In a Harris County, GA divorce settlement, the spouses can keep the properties and liabilities each one wants, and set off the inequitable distribution with another asset or a property that can be easily distributed between the two spouses like a savings account, which is much easier to divide than a retirement account. Even, tax consequences must be taken into consideration while working up a settlement. It is possible that one party is in a better position to pay taxes on a certain property, and would therefore take that property. If the case should go to litigation instead, the court can give the other party that particular asset, and that party can end up losing the property due of tax ramifications. An uncontested divorce is perhaps the best form of divorce if you are looking for a divorce. An uncontested divorce is the most inexpensive kind of divorce you can get. In an uncontested divorce, both parties work together to agree on the terms of the divorce, and file court papers cooperatively to make the divorce happen. The spouses may never have to appear in court and there is no formal trial. Instead, you file court forms and a "marital settlement agreement". In a divorce settlement, because the parties reached the agreement, they are more likely to follow the agreement, instead of a court order awarding issues to the spouse that did not want certain issues. This in turn keeps the parties out of court to litigate a noncompliance after the entry of the final order.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Etheridge's ex files for full custody of kids
LOS ANGELES — Melissa Etheridge's former domestic partner, Tammy Lynn Michaels, has filed for full custody of the couple's two children, Access Hollywood has confirmed. According to documents filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court earlier this week, Michaels is seeking full legal and physical custody of their twins ? son Miller and daughter Johnnie, who she gave birth to in 2006. She is...
Monday, December 20, 2010
Divorce in Muscogee County, Georgia
Every divorce case in Muscogee County, Georgia must go through some kind of court proceeding. Even if the spouses agree about how to divide their property and handle custody, visitation, and support issues, a judge will still have to allow the divorce. In many states, divorce cases, contested and no-fault are dealt by a special court usually known as "family court,? "domestic relations court,? or ?divorce court.? These courts generally deal with only family-related lawsuits like divorce, child custody and support, and sometimes, adoption. Divorce in Muscogee County, Georgia is stressful for all concerned parties. When there are children from the marriage, the stakes are higher. Divorce in Muscogee County, Georgia has tax consequences. If you are granted spousal support, you have to report it as taxable income. If you are giving spousal support, you can deduct it. If you receive spousal support, you must plan for the likely tax consequences of the income. Unlike an employer, your former spouse will not withhold any taxes from your support payment. You should deduct spousal support payments on your income tax return, but not child support or property distributions. You can, however, make spousal support payments nontaxable and nondeductible if goes both ways and both spouses agree by agreeing so in your marital settlement agreement. You should consider doing this if the spouse receiving support is in a higher tax bracket than the paying spouse or if the giving spouse doesn"t need the tax deduction and the recipient spouse doesn"t want to report the income.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
26 yr old son with Bipolar Disorder
He lives with me. Refuses to get on medication. Works nights, drinks & smokes weed before every work shift. Drives drunk and high. Sleeps all day due
Saturday, December 11, 2010
DuPage and Kane County Divorce: Court Orders
Taking Daughter To Church May Violate Court Order
Dad Says Half-Jewish Child Should Be Exposed To Christianity, Too
by Chicago Tribune Reporter Mike Puccinell at http://bit.ly/8CLYdi
A compelling story about a Father and his child has appeared in Illinois media this week. The story concerns a Christian Dad who is in a high conflict divorce and custody case with his Jewish wife.
"I have been ordered by a judge not to expose my daughter to anything non-Judaism," Joseph Reyes said. "But I am taking her to hear the teachings of perhaps the most prominent Jewish Rabbi in the history of this great planet of ours. I can't think of anything more Jewish than that."
Last month, Judge Edward Jordan issued a temporary restraining order specifically barring Reyes from exposing his daughter to any religion other than Judaism.It happened after Reyes had his daughter baptized without first consulting his estranged wife.
There is a lesson here to be learned, but the lesson has little to do with comparative religious traditions, or the best interest of a child with respect to her religious training. The lesson has to do with the nature of court orders, and why managing adverse court orders is a very important consideration in divorce and custody cases.
Many litigants do not like certain court orders. Some Dads are ordered to pay child support that is excessive, especially after a father has an adverse job change. Some parenting orders may no longer meet the best interests of children. If you have in place a court order that is inappropriate, is the answer to willfully violate it, in order to prove a point? If a parent is paying too much statutory child support based on their income, is it permissible to simply start paying less? The answer, of course, is no.
Your attorney can meet with you and plan a strategy to modify any court order that is legally inappropriate to your current circumstances. Why use "self help," and risk the sanctions of the court, and why put yourself in a position, as I believe Mr. Reyes is about to do, to test the limits of the judge's patience and resolve? Mr. Reyes appears willing to place himself in contempt of the court, which may place him in the Cook County lockup for civil contempt.
Mr. Reyes should respectfully request that the last court order be modified to allow him to attend his place of worship of choice with his daughter. If you have a court order that is adversely affecting you, contact an attorney today, and go about seeking change and justice the right way.
Jail is no place for a good and loving Dad to sit.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Do You Know How to Request Back Child Support Payments?
More and more single parents are struggling because of insufficient--or altogether unpaid--child support payments. ?On the flip side, there are plenty of parents who owe back child support but legitimately don't have the money to pay what they owe, due to recent job losses and wage reductions. ?Both of these issues are complex problems that our legal issues contributing writer, Debrina Washington...
Friday, December 3, 2010
Divorce is costly. The settlement need not be.
Boston – A new wave of legislation aimed at rectifying perceived injustices in divorce cases is rolling into state legislatures. For example, in Massachusetts, a controversial "father"s rights? bill would create a presumption of joint child custody, and proposed changes to alimony statutes would limit the duration of spousal support. All of these proposals will probably face stiff opposition. Whatever the outcome of these legislative battles, however, three underlying problems will remain ? and it is these problems, and not the adjustments that might be needed in alimony or custody statutes, that make divorce a disaster for many families. Three underlying problemsFirst, the cost of...
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Alimony in Muscogee County, Georgia
Alimony may be awarded to a spouse if that spouse is not guilty of desertion or adultery. When deciding alimony, the judge will look into marital conduct, participation each party had to the marital estate; the length of the marriage; the future financial resources of each party; the age and health of each party; the future earning potential of each spouse; the net worth of each party"s separate property; the standard of living sustained during the marriage; and rehabilitative time one spouse may need to gain employment. Alimony in Muscogee County, Georgia is either "rehabilitative" or "permanent". Alimony is money for support awarded to a spouse by the other party. Alimony may be for a short or long time. Usually alimony is given by the judge only when a long term marriage is dissolved. The other party should be able to pay alimony if the judge is to grant alimony to the other party. Alimony may also be given short-term before a final divorce decree is given. Alimony, also known as ?spousal support" or "maintenance," is designed to help a lower-earning spouse make it through the divorce and to start a new single life. Depending on the length of the marriage and the degree to which one spouse was financially dependent on the other, support can last for a long time.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Kane and DuPage Divorce: Parental Alienation
I correspond with Dr. Amy Baker on the subject of Parental Alienation, and consider her research and work in this area the most cutting edge available. Dr. Baker is a nationally recognized expert in parent child relationships, especially children of divorce, parental alienation syndrome, and emotional abuse of children.
