Separation

Elizabeth Edwards is Speaking Out On Her Divorce

Published on: July 13, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

In an interview with Matt Lauer of NBC’s Today Show this week, Elizabeth Edwards spoke out about her finalized divorce from former U.S. senator and presidential candidate John Edwards. The Edwardses, of Chapel Hill, North Carolina began divorce proceedings shortly after John Edwards admitted to fathering a child with Rielle Hunter, a campaign aide with whom he had a long-term relationship. Hunter now lives in Charlotte with their two-year-old daughter.
Calling her decision to leave her husband “terrifying,” Elizabeth notes that she attempted to salvage the marriage after learning of the affair, but eventually stopped trying when she realized that the affair was more involved than she originally thought. However, she reported that she and John remain in close contact for the sake of their three children. Elizabeth’s first book, “Resilience,” documenting her struggle with her husband’s infidelity, was released in paperback form this week.

Divorce Looms Ahead for Long-Term Married Couples

Published on: June 8, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Although the recent announcement by Al and Tipper Gore that they are separating after 40 years of marriage has shocked the country, a recent CNN article indicates that more long-term relationships in this decade are heading toward divorce than ever before. Break-ups between long-term married couples are still far rarer than between newlyweds, but factors such as longer lifespans and a growing acceptance of divorce are accelerating the divorce rate among older couples.

According to the 2004 U.S. Census Bureau data, most first-time divorces occur around the 8th year of marriage. Experts say there are three “divorce-prone” points in time that will either make or break a marriage. The first is after the initial two years of marriage, when the couple has passed the “honeymoon period.” The second is around the five to seven year mark, when children are typically born. The final point is when the children leave home for college and the couple becomes empty-nesters with fewer ties to one another.

Couples like the Gores who have successfully navigated their marriage past all of these divorce-prone points often cause the greatest shockwaves when announcing a separation or divorce.

Divorce Predictor #9: You and your partner have been in previous marriages.

Published on: May 18, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

If both spouses have had previous marriages, they are 90 percent more likely to get divorced than if they are both in their first marriage, according to the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research. Although a great deal of data indicates that second marriages should be statistically more successful that first marriages, serial marriers (think Elizabeth Taylor) skew the statistics.

Divorce Predictor #5: You are the only smoker in your marriage.

Published on: May 3, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

If only one partner in a marriage is a smoker, the couple is 75 to 91 percent more likely to divorce than married partners who are fellow smokers. According to a study conducted by the Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, the more similar people are in their values, backgrounds, and life goals, the more likely they are to have a successful marriage. Many dissimilarities between partners can increase their divorce risk, from age to ethnicity to unhealthy habits such as smoking.

Divorce Predictor #4: Your parents are divorced.

Published on: April 30, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

If your parents are divorced, you are at least 40 percent more likely to get divorced than if they are still married. Moreover, if your parents remarried new spouses after divorcing, you are 91 percent more likely to get divorced. Divorce Magazinepublisher Dan Couvrette attributes these statistics to a certain mindset held by children of divorcees – being a witness to your parents’ divorce creates an ambivalence regarding commitment in today’s “disposable society.” Therefore, in the minds of children of divorcees, it is easier to divorce and start over in a new marriage than it is to fix the currently troubled marriage.

Divorce Predictor #3: You argue about finances weekly.

Published on: April 27, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

According to the National Marriage Project’s “State of Our Unions” Report for 2009, if you argue with your spouse about finances once per week, your marriage is 30 percent more likely to end in divorce than if you argue with your spouse about finances more infrequently. This report also found that couples with no assets at the beginning of a three-year period are 70 percent more likely to divorce by the end of the three-year period than couples who start with $10,000 in assets. This is because most divorce risk factors (such as age or education level) correlate with poverty.

Divorce Predictor #2: You live in a red state.

Published on: April 23, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

According to the National Vital Statistics Report of 2003, if you live in a red state (Republican-leaning), you are 27 percent more likely to get divorced than those who reside in a blue state (Democrat-leaning). The theory behind this statistic is that red state couples tend to traditionally marry younger than blue state couples – and the younger the couple, the more at-risk the marriage is. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the states that perform the median youngest marriages are Utah, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.

Divorce Predictor #1: You are a married American.

Published on: April 20, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

If you are a married American, your marriage is between 40 and 50 percent likely to end in divorce. Although the national divorce rate has steadily dropped since peaking at 50 percent in the 1980s, the prevalent public opinion is still that half of all marriages end in divorce. According to The National Marriage Project’s “State of Our Unions” Report for 2009, modern marriages are getting more and more resilient because people are getting better and more careful about picking their significant others.

15 Ways to Predict Divorce

Published on: April 17, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

According to a recent article in The Daily Beast, there are quite a few ways to predict whether a marriage is likely to end in divorce, including details as minor as smoking habits of spouses. Researchers who studied marriage success rates across the country have found 15 of the top ways to gauge whether a marriage will stand the test of time. Obviously, nobody can predict the future. But, this is some food for thought.

Autism and Divorce

Published on: April 14, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Historically, media reports and autism advocacy groups have cited a statistic that the divorce rate in families with autistic children is approximately 80 percent. However, a new scientific analysis indicates that this figure is quite inaccurate.

The Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore surveyed data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health. After reviewing information from almost 78,000 children, both with and without autism, researchers found that autism had practically no effect on the likelihood that a child would belong to a family with two married parents.

Although research indicates that autism puts extra stress on a marriage, it does not follow logically that these families also have the highest rate of divorce. Researchers anticipate that this study will offer hope to married couples facing a diagnosis of autism in their family.