Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog

The Statistics on Motherhood

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

A recent study conducted by the Pew Research Center offers a fascinating look at the changing demographics of motherhood in the United States by comparing women who gave birth in 2008 with those who gave birth in 1990, on the basis of data collected from the National Center for Health Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau.

The highlights of the study indicate vast changes in the age, race, and marital status of the majority of mothers. First-time mothers today are older and tend to be better educated; more than half of the mothers of newborns in 2008 had at least some college education. The racial dynamics of all mothers has changed dramatically as well, with just over half of births in 2008 being to white women, and a quarter to Hispanic women. Moreover, a quarter of all birth mothers today are foreign-born. Mothers today are less likely to be white, and more likely to be unmarried. In 2008, 41% of births were to unmarried women; a notable increase from 28% of births in 1990.

Researchers note that most Americans are neutral or approving of the majority of the modern trends that have an impact on birth patterns, such as the growing number of women over 40 who have babies and the growing number of women who undergo fertility treatment to have children. Many Americans are trending toward marrying later in life or not marrying at all, contributing toward the increased rate of births outside of marriage. Although Americans have softened slightly in the traditional disapproval of unmarried parenthood, most still agree that it has a negative impact on society.

“How We Met” Stories May Predict Divorce

Published on: March 26, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

As recently reported by MSNBC, the traditional “how we met” stories told by couples may be an accurate predictor of whether marital strife lies ahead. Studies show that every couple’s back story reveals a great deal about the present state of their relationship, depending on how each individual spouse tells the story.

Spouses who are in happy marriages often recalled the earlier years of their relationship fondly and nostalgically, even when the actual circumstances of the marriage were not happy, such as when the couple was struggling financially. Conversely, unhappy couples tended to recall their past times together negatively, regardless of whether the circumstances of the early years were positive.

Researchers indicate that “how we met” stories are clearly predictive of future behavior because couples’ perceptions shift when they become dissatisfied with their marriages. Those who are happy in their relationships tend to remember the earlier years with the same optimism, whereas those who are in a current state of discontent find themselves more easily recalling the negative aspects of the earlier years, rather than the good times.

Too Broke To Divorce?

Published on: March 22, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

As recently reported by The Washington Post, some married couples are now deciding to wait out the economic downturn rather than suffer the financial consequences of divorce. Alternatively, many spouses who desire to go their separate ways are turning to different options, such as living together while considering themselves technically separated. This, of course, raises a legal issue of whether the spouses are “separated” under the law.

Couples who initiate divorce proceedings during these tough economic times are faced with the traditional legal, household, and support expenses; however, those who have been hit hard by the economic downturn are finding it increasingly difficult to divide into two households. This inability to pay the expenses of maintaining two households translates into the unfortunate reality that many couples face today: staying in an unhappy marriage in order to avoid greater financial stress and complications.

Although studies indicate that the national divorce rate has decreased slightly in the past few years, this new information indicates that more couples may be staying together simply because they cannot afford to be apart.

Airing the Dirty Laundry on Social Networking Sites

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

As previously discussed on this blog (Social Networking and Divorce in Charlotte, North Carolina), social networking sites are redefining domestic litigation for many married or divorcing users.

However, the rapid rise in popularity of social networking sites is also taking a toll on marital relations in general, by lessening society’s respect for these relationships. According to a recent New York Times article, marriage experts report that couples who post their disagreements to these open forums encourage disrespect for their marriages.

Putting on a “public face of harmony” is critical in order to protect the sanctity and privacy of a marriage. Spouses who use Facebook, in particular, to vent their frustrations with their significant others run the risk of alienating their friends and family who are frustrated and concerned with the stability of the relationship.

View and Print our Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog Family Law Newsletter – Spring 2010

Published on: March 15, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

In this issue of our Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog Family Law Newsletter, we take a look at post-divorce issues such as automatic child support payments and changing beneficiaries on insurance policies and accounts. We also take a look at how taking a lower paying job will not always reduce child support or alimony payments. Finally, since it is tax time, we address which parent is entitled to take the tax deduction for a child in a split custody arrangement.