Dr. Amy J.L. Baker speaks about PAS from Amy Baker on Vimeo.
Kane and DuPage County Divorce: Joint Custody
There are a number of states that have adopted presumptive joint custody, or in other words, these states presume in a divorce that absent other evidence, the court should find that joint legal and shared physical custody is in the child's best interest. Illinois is not one of these states, unfortunately. Recently, the Illinois Legislature's appointed Family Law Committee has been exploring a number of changes to Illinois' Marriage and Dissolution of Marriage Act. Is presumptive joint physical custody coming to Illinois? Is Illinois emerging from the Dark Ages of custody law? It does not look like it.
The word from colleagues is that the adoption of presumptive joint custody in Illinois is not going to occur. The reasons for this failure are not due to the efforts of many good lawyers to seek progressive changes to Illinois law. There are some lawyers, however, for whom positive change for families and children is not a good thing. Unfortunately, progressive changes do not look like they are on the horizon in Illinois.
I have consistently advocated for joint legal and physical custody. Of course, there are exceptions; for example, I just completed a trial where my client was properly awarded sole legal and primary physical custody. Yet, as a general proposition, good, competent, loving parents, both Mother and Father, should share the parenting of their children after divorce. The psychological studies reveal that presumptive joint custody is in the best interest of the children and the parents.
"By presuming joint custody as early as possible in the court process, parties are impelled to attend to the child's needs, thereby encouraging mature behavior and discouraging divisive, childish conflict. Shared parenting with mutual responsibility -- joint custody -- is in the best interest of the child, parents, society, and the court system. Those courts can assist the parents in settling their own disagreements by providing a context for negotiation and helping to mold specific child-centered joint custody agreements." Potash, Marlin S., Ph.D. : Psychological Support for a Rebuttable Presumption of Joint Custody : Probate Law Journal, Vol. 4, 17, 1982
Illinois Domestic Violence Act
The Illinois Domestic Violence Act is an important part of family law. The Act is designed to provide abused family members and their children with an expedited and safe means to obtain necessary legal protection from continued abuse or harassment.
My first work in the law was as a domestic violence prosecutor, and I appreciated how the law strove to provide protection for abused parents and their children, and criminal sanctions for the abusers.
In divorce and custody practice in Illinois, however, I have all too often seen the IDVA misused as a "sword" to undercut another parent in a custody case, rather than as a proper "shield" against abuse. In the space of one week , I helped a deserving parent obtain emergency relief and a change of custody, and thereby protect young children from a chaotic, abusive environment, and then, within about a day's time, on behalf of my client I successfully blocked an opposing party from litigating an EOP based on false, fabricated claims. Two IDVA cases, with two very different applications.
An article from 2008's Illinois Bar Journal discusses this phenomenon of improper use of the Illinois Domestic Violence Act in high conflict divorce and custody cases. The article presumes that the wronged party is a husband, and many times this is true, but I can say from my experience that false allegations of abuse in high conflict custody cases know no gender:
Orders of Protection, available at any courthouse, are easy to file, and rarely require any fees. The DVA permits non-attorney domestic-abuse advocates to sit at counsel table and give confidential and privileged advice to the petitioner.
It's also much easier to get an OP, and once granted along with exclusive possession of the home, the law clearly favors the wife maintaining child custody and the home unless the husband is able to present a preponderance of evidence that the custody arrangement is a hardship to HIM. The divorce act gives no such preferential presumption.
Accusations of abuse and demands for an OP are extremely useful in denying child custody to the respondent. The DVA includes "a rebuttable presumption that awarding physical care to respondent would NOT be in the minor child's best interest."
The DVA requires that a petition for an OP be expedited, and judges typically allot only 15 or 20 minutes to each case, which is not enough time to hear all the relevant evidence. Resolving a custody decision in a divorce proceeding usually requires many months.
The Illinois Bar article concludes: "If a parent is willing to abuse the system, it is unlikely the trial court could discover (her) improper motives in an Order of Protection hearing."
The Domestic Violence Act is an excellent and proper vehicle to provide safety and security for victims of abuse. When the Act is used as a sword against a fit and good parent in a custody case, no court sanction against the maker of the false allegations is strong enough.
Jon Gosselin update: 'Jon and Kate Plus 8' star, Kate Gosselin settle on custody of kids
Jon Gosselin -- Getty Images So many reports -- many filled with speculation have been in the media ever since the reality stars divorced. The former stars of Jon and Kate Plus 8, Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin have finally reached a settlement where their children are concerned -- specifically, custody of their eight kids. According to a report by FoxNews, media outlet TMZ was the first to state that the former married couple...
Kane and DuPage County Joint Custody
I have written previously about joint custody, and what this term means in the context of Illinois custody litigation. If one thing is clear, it is certain that many lawyers, parents, and even some judges do not have a clear view of what Illinois Joint Custody entails.
Put simply, joint custody awards require the parents to make major decisions about the children together. In the event of a dispute, a means for solving the dispute is implemented. And, the joint custody order should call for periodic review, so that as the children age, their needs can be met with flexible mutually agreed changes, such as parenting schedule changes.
One aspect of joint custody that I feel is not often considered is the requirement that joint custody be ordered when a risk of alienation of the non-custodial parent is a risk. Some judges feel, following In re Marriage of Marcello, that they cannot order joint custody if the parents do not get along, and there is a breakdown of communication. What I have observed in many cases is that the primary caregiver parent, who many times may be the temporary custodial parent, simply becomes difficult, argumentative, or at worst, alienating, with the hope that the non-custodial parent is cut out of the decision making for the children.
In my opinion, an award of joint custody can be a reward for two parents who cooperate well with each other. At the same time, a requirement of joint custody may be one tool the court can implement to require a custodial parent to involve, and share information with, the non-custodial (usually Dad) parent.
Using the father as the noncustodial example in this case, ensuring that Dad has joint custody, and requiring Mom to communicate and decision make with him, meets the test that Seitzinger and other Illinois cases have established regarding joint custody: it's for the best interests of the kids, and not reserved only for parents that get along. Indeed, the parent that wishes to push Dad away should be required by the judgment to joint parent.
Kids need both loving parents in their lives; mandated joint custody is one way to accomplish this.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Kane and DuPage County Joint Custody
I have written previously about joint custody, and what this term means in the context of Illinois custody litigation. If one thing is clear, it is certain that many lawyers, parents, and even some judges do not have a clear view of what Illinois Joint Custody entails.
Put simply, joint custody awards require the parents to make major decisions about the children together. In the event of a dispute, a means for solving the dispute is implemented. And, the joint custody order should call for periodic review, so that as the children age, their needs can be met with flexible mutually agreed changes, such as parenting schedule changes.
One aspect of joint custody that I feel is not often considered is the requirement that joint custody be ordered when a risk of alienation of the non-custodial parent is a risk. Some judges feel, following In re Marriage of Marcello, that they cannot order joint custody if the parents do not get along, and there is a breakdown of communication. What I have observed in many cases is that the primary caregiver parent, who many times may be the temporary custodial parent, simply becomes difficult, argumentative, or at worst, alienating, with the hope that the non-custodial parent is cut out of the decision making for the children.
