Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Co-Parenting Is Not A Zero-Sum Game
It is obvious to you that your ex-spouse is a loser, and it is probably obvious to your family and friends, too, but you do not have to prove it to the divorce court. The family law courts of Alabama know that no one is perfect, and you do not have to worry that… Read More »
Selling The Marital Home After Divorce Is As Unpleasant As It Sounds
Listing your house for sale and preparing to move out is stressful no matter the circumstances, even if you are doing it so that you can move on to a happy new chapter of your life, such as a spacious house where each of your children can have his or her own bedroom, or… Read More »
How Much Supervision Is Involved In Supervised Visitation?
If you have heard about supervised visitation after divorce, your mental image probably does not seem much like a recipe for family togetherness. Doing jigsaw puzzles in a quiet room, surrounded by social workers with clipboards is not the best way to get your children to open up to you, especially when you consider… Read More »
3 Sources Of Holiday Co-Parenting Stress And How To Deal With Them
You know you are an adult once the holidays become stressful instead of fun. Many types of holiday stress, such as being in close quarters with your know-it-all siblings or enduring sideways glances from your sister-in-law about your baby’s fondness for formula while your mother bombards you with unsolicited advice about weight loss, can… Read More »
How Does Equitable Distribution Work When Neither Spouse Has Employment Income?
Income is just one of several factors in determining equitable distribution in Alabama divorce cases; the value of each party’s separate assets also matters, as does each party’s financial obligations unrelated to the marriage, such as living expenses after the divorce and payment of nonmarital debts. If one spouse is capable of working but… Read More »
Alimony In Alabama Is An Inexact Science
Alimony orders are not supposed to be a punishment, but that is how they feel for both parties. If the court orders you to pay alimony, you might think, “I tried everything to save my marriage, but my wife’s mind was made up that she wanted a divorce, so not only did she keep… Read More »
Which Financial Transactions Are Off-Limits While Your Divorce Case Is Pending?
Divorce can be an escape from a marriage plagued by conflicts about money. Unfortunately, things sometimes get worse before they get better. In the simpler cases, you can resolve the problem through a few frank discussions with your divorce lawyer, followed by mediation sessions where your lawyer negotiates with your spouse’s lawyer, since it… Read More »
Does The Duration Of Your Marriage Affect Equitable Distribution?
If you go to a consultation with a divorce lawyer after receiving a surprising divorce petition from your spouse and anxiously asking the lawyer whether your ex will keep half of your marital property, it is hardly comforting if the lawyer says, “it depends,” but it is the truth. Alabama is an equitable distribution… Read More »
And Now Some Optimism About Your Finances After Divorce
Here is an exercise in Southern charm for you. Try to find something nice to say about how divorce has affected your finances. Remember that joke about the Southern Belle who bragged that her Daddy sent her to charm school so she could say, “That’s nice” instead of a string of expletives? If you… Read More »
Restoring Your Parenting Time After A Long Absence
Alabama’s laws on parenting time, which state that the children’s best interests are the main concern in parenting plan decisions, imply that children thrive on routine and stability. When judges set parenting plans, which they only do when the parents cannot reach an agreement during mediation, they choose a schedule that disrupts the children’s… Read More »