings. Today we will be addressing some questions about the financial statement.
Getting Answers Before You File for Divorce
Brenda Waugh, Attorney at Law, L.C. offers free informational sessions for folks who are considering filing for divorce. The sessions are offered monthly in Martinsburg and Charles Town and provide a forum for parties to learn about the options available when considering divorce.
Top Ten Mistakes People Make When They File for Divorce Without a Lawyer
In the last few months, I've been working on a series on how to file for divorce without a lawyer in West Virginia. Next week, I'll continue in that series with a post on the hearing. However, I'll pause today and remind readers of some of the mistakes you can make when filing for divorce without a lawyer.
How to Write a Parenting Plan: What’s Required in West Virginia
Developing your parenting plan after a divorce requires planning both how to make important decisions about your child and scheduling how your child will be dividing his or her time between the parents' households. In mediation, we are able to customize the plan to best meet the needs of each family.
How to File for Divorce in West Virginia: The Paperwork
Welcome to the next post in this series on filing for divorce without a lawyer in West Virginia. Since I practice in West Virginia, Virginia and the District of Columbia, the instructions for each jurisdiction are described in separate blog posts.
If you have followed these posts, you may have taken the first steps and decided that you can file for divorce. You and your spouse went to mediation and now have a written parenting plan and property settlement agreement. What’s next? How do you get to court?
Mixer to Feature Collaborative Divorce
Perhaps you a professional financial advisor, counselor or attorney . During your career, you may have wondered if litigation, when considering the financial and emotional costs of going to court, is worth it
Perhaps you are not happy in your marriage and are considering filing for divorce. You may find yourself wishing that there wasfor a better way to resolve a conflict than going to court.
Or perhaps you are a medical or educational professional. You are tired of dealing with courts every time a client or student is unhappy with your services. You are looking for another way that disputes can be fairly resolved.
How Much Does It Cost to Get Divorced?
How much does it cost to get divorced? Where you live, whether or not you have children or property and whether or not you chose mediation or litigation will have a big impact.
Top Five Ways to Find a Mediator
When you have a dispute with someone that lands you in court, chances are sooner or later you will attend mediation. In many states, such as West Virginia, mediation is required in all circuit court civil cases, and in most custody cases. If the parties have not voluntarily participated in mediation, the courts usually order them to mediation. The same general rules apply in Virginia and the District of Columbia. You don't have to wait for a court to order you to attend mediation. You can select your own mediator and discover the benefits of early mediation.
Seminars Planned for Virginia Mediators
The Virginia Mediation Network is planning a series of spring mini-conferences that focus on the issues involving children and mediation. The spring series will include both a two hour regional meeting and two one hour webinars. The regional meetings will be held in many locations including Virginia Beach, Richmond, Winchester, Leesburg, Warrenton, Fairfax and Roanoke.
How to File for Divorce in West Virginia Without a Lawyer: Reach an Agreement (If You Can!)
An important step in filing for divorce without a lawyer, is working to reach the agreement before you file. An agreement can provide greater security and can expedite the process. Agreements can be reached between the parties informally, through mediation and through collaborative divorce.
How Do I File for a Divorce Without a Lawyer? Part 1: Where to File
In our monthly series about filing for divorce without a lawyer, we will be addressing the court processes. In this month's article, we take on the difficult question of determining where you can file for divorce. Our first series will be focusing on West Virginia.
What You Need to Know About Changing Your Name
The media can’t seem to stop generating stories about how Bruce Jenner is now Caitlyn Jenner. I watched Diane Sawyer’s interview with Jenner about the physical and emotional process. How about the legal process? Has "Bruce Jenner" legally become "Caitlyn Jenner?" I don’t know. I do know that the process of changing your name is not difficult, but like any legal process, it’s not simple.
Legally changing your name requires filing documents with the court. You must give notice to anyone who may be affected. Some states require a hearing, and the process concludes when the judge signs the order. Like many legal proceedings, a petition for name change can be filed pro se, without an attorney. However, it may be cost effective to hire an attorney. The attorney can identify potential problems and help you through the process. Free forms are available in Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia to assist you in changing your name.
30 Ways to Share Spring Break
When you are developing a parenting plan to co-parent after a separation or divorce, one of the things you need to plan for are the holidays. There are an infinite number of ways to plan for holidays. You will want to consider how old the children are and what type of traditions your family has established in deciding how to co-parent during spring break.
Here are 25 ways you could schedule the spring break in your parenting plan.