In my opinion, an award of joint custody can be a reward for two parents who cooperate well with each other. At the same time, a requirement of joint custody may be one tool the court can implement to require a custodial parent to involve, and share information with, the non-custodial (usually Dad) parent.
Using the father as the noncustodial example in this case, ensuring that Dad has joint custody, and requiring Mom to communicate and decision make with him, meets the test that Seitzinger and other Illinois cases have established regarding joint custody: it's for the best interests of the kids, and not reserved only for parents that get along. Indeed, the parent that wishes to push Dad away should be required by the judgment to joint parent.
Kids need both loving parents in their lives; mandated joint custody is one way to accomplish this.
Illinois Divorce, Custody, and the Narcissist Spouse
Much of my work focus around complex and sometimes high conflict custody cases involving Borderline personalities, and other psychological disorders. With BPD custody cases, and many other cases, there are elements of the narcissistic personality. What characteristics define a narcisisist? A recent article, "Beware the Narcissist; Know the Signs," by Heidi Stevens (McClatchy) offers a solid description:
``Narcissism is an epidemic in our society,'' argues LIsa Scott, author of It's All About Him: How to Identify and Avoid the Narcissist Male Before You Get Hurt (CFI, 2009). ``Our culture breeds it.''
While it's one thing to watch reality show contestants bask in their own glory for the sake of finding love, it's another to find yourself dating such a character -- man or woman.
So, how do you avoid such a fate? We turned to the experts for tips on sniffing out the self-obsessed.
THE SIGNS
The American Psychological Association identifies nine traits of narcissists, five of which need to be present for a Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) diagnosis:
? Feels grandiose and self-important for reasons not supported by reality.
? Obsesses with fantasies about unlimited success, fame, power or omnipotence.
? Believes he/she is unique and special and can be understood by and associate with only other unique or high-status people.
? Requires excessive admiration, adulation, attention and affirmation.
? Feels a sense of entitlement.
? Exploits others without guilt or remorse.
? Is devoid of empathy.
? Tends to be envious of others or believes others are envious of him/her.
? Displays arrogant and haughty behavior.
The biggest red flag, Scott says, is lack of empathy.
``They're unable to see that other people have feelings,'' she says. ``Narcissists only enter into a relationship to stroke their ego. They disconnected from themselves a long time ago in order to avoid feeling, so they need the outside world to validate their image.''
So, the whole relationship revolves around meeting the narcissist's needs and wants, while yours go unnoticed. The trick to spotting lack of empathy, or any of these traits, for that matter, is penetrating a narcissist's ego-shield -- also known as charm.
``Narcissists are gifted manipulators who can sweep anyone off their feet,'' Scott writes in her book.
That's why it's not enough to focus on someone's early behavior. Focus on how you're being treated throughout the relationship. Scott maintains that after the chase has ended, a narcissist's true colors will show.
``He becomes demanding and angry, unaware that the other has needs or a separate self at all,'' Scott writes. ``He is not consciously mean. He simply finds it impossible to see others as independent entities.''
Individuals with BPD and NPD present with these traits, and these traits, when severe, make healthy parenting problematic. Children are independent entities that need care, nurturing and validation; parents with pathology have difficulty offering this kind of support to children. The needs of the parent trump those of the children,and when the children's normal developmental needs frustrate the NPD/BPD, raging, criticism and other forms of abusive parental acting out can occur.
If you have concerns about BPD or NPD in your family or in your divorce case, visit my friend Randi Kreger's site, www.BPDCentral.com, and contact my office for an initial consultation if a divorce or other intervention is needed to protect the developmental health of your children.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Muscogee County, Georgia Child Custody lawyer
There are many options to work out a child custody arrangement. The spouses do not always have to let the judge decide the schedule. Rotating custody, although not common, works perfectly if the spouses reside within five to ten miles of one another. With rotating custody, one spouse keeps the child for a predetermined period of time, then the other parent keeps the child for the same amount of time. Supervised visitation can be ordered by the court if the court thinks that the secondary parent may be a danger to the child. The court may also direct supervised visitation if it has reason to believe that one spouse (the parent getting supervised visitation) may move out of the state or the country with the minor child without the consent of the other parent. A court may award the custody of a child to a third-party if the third-party has sought custody. The third-party is generally the grandparent or other close relative. If the marriage has numerous children, a court has the authority to separate the children and split the custody between parents in accord with the best interest of each particular child. Generally, however, the best interests of a child will be to reside with that child's siblings, because of emotional support reasons. While deciding the home in which to place the child, the court strives to reach a decision Doggy Steps in "the best interests of the child." A decision in "the best interests of the child" needs considering the desires of the child's parents, the desires of the child, and the child's relationship with each of the parents, siblings, other persons who may substantially impact the child's best interests, the child's comfort in his home, school, and community, and the mental and physical health of the involved individuals. An experienced Muscogee County, Georgia child custody lawyer can assist you get child custody in a divorce.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Muscogee County, Georgia Divorce Settlement
In a Muscogee County, Georgia divorce settlement, the parties can keep the assets and liabilities each one wants, and offset the inequitable distribution with another asset or a property that can be easily distributed between the two parties such as a savings account, which are much easier to divide than a retirement account. Even, tax consequences should be taken into consideration while working up a settlement. It is possible that one spouse is in a better position to pay taxes on a certain asset, and would therefore take that property. If the case should go to litigation instead, the judge may award the other party that particular property, and that party may end up losing the asset because of tax ramifications. An uncontested divorce is possibly the best form of divorce if you are looking for a divorce. An uncontested divorce is the least expensive kind of divorce you can get. In an uncontested divorce, both parties agree on the terms of the divorce, and file court papers cooperatively to make the divorce happen. The spouses may never have to appear in court and there is no formal trial. Instead, you file court forms and a "marital settlement agreement". In a divorce settlement, as the parties reached the agreement, they are more likely to follow the agreement, instead of a court order awarding issues to the spouse that did not want certain issues. This in turn keeps the spouses out of court to litigate a noncompliance after the entry of the final order.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Bolivia Travel Alert
This Travel Alert shall be granted to alert u.s. citizens unstable social and security situations in several regions of Bolivia. This Travel alert expires 12. November 2010. Three weeks, civic groups and other parties, Oruro Potosi and Uyuni in Bolivia have step-by-step protests against the Government and the border dispute arising under accusation that the Government has not, follow the steps in the development projects in their regions. Protesters erected roadblocks in one of the main internal city routes, travel and, to the detriment of those regions. Thousands of people, including several hundred tourists, has been trapped in the roadblocks for as long as 16 days. Food and water, medical supplies in these areas is restricted and looting it is likely. Dynamite and hunger strikes to the requests of protesters are threatened to extend the blockades and demonstrations, the city, La Paz, where the requirements are not fulfilled. State Department urges u.s. citizens to avoid that in Bolivia, Potosi, Oruro travel arrangements or Uyuni until the situation has been resolved. U.s. citizens in the regions concerned should maintain a low profile and restrict their movement, until the situation of the AIDS referred to in paragraph 1. State Department reminds u.s. citizens demonstrations and road blockades is not unusual in Bolivia; and though they may be planned to make a positive contribution to the peaceful, they turn confrontational security forces, demonstrators and bystanders and escalate into violence. For the most discriminating traveller, where vehicles do not pass through or around roadblocks even if they appear automatically. United States citizens who are faced with a demonstration that tries to depart from the area as quickly as possible. U.s. citizens living or traveling in Bolivia are encouraged to register and update the US Embassy, La Paz and/or the consular services of the United States, the Agency of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and contact information. Registration can be done online and in advance of travel, can be made. Further information can be found in the Department of State; the Consular Affairs Web site: https://travelregistration.state.gov. U.s. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet site at: http://travel.state.gov, if the current global warning, travel warnings and travel alerts can be found in the latest security information. For more information about the specific information is available in the country and the Embassy in Bolivia http://travel.state.gov Web page at http://bolivia.usembassy.gov. The current information and protection of Bolivia will travel, the Department of State; by calling 1-888-407-4747, or in the territory of the United States, overseas, 1-202-501-4444. These figures are available from 8: 00 a.m. 8: 00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except u.s. Federal holidays). U.s. citizens traveling or residing abroad are encouraged to register with the appropriate Embassy or consulate of the United States State Department travel registration Web site at https://travelregistration.state.gov. Citizens can contact Us by e-mail at consularlapaz@state.gov or by telephone (591-2) 216-8246 during business hours (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.), La Paz, Bolivia, the United States Embassy or consular section (591) 715 33713 h on weekends. The consular section is located in the United States Embassy 2780 Arce Avenue, La Paz, Bolivia, and is open to the public from Monday to Thursday; 08: 00 to 12: 30 and Thursday at 14-16: 00. The consular services of the Agency to reach out to Santa Cruz, at: (591-3) 351-3477 by telephone. The consular services of the Agency's Cochabamba is temporarily closed.
