This article looks at advance directives, especially as they concern medical care for military veterans. Talking about end-of-life care can be difficult, yet most people would like to decide for themselves the kind of care and treatment they receive. Advance directives, such as living wills and health care powers of attorney, allow individuals to make their own health care decisions…
Couples experiencing problems with their marriage may have several uncertainties about their next steps. They may not know if the relationship is worth saving. They might try several attempts at reconciliation, only to have the same setbacks time and time again. They may ask friends and relatives who have been through the process what to expect if they decide to…
The subject of divorce has seen many changes over the last half-century. In addition to becoming more common, there are now many more ways of going about the process. What used to be exclusively adversarial and dependant on courtroom proceedings for its outcome is now increasingly cooperative, and much of it can take place out of the public eye. Couples…
As more and more people invite social media into their lives, research increasingly shows that chatting, flirting and interacting with online friends is contributing to a growing number of divorces. According to Telegraph.co.uk, Facebook has become a “virtual third party” in divorce petitions. “Facebook is being blamed for an increasing number of marital breakdowns, and it is quite remarkable that all the…
Divorce and Arbitration in the Era of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic The pandemic has affected people’s lives in many ways. Anxiety permeates our present way of life. Much is uncertain. Accessing justice and obtaining relief does not need to be out of your reach. While future access to the courts is uncertain, access to justice and dispute resolution is not.…
A few decades ago, divorce used to be an issue that affected primarily young and middle-aged couples. In 1990, approximately 90 percent of all divorcees were under age 50. Recently, though, divorce rates among the baby boomer generation have skyrocketed – to the point that 25 percent of divorcees were age 50 or older in 2009. That year alone, more…
Financial problems can place strain on any marriage; this is not news to anyone who has been in a committed relationship. However, the marital effects of the nationwide economic strain caused by the Great Recession are just now becoming clear. For the “Survey of Marital Generosity, ” researchers collected data from a nationally representative sample of 1, 197 married Americans.…
By: Anne L. Roddy Takeaway points: If you want spousal support to be non-modifiable, state that affirmatively in your agreements. After the Stubblebine ruling, practitioners were unsure when a client could retire. Effective July 1, the answer is at maximum social security age (currently 67), and that age is a material change in circumstances sufficient to motion to modify support. Spousal Support in…
The stress of war takes its toll on even the most prepared service men and women and their spouses. Sadly, many of them find upon returning from an extended deployment (like those increasingly common for soldiers stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan) that their marital relationships have suffered irreparable damage in the interim. Sometimes the damage comes from the lengthy separation…
Uncontested divorce may have many benefits, including reduced conflict and cost. Two options include mediation and collaborative law. No divorce is ever easy, no matter how quick the process or amicable each party is. However, some divorces are easier than others. This may be true for Virginia residents who are able to have an uncontested divorce. Also known as amicable…