Click here to view and print our Charlotte Divorce Lawyer Blog Family Law Newsletter – Spring 2010:

CHARLOTTE DIVORCE LAWYER BLOG FAMILY LAW NEWSLETTER SPRING 2010

Living Together Before Marriage Doesn’t Mean Divorce

Published on: March 12, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

As reported by the New York Daily News, living together before marriage doesn’t significantly raise likelihood of divorce. A new report from the National Center for Health Statistics, based on the National Survey of Family Growth, indicates that living together before marriage doesn’t necessarily increase the risk of divorce. However, those who get engaged or married before cohabitating are still slightly more likely to stay together.

Although traditional beliefs and past studies posit the importance of waiting to cohabitate, this new study indicates that approximately 55% of couples who cohabitate before marriage last for an entire decade of marriage. Conversely, 65% of couples who waited to cohabitate until they were engaged or married lasted for 10 years.

However, the authors of the study stress that its not cohabitation that is key – it’s the nature of the commitment. Couples who choose to cohabitate either premaritally or postmaritally are most likely to make it last when they enter into cohabitation with a clear vision for their committed future together.

In Child Abuse Matters, North Carolina Court of Appeals Considers the Responsible Individuals List

Published on: March 10, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

As reported by the Jacksonville Daily News (Judges Say Abuse List Challenge Not Good Enough), last week, the North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled unanimously that the state’s procedures in place for a person to challenge their addition to the “Responsible Individuals List” violates the state constitution by denying due process rights. In the future, those suspected by social services of child abuse must have the chance to defend themselves before they are placed on the list.

The Responsible Individuals List is kept by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which can provide information from the list to day care centers, adult care homes, or adoption agencies in order to evaluate whether a person is fit to be an adoptive parent or child card provider. The list is also designed to be a complement to other information, such as background checks, although it is not available to the public. Now, an individual under consideration for placement on the list must be given notice and an opportunity to be heard before being placed on the list.

The case at issue, In the Matter of: W.B.M, involved a man who was placed on the list after his county department of social services determined that sexual abuse allegations against him were verified. He challenged the constitutionality of the list after he discovered that he was placed on it. He has been on the list for three years, although he denies abusing his child and has never been charged with a crime. The case could potentially be appealed to the North Carolina Supreme Court.

Social Networking and Divorce in Charlotte, North Carolina

Published on: March 7, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

The recent rise in popularity of social networking websites has redefined the definition of privacy for many users. Unfortunately, as recently reported by Time Magazine in two different articles (Facebook and Divorce: Airing the Dirty Laundry and Five Facebook No-Nos for Divorcing Couples), social networking sites are also contributing to a rise in difficult and costly divorce litigation.

Sites such as Facebook and Twitter, which were originally intended to facilitate networking connections, are quickly becoming forums for publicly airing personal business. Divorcing couples who are in the midst of litigation should be exceedingly cautious regarding the type of information they post to their personal networking pages.

As discussed on law.com (Web Search Serve as Litigation Tool), in any lawsuit, the collection of information on an opposing party is highly important. Photographs, in particular, can have very serious consequences in divorce and child custody litigation. Attorneys on both sides of the litigation can use electronic discovery to yield helpful photographic evidence that may be admitted to reflect on the credibility or lifestyle of a party or witness.

Modification of Child Support Appeal Dismissed as Interlocutory by North Carolina Court of Appeals

Published on: February 28, 2010 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

On October 20, 2009 the North Carolina Court of Appeals dismissed a father’s appeal of an Order modifying child support because it was interlocutory.

The trial court entered its Order modifying child support which required the parties to submit (within 20 days) to the court an affidavit detailing the golf related expenses incurred for the children. It would seem that the parties expended significant sums of money on golf which the trial court wished to consider in rendering its final Order.

The North Carolina Court of Appeals held that, because the Order modifying child custody did not fully dispose of the case, that the Order was interlocutory and not subject to appeal.

Lack of Financial Stability Contributes to Divorce

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

According to an article entitled Five Ways to Save Your Marriage published last week by CNBC, positive financial behavior contributes greatly to the long-term stability of marital relationships. Certainly, this does not come as a surprise to married couples in Charlotte working through these tough economic times.

Conversely, and also not surprisingly, according to reports by the National Marriage Project at University of Virginia, the negative effects of poor money management are one of the leading causes of divorce. Couples who do not manage their money well and contribute to savings together are more likely to accumulate marital and individual debt, which puts a great deal of stress on a marriage.

The National Marriage Project’s 2009 State of Our Unions report indicates that debt accumulation contributes to a sense of financial unease, which in turn increases a couple’s likelihood of fighting over both financial and non-financial matters.