Mistakes to Avoid During the Divorce Process
One of the biggest mistakes individuals make during the divorce process is failing to protect themselves financially. Divorce is filled with emotions and emotions get in the way of navigating the divorce process in a manner that does not leave most without regret.
...Read Full Post
Muscogee County, Georgia divorce lawyer
Marital property will be distributed equitably not necessarily equally between the spouses irrespective of how the title to the property is held. There is no fixed formula or percentage amount used to divide marital property. Assets or debts that either spouse acquired before your marriage, or acquired after the permanent separation, are considered separate property or debts. Usually, each spouse will retain their separate property and be responsible for their individual debts. If both parties can agree on how to divide marital property, the judge will simply approve the agreement. If the spouses don"t agree, the judge will distribute the assets. An experienced Muscogee County, Georgia divorce lawyer can assist you in the distribution of assets and liabilities in a divorce. An absolute divorce is a judicial termination of a marriage on grounds of marital misconduct or other statutory cause arising after the marriage ceremony. As a result of an absolute divorce both parties' status becomes single again. Usually, a limited divorce in Muscogee County, Georgia is commonly called a separation decree. The right to cohabitation is ended but the marriage is not dissolved and the status of the parties remains the same. Muscogee County, Georgia divorce lawyers are experts in the field of divorce law and ready to accept any case in Muscogee County, Georgia. Divorce is a complex and even messy process to do it alone. An experienced and seasoned Muscogee County, Georgia lawyer can help you in every aspect of divorce and divorce law and can assist you by:
? Filing any and all litigation concerning divorce
? Research any changes to marriage law
" Register all assets to be divided
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
? Filing any and all litigation concerning divorce
? Research any changes to marriage law
" Register all assets to be divided
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Muscogee County, Georgia unmarried child custody lawyer
How to get child custody in Muscogee County, Georgia is an issue that requires whole hearted effort from your side and there is really nothing you can leave to chance. You must leave no stones unturned, because a minor oversight can result in your child being taken away from you. A detailed understanding of the child custody rules and the related child custody issues is vital. First and foremost, you must consult a qualified and experienced Muscogee County, Georgia unmarried child custody lawyer. Explain all matters to your lawyer. Reveal everything to your Muscogee County, Georgia unmarried child custody attorney. There is still a heavy bias that favors mothers over fathers, especially with smaller children. The unmarried father in Muscogee County, Georgia often at best can only take the requisite action to gain unmarried child custody and visitation rights through the courts except if the mother is cooperative and agreeable out of court. The time and money require for the unmarried father to get access to his child and to prove a parenting plan may typically be extensive. However, unmarried fathers must not be discouraged as more and more fathers with the assistance of an experienced and seasoned Muscogee County, Georgia unmarried child custody lawyer are requesting the court for access to their children are being granted joint custody with parenting plans that include the child living or spending a substantial amount of time with their father.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Muscogee County, Georgia spousal support lawyer
If spousal support is awarded because of an injury to the recipient spouse, the spousal support may be temporary or permanent in nature. Although spousal support is usually awarded to the wife, the husband may also request the court for spousal support if the wife earns much more than he does. A seasoned Muscogee County, Georgia spousal support lawyer will ensure that you are awarded adequate spousal support. Spousal support can be in cash payments or other forms. It may be in the form of disbursements from a retirement account, a transfer of an entire retirement account, transfer of the marital home or some other property or any other form of payment either agreed upon by the parties or ordered by the judge. Spousal support may take many different forms, like a lump sum payment to lifetime payments or payments for a short period of time. Once the court reviews the facts at hand, it will determine the type of alimony. Spousal support is also referred to as alimony. Alimony is ordered by the judge and depends on many different factors, like the standard of living, whether the receiver needs the spousal support payments, whether the payor can afford to pay the spousal support, and other things. All states have different tests for determining spousal support. Few states are "no fault" states, and will not grant spousal support because of an injury to one spouse is caused by the other.
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
Columbus GA divorce lawyer & Georgia child custody attorney
New Post About Child Custody
Getting child custody can be hard, especially since your ex is going to paint you in a negative light. It is important to get as many resources and tools as possible in order to give you the best possible strategy for winning your child custody hearing.Divorce is one of the toughest things to go ...
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Nazi-naming parents lose custody of kids
A NEW Jersey couple who gave their children Nazi-inspired names should not regain custody of them, a US state appeals court has found....
One-size-fits-all approach to child custody dangerous for mum, child
Washington, July 27 (ANI): Child custody evaluators should know how to differentiate between types of violence - because a one-size-fits-all approach to custody can endanger both mums and kids, according to new American research.? The University of Illinois study reveals that evaluator's beliefs generally fall into two categories, and one group is far more likely to prioritise safety for women and children when making custody decisions. ? ?? ?? ?????? ? "Some evaluators see conflict as a natural part of relationships. When domestic violence occurs, they reason that it takes two to tango....
Monday, October 25, 2010
Public Divorce Records Only a Search Away
? Get Public Divorce Records Online?There are many different reasons why someone would want to get public divorce records and if you’re one of the millions of people who want to access these public records, you’re in luck. It’s now easier than ever before to get what you want and you can do it all ...
Parenting Kids with ADHD
I have two kids with adhd. When they get out of control, they start not wanting to listen to a word I say, then one of them will throw themselves down
Saptajeet
What do the names mean? Conqueror of the seven elements. What was your inspiration? The meaning of the name. Tell us about your child. Very cute and
Should I Divorce?
Before moving on with what you need to know about divorce, the next few paragraphs will ask you to look before you leap if you find yourself wanting out of your marriage. Choosing to divorce might ultimately be your decision, but it should be one made in a state of calm with little doubt and few regrets.
When someone approaches me and says he or she wants a divorce, my first reaction is to say, "Are you sure"" Decisions made in haste can take on lives of their own, and before you know it, there may be no turning back to save your marriage. Deep down we all know when we are at peace with the decisions we've made- big and small. Sometimes we listen to our gut and sometimes we don't.
When we make decisions and take action while our doubt mechanism is in full gear, we know we will eventually pay for it. To avoid this scenario, respect the little voice inside you, if it says "wait." Your gut instinct is asking you to reevaluate the situation before making your decision. Before making this significant change in your life take a good look at yourself and your concept of marriage.
When you're looking at the choice to divorce, forget all about the idea of the romantic fairy tale. It's time to take a good look at marriage and understand what it really takes to make this type of partnership work. Depending on how realistic and honest you are when evaluating your situation, when it comes to a divorce, you may find that the grass may not always be greener on the other side. For a good dose of reality, sit down and write out a pro and con list of staying married vs. the realities of divorce and being single.
Consider the following: children, your career status and ability to make money, finances, life style changes, cost of divorce, being single again and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases once you're back on the dating circuit. (You may be thinking, "I never want to date again, but trust me, you will.)
Consider the following:
Have you gone to marriage counseling"
Have you and your spouse taken the time to talk and isolate the real problems of the marriage?
Do you really listen to each other or just nag, complain and tune out?
How well do you compromise and try to find time for enjoying quality time together?
How productive or destructive are your methods of fighting?
Do you kiss and make up without holding grudges?
Are you teammates working toward the same goals"
Are you both willing to work on your issues together"
Writing out the answers to these questions will help guide you in making an educated, rational decision. Divorce is difficult, but it might be your best option and worth the temporary discomfort of transitioning into a new life. The process of honest evaluation will help you experience more peace and have fewer doubts regardless of your decision.
To find a Pre-Screened Divorce Lawyer in your area, please call our 24Hr Unbiased Lawyer Referral Hotline at 661-310-7999.
When someone approaches me and says he or she wants a divorce, my first reaction is to say, "Are you sure"" Decisions made in haste can take on lives of their own, and before you know it, there may be no turning back to save your marriage. Deep down we all know when we are at peace with the decisions we've made- big and small. Sometimes we listen to our gut and sometimes we don't.
When we make decisions and take action while our doubt mechanism is in full gear, we know we will eventually pay for it. To avoid this scenario, respect the little voice inside you, if it says "wait." Your gut instinct is asking you to reevaluate the situation before making your decision. Before making this significant change in your life take a good look at yourself and your concept of marriage.
When you're looking at the choice to divorce, forget all about the idea of the romantic fairy tale. It's time to take a good look at marriage and understand what it really takes to make this type of partnership work. Depending on how realistic and honest you are when evaluating your situation, when it comes to a divorce, you may find that the grass may not always be greener on the other side. For a good dose of reality, sit down and write out a pro and con list of staying married vs. the realities of divorce and being single.
Consider the following: children, your career status and ability to make money, finances, life style changes, cost of divorce, being single again and the threat of sexually transmitted diseases once you're back on the dating circuit. (You may be thinking, "I never want to date again, but trust me, you will.)
Consider the following:
Have you gone to marriage counseling"
Have you and your spouse taken the time to talk and isolate the real problems of the marriage?
Do you really listen to each other or just nag, complain and tune out?
How well do you compromise and try to find time for enjoying quality time together?
How productive or destructive are your methods of fighting?
Do you kiss and make up without holding grudges?
Are you teammates working toward the same goals"
Are you both willing to work on your issues together"
Writing out the answers to these questions will help guide you in making an educated, rational decision. Divorce is difficult, but it might be your best option and worth the temporary discomfort of transitioning into a new life. The process of honest evaluation will help you experience more peace and have fewer doubts regardless of your decision.
To find a Pre-Screened Divorce Lawyer in your area, please call our 24Hr Unbiased Lawyer Referral Hotline at 661-310-7999.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Question about a little boy being weird with his dog.
I know that this question may sound a little weird, and it may get some crazy responses, so please only give feedback if you are serious. I have a 5
The Emotional Stages Of Divorce
Stages of Divorce
Ending your marriage is not just a legal technicality; there are also the emotional stages of divorce to work through. While not everyone experiences them to the same degree, there are predictable emotions that need to be recognized and worked through, as outlined in the following article.
The Emotional Roller Coaster of Divorce
Divorce is an emotional task unlike any other in modern society, and different people experience it in different ways. While some individuals go through nearly all of the extreme emotional states that we describe here, others have an easier time getting through this period and will maneuver these choppy waters with more skill. The important thing to remember is that all the emotions we discuss are normal, but while some are readily acknowledged by the people experiencing them, others are so uncomfortable that it's difficult even to admit they exist. The wide array of emotional states that many people experience during the early stages of the divorce process can diminish their capacity to think clearly, impair their judgment, and make rational decision making difficult or impossible.
Grief and Sorrow
Being sad when a marriage ends is natural. Although it's painful, grief is a healthy emotional response to the loss of an important relationship. We are hardwired to feel it, and it wouldn't be reasonable to expect otherwise. While sorrow and grief can be very hard to handle, most people do understand and accept the inevitability of these feelings.
We know from research, theoretical writings, and personal experience with thousands of people going through divorces that though the emotional impact of a divorce is as severe as that of a death in the immediate family, the grief and recovery process does have a beginning, middle, and end. Though they may seem endless, the pain and confusion surrounding separation and divorce do gradually lighten and finally go away -- for most people over a period of eighteen months to three or four years following the marital separation, though recovery can be quicker or slower.
Elisabeth Kbler-Ross, a pioneer in the hospice movement, first described the stages of grieving about and recovering from a major trauma such as death or divorce:
Denial: "This is not happening to me. It's all a misunderstanding. It's just a midlife crisis. We can work it out."
Anger and resentment: "How can he [she] do this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? This is not fair!"
Bargaining: "If you'll stay, I'll change" or "If I agree to do it [money, childrearing, sex, whatever] your way, can we get back together?"
Depression: "This is really happening, I can't do anything about it, and I don't think I can bear it."
Acceptance: "Okay, this is how it is, and I'd rather accept it and move on than wallow in the past."
Understanding these stages can be very helpful when it comes to talking about divorce and decision making. It's important to know that when you are in the early stages of this grief and recovery process, it can be challenging to think clearly or to make decisions at all, much less to make them well. Identifying your present stage of grief and being aware of it is an important step toward ensuring that you will make the best choices you can.
Guilt and Shame
Experiencing guilt and shame is also a normal reaction to the end of a marriage. These feelings arise when we feel a sense of failure -- of not having fulfilled our own or our community's expectations. In the case of divorce, people often feel guilt and/or shame because they have failed to stay married for life. That's partly a matter of personal expectations -- not fulfilling the promises made to a spouse -- and also partly a matter of not fulfilling what our culture seems to expect from us. If our culture's expectations about marriage and divorce are reasonable -- if they fit well with how people actually behave in that culture -- and we don't measure up, the guilt and shame felt at the time of divorce may be appropriate. If the culture's expectations don't match well with the reality of marriage and divorce as people actually live it, the guilt and shame can be much more problematic -- difficult to see clearly, difficult to acknowledge, difficult to manage in a divorce. In addition, there are some marriages in which one or both partners have engaged in extremes of betrayal, deceit, or even criminal behavior that almost always involve feelings of guilt and shame.
Regardless of whether the feelings arise from not having met one's own or the culture's ideals or from actual wrongdoing, we know that for many individuals, guilt and shame can be so painful that they change very quickly into other, more tolerable feelings, such as anger or depression -- often without the person's even knowing that the guilt and shame are there. This is why it is so common in divorce for each partner to blame the other and why it can be so difficult for divorcing partners to accept responsibility for their own part in a failed marriage.
We've encountered few divorcing people who find it easy to see or accept their own feelings of guilt and shame. These powerfully negative feelings often remain under the radar, hidden and invisible, where they do the most harm. Strong feelings of guilt or shame can make it difficult or impossible to take in more balanced information, to maintain your perspective, and to consider realistically your best alternatives for how to resolve problems.
Guilt can cause spouses to feel they have no right to ask for what they need in a divorce, causing them to negotiate unbalanced, unrealistic settlements they later regret. Family lawyers have a saying that "guilt has a short half-life," and because guilt is such an uncomfortable feeling, it can easily transform into anger. We often see people who have negotiated guilt-driven agreements having second thoughts and going back to court to try to set aside imprudent settlements.
Similarly, shame often transforms into blame, anger, or rage directed at the spouse. Bitter fights over children or property can be propelled by feelings like these, because modern divorces seldom brand either partner as Snow White or Hitler, Prince Charming or the Wicked Witch, and therefore the anger, which needs to go somewhere, goes into fights over matters that courts are permitted to make orders about.
Fear and Anxiety
Fear and anxiety are common because of our hardwired "fight-or-flight" instinct. Our bodies react to stresses (such as an angry phone call from a spouse) by using physical alarm mechanisms that haven't changed since our ancestors had to react instantly to avoid being eaten by saber-toothed tigers. You react to stress physiologically in the following ways:
Your heart speeds up, and adrenaline pours into your bloodstream Your adrenaline makes your heart contract more forcefully and may cause you to feel a pounding sensation in your head You may feel hot flashes of energy Your attention homes in on the event that triggered the strong feelings, limiting your ability to take in new information When people are under chronic and severe stress, they may have anxiety attacks, in which they tremble and their heart pounds. Or they may be paralyzed by almost overwhelming feelings of fear that seem to come out of nowhere. We work with many people who experience these feelings as their marriages end. People who feel overwhelmed or confused in this way tend to fall back upon old habits of thought and action rather than looking intelligently at the facts of their situation and weighing the best choices for the future.
Old Arguments Die Hard
As marriages become troubled, couples often rely on old habits of dealing with differences that lead to fights rather than solutions. If those old habits didn't lead to constructive solutions during the marriage, they will surely yield no better results during the divorce. In addition, people feeling anxious and fearful may resist pressure to move forward and resolve divorce-related issues because of feeling unready, while their spouses may be impatient, seeing no reason why the divorce wasn't over months ago. Bitter fights in the divorce courts often stem from differences such as these.
Unfortunately, both our court system and our culture at large encourage us to take action in divorces based on how we feel when we are at the bottom of the emotional roller coaster, when we are most gripped by anxiety, fear, grief, guilt, and shame. After all, that's when most people are moved to make the first call to a divorce lawyer. As a result, people are encouraged to make shortsighted choices based on emotional reactions that do not take into account anyone's long-term best interests. The resulting "bad divorces" harm everyone and serve no one well. They are very costly; they fail to plan intelligently for the future; and they inflict psychological scars on both the adults and the children.
Ending your marriage is not just a legal technicality; there are also the emotional stages of divorce to work through. While not everyone experiences them to the same degree, there are predictable emotions that need to be recognized and worked through, as outlined in the following article.
The Emotional Roller Coaster of Divorce
Divorce is an emotional task unlike any other in modern society, and different people experience it in different ways. While some individuals go through nearly all of the extreme emotional states that we describe here, others have an easier time getting through this period and will maneuver these choppy waters with more skill. The important thing to remember is that all the emotions we discuss are normal, but while some are readily acknowledged by the people experiencing them, others are so uncomfortable that it's difficult even to admit they exist. The wide array of emotional states that many people experience during the early stages of the divorce process can diminish their capacity to think clearly, impair their judgment, and make rational decision making difficult or impossible.
Grief and Sorrow
Being sad when a marriage ends is natural. Although it's painful, grief is a healthy emotional response to the loss of an important relationship. We are hardwired to feel it, and it wouldn't be reasonable to expect otherwise. While sorrow and grief can be very hard to handle, most people do understand and accept the inevitability of these feelings.
We know from research, theoretical writings, and personal experience with thousands of people going through divorces that though the emotional impact of a divorce is as severe as that of a death in the immediate family, the grief and recovery process does have a beginning, middle, and end. Though they may seem endless, the pain and confusion surrounding separation and divorce do gradually lighten and finally go away -- for most people over a period of eighteen months to three or four years following the marital separation, though recovery can be quicker or slower.
Elisabeth Kbler-Ross, a pioneer in the hospice movement, first described the stages of grieving about and recovering from a major trauma such as death or divorce:
Denial: "This is not happening to me. It's all a misunderstanding. It's just a midlife crisis. We can work it out."
Anger and resentment: "How can he [she] do this to me? What did I ever do to deserve this? This is not fair!"
Bargaining: "If you'll stay, I'll change" or "If I agree to do it [money, childrearing, sex, whatever] your way, can we get back together?"
Depression: "This is really happening, I can't do anything about it, and I don't think I can bear it."
Acceptance: "Okay, this is how it is, and I'd rather accept it and move on than wallow in the past."
Understanding these stages can be very helpful when it comes to talking about divorce and decision making. It's important to know that when you are in the early stages of this grief and recovery process, it can be challenging to think clearly or to make decisions at all, much less to make them well. Identifying your present stage of grief and being aware of it is an important step toward ensuring that you will make the best choices you can.
Guilt and Shame
Experiencing guilt and shame is also a normal reaction to the end of a marriage. These feelings arise when we feel a sense of failure -- of not having fulfilled our own or our community's expectations. In the case of divorce, people often feel guilt and/or shame because they have failed to stay married for life. That's partly a matter of personal expectations -- not fulfilling the promises made to a spouse -- and also partly a matter of not fulfilling what our culture seems to expect from us. If our culture's expectations about marriage and divorce are reasonable -- if they fit well with how people actually behave in that culture -- and we don't measure up, the guilt and shame felt at the time of divorce may be appropriate. If the culture's expectations don't match well with the reality of marriage and divorce as people actually live it, the guilt and shame can be much more problematic -- difficult to see clearly, difficult to acknowledge, difficult to manage in a divorce. In addition, there are some marriages in which one or both partners have engaged in extremes of betrayal, deceit, or even criminal behavior that almost always involve feelings of guilt and shame.
Regardless of whether the feelings arise from not having met one's own or the culture's ideals or from actual wrongdoing, we know that for many individuals, guilt and shame can be so painful that they change very quickly into other, more tolerable feelings, such as anger or depression -- often without the person's even knowing that the guilt and shame are there. This is why it is so common in divorce for each partner to blame the other and why it can be so difficult for divorcing partners to accept responsibility for their own part in a failed marriage.
We've encountered few divorcing people who find it easy to see or accept their own feelings of guilt and shame. These powerfully negative feelings often remain under the radar, hidden and invisible, where they do the most harm. Strong feelings of guilt or shame can make it difficult or impossible to take in more balanced information, to maintain your perspective, and to consider realistically your best alternatives for how to resolve problems.
Guilt can cause spouses to feel they have no right to ask for what they need in a divorce, causing them to negotiate unbalanced, unrealistic settlements they later regret. Family lawyers have a saying that "guilt has a short half-life," and because guilt is such an uncomfortable feeling, it can easily transform into anger. We often see people who have negotiated guilt-driven agreements having second thoughts and going back to court to try to set aside imprudent settlements.
Similarly, shame often transforms into blame, anger, or rage directed at the spouse. Bitter fights over children or property can be propelled by feelings like these, because modern divorces seldom brand either partner as Snow White or Hitler, Prince Charming or the Wicked Witch, and therefore the anger, which needs to go somewhere, goes into fights over matters that courts are permitted to make orders about.
Fear and Anxiety
Fear and anxiety are common because of our hardwired "fight-or-flight" instinct. Our bodies react to stresses (such as an angry phone call from a spouse) by using physical alarm mechanisms that haven't changed since our ancestors had to react instantly to avoid being eaten by saber-toothed tigers. You react to stress physiologically in the following ways:
Your heart speeds up, and adrenaline pours into your bloodstream Your adrenaline makes your heart contract more forcefully and may cause you to feel a pounding sensation in your head You may feel hot flashes of energy Your attention homes in on the event that triggered the strong feelings, limiting your ability to take in new information When people are under chronic and severe stress, they may have anxiety attacks, in which they tremble and their heart pounds. Or they may be paralyzed by almost overwhelming feelings of fear that seem to come out of nowhere. We work with many people who experience these feelings as their marriages end. People who feel overwhelmed or confused in this way tend to fall back upon old habits of thought and action rather than looking intelligently at the facts of their situation and weighing the best choices for the future.
Old Arguments Die Hard
As marriages become troubled, couples often rely on old habits of dealing with differences that lead to fights rather than solutions. If those old habits didn't lead to constructive solutions during the marriage, they will surely yield no better results during the divorce. In addition, people feeling anxious and fearful may resist pressure to move forward and resolve divorce-related issues because of feeling unready, while their spouses may be impatient, seeing no reason why the divorce wasn't over months ago. Bitter fights in the divorce courts often stem from differences such as these.
Unfortunately, both our court system and our culture at large encourage us to take action in divorces based on how we feel when we are at the bottom of the emotional roller coaster, when we are most gripped by anxiety, fear, grief, guilt, and shame. After all, that's when most people are moved to make the first call to a divorce lawyer. As a result, people are encouraged to make shortsighted choices based on emotional reactions that do not take into account anyone's long-term best interests. The resulting "bad divorces" harm everyone and serve no one well. They are very costly; they fail to plan intelligently for the future; and they inflict psychological scars on both the adults and the children.
Rob Hahn: Why run? I saw need for reform in family law
I am one of nearly 250,000 noncustodial parents in Minnesota. Like many of them, I didn't choose this situation willingly. I would prefer shared physical custody of my two boys, ages 12 and 10. But I made compromises, wanting to keep my boys out of any court shenanigans, well aware that Minnesota's divorce law doesn't favor joint custody, even when it is in the best interest of the children. One year ago I was wrapping up the details of my own divorce when a friend of mine invited me to join him at a meeting of the Center for Parental Rights (CPR). It was during that first meeting, while listening to discussions about the need for family-law reform, that I had what I now call a "Harvey...
Taking the High Chair to New Heights
Danish children's furniture maker, minui, will unveil a new high chair product in September at the All Baby and Child Show in Las Vegas. The product extends the versatility of their already eco-friendly, modern, safe and great looking children's seating system.
(PRWeb August 26, 2009)
Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/08/prweb2793884.htm
Resentment About Bio Parent Neglecting Step Child
I'm a step mom to 3 boys. We have custody of 1 (the oldest) and the other 2 live with bio-mom. In a nutshell here are the issues - 1) Both younger kids
Friday, October 22, 2010
struggling parent of a 4yr son and 13 yr old step son
I am a 25 year old female. me and my husband have a 4 year old son together. my husband has a 13 year old son whom we gained custody of 3 years ago, after
The Foolproof Way To Get Child Custody (What I DID!)
If you"re reading this , you?re probably in the middle of a huge child custody battle. My heart goes out to you. I know how tough that can be. The product I"m going to tell you about will help you best prepare for that battle and hopefully give you the best chance of winning.Please note ...
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Origins of No-Fault Divorce
In 1970, California changed the way people look at divorce and made it a lot easier to get out of a marriage by passing the second no - fault divorce law in the United States. In 1953, Oklahoma passed the countries first laws doing away with the need to find fault in divorce. It took 17 years for the rest of the country to follow suit. Some would say that we have become a progressive country when it comes to our divorce laws. Some sternly, disagree.
...Read Full Post
The Pro Se Divorce, or Representing Yourself in a Complex Divorce
I talked recently with one of the clerks of the court in the west suburbs about the number of new divorce filings in Kane and DuPage Counties. I was told that the number of filings is slightly behind 2009 numbers, but that the number of people filing and representing themselves, without an attorney, has risen fourfold.
Now, I'm a believer and proponent of encouraging people to handle matters that they can handle themselves. I recently advised someone who called me that her DuPage child support case could be handled, pro se, at the pro se night court that DuPage has instituted, as a means of helping people get simple adjustments to child support without having to hire a lawyer.
I also feel that divorce and custody cases are often challenging for the litigants, emotionally charged, and complex. The issues presented in these cases really need an experienced attorney, much like the old saw about doing one's own dentistry.
Cathy Meyer, of About.com, writes:
"Before you take on the job of representing yourself in your divorce case consider the legal aspects, not only the emotional aspects of the divorce. If you are not able to keep the two separated, it is best to hire a divorce attorney. Issues such as dividing marital property, deciding child custody, negotiating alimony and determining child support can have long-lasting, negative consequences if not handled properly.
You have the right to represent yourself, to be a Pro Se litigant but, the divorce process can be complex and I highly encourage anyone who can afford representation to seek it, if at all possible."
The Law Offices of Michael F. Roe practices collaborative and cooperative divorce, two lower cost, efficient, low stress divorce models that keep the divorcing couple out of court, and keep money in the parties' pockets, and difficult emotions in check.
Call my office today to learn more about lower cost, lower stress divorce, and reconsider whether a pro se divorce is right for you and your family.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Thrifty Thursday: 25 Free and Low-Cost Visitation Ideas for Non-Custodial Parents
Fortunately, having fun with your kids does not require spending a lot of money. Of course, you can get carried away with expensive outings, but it really isn't necessary, because what counts to your kids isn't how "exciting" your visit is, or how much money it costs. What matters to them is knowing that they can count on spending time with you during the visit.
...Sunday, October 17, 2010
Tips For A Mother?s Child Custody Battle
Tips For A Mother’s Child Custody Battle I have written this article, to assist mothers who wish to protect their rightful role as primary caretakers of their children. A mother’s child custody battle, most often is a very stressful situation. To make things worse, many women don’t play as active a role as ...
Who Could Possibly want to Adopt a Child with HIV?
Some of my clients are aware that the funds provided for initial consultations with my firm go into a nonprofit foundation account (www.karunainstitute.org) for the benefit of a children's orphanage in Ukraine, among other causes. I am presently coordinating with Life2Orphans.org on an Odessa, Ukraine orphanage project to assist children in the orphanage with HIV.
I saw today, via Twitter, an article that was both inspirational and educational. Aside from helping kids affected by MTCT HIV, it is helpful to understand that with modern care, these kids can be as healthy and "adoptable" as any child, and they deserve a better life than that afforded by the detski dom. Here is the article:
Who Could Possibly Want HIV+ Children?
Feature, HIV + Children ? By Lisa on January 12, 2010 at 7:00 am
I wrote an interesting letter yesterday. An orphanage caring for HIV+ children recently partnered with an adoption agency that was happy to work with them and eager to find families for these little ones. But then something changed. The orphanage director began to doubt the interest of the American families. Why would anybody want an HIV+ child? What motive could they possibly have? In the end, the orphanage director concluded that these children were going to be used for "experimental purposes" and would not allow them to be adopted.
I was given the opportunity to write a letter explaining why we had adopted HIV+ children and how they are treated in our family. I also included a photo of my girls with two of their sisters.
As you can imagine, I was glad for the opportunity to help, but I was also very sobered. As challenging as it is to live with the stigma of HIV in American, it pales in comparison with the stigma in much of the world. Children infected with HIV are abandoned to die because their families have no hope for them. Adults refuse to seek medical help for fear of people finding out. They would rather die than be shamed and rejected.
This concern also reflects upon the lack of hope children and adults all over the world experience when they are infected with HIV. The orphanage director could not imagine an abundant, healthy life for the orphans in her care.
So who could possibly want these children? Who would take the time to complete the paperwork, pay the fees, fly halfway around the world, and then spend the rest of their lives committed to this child? I would, and so would an increasing number of adoptive parents. In America there is nothing that can hold these children back from living life to the fullest. There is excellent medical care and nutrition to meet their physical needs. There are families to nurture them, educational options to develop their minds, and limitless opportunities for them.
http://www.growninmyheart.com/who-could-possibly-want-hiv-children
The Role of a Minnesota Custody Lawyer
The Need For Minnesota Divorce Attorney On Contested And Uncontested Divorce Minnesota Divorce Lawyer Helps Parties Throughout Divorce Proceedings Minnesota divorce proceedings have many aspects that need to be addressed. When the parties are in dispute over many aspects of their marriage, the divorce could be a lengthy procedure. Disagreements on child custody, child support, ...
Wife discovers husband's second wedding on Facebook
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Friday, October 15, 2010
Hurricane Season 2010
Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shall inform the u.s. citizens Hurricane Season in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Official Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June through November. This Travel Alert on 11 December, 2010 national Weather Service officials of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a 70% a probability of acceptance of the following ranges: 14 or twenty-three named storms, 8 hurricanes, 7 14 coming and three major hurricanes in the future. NOAA Hurricane prone regions recommend shall start the preparation of the it systems of the future period now In some earlier storms. post-conflict, u.s. citizens traveling abroad has been uncomfortable and often dangerous conditions that have lasted for several days while waiting for transportation back to the United States. In the past, many u.s. citizens have been forced to postpone the trip due to limited infrastructure damage airports and flight availability. The wash or obstructed residuals, the information would adversely affect access to the airport and land routes ran out of areas. Reports and occasional violence ryöstelyllä natural is not unusual. Security personnel to help always available. Hurricane, in the event of travelers need to know, that they may range from 24 to 48 hours or longer. Should the situation require evacuation overseas location, the State Department shall operate according to commercial airlines, in order to ensure that the United States citizens are repatriation safely and effectively as possible. Commercial airlines are the primary source of evacuation Transportation Department; the other means of transport has been chosen only as a last resort. The Department of State; does not give you any cost-transport, but not a return to the Commission to contract loans for the purpose laid down in the economic need. U.s. citizens should receive travel insurance to cover unexpected during emergency.u.s. citizens living or traveling abroad storm prone areas to prepare the hurricanes and tropical storms by organising a kit waterproof container that includes a supply of bottled water, perishable food items, the battery power or hand-control system radio and critical documents (such as a passport and other tags). In the event of an emergency shelters often only basic information resources and may limit the provision of medical care and food supplies.u.s. citizens should monitor local radio and from local media in a National Weather Service to remain aware of the evolution of the climate of the region. Small tropical storms can develop into hurricanes very quickly limit the safe evacuation of the time available. Travelers should be reported to the family and natural appetite suppresant
friends, their deliveries and the further in close contact with the tour operator, hotel staff and local officials for evacuation instructions emergency.u.s weather. citizens are invited to register with the nearest U.s. Embassy or consular office of the Department of State; travel registration Web site. Registering, American citizens to receive the latest updates of the Embassy and the safety of their security updates during the voyage. Registration will also ensure that u.s. citizens can be reached in the event of an outbreak in an emergency situation abroad or at home. Although consular officers will make every effort to assist u. S citizens in times of crisis, travelers always need to know that local authorities have the primary responsibility for reside in or on the road in their jurisdictions. Additional information about hurricanes, well-being and storm preparedness may be found in the Bureau of consular Hurricane Season 2010 WEB page and "Hurricane Season-Know Before You Go" page. Travel to the Caribbean, the Department of State; the updated information is obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 or from the United States and Canada in the United States and Canada, 1-202-501-4444. Area for travellers to the US Embassy or Consulate site consular responsibility for those visiting the area. For more information, please consult the Country Specific information sheet in the country or region concerned.
friends, their deliveries and the further in close contact with the tour operator, hotel staff and local officials for evacuation instructions emergency.u.s weather. citizens are invited to register with the nearest U.s. Embassy or consular office of the Department of State; travel registration Web site. Registering, American citizens to receive the latest updates of the Embassy and the safety of their security updates during the voyage. Registration will also ensure that u.s. citizens can be reached in the event of an outbreak in an emergency situation abroad or at home. Although consular officers will make every effort to assist u. S citizens in times of crisis, travelers always need to know that local authorities have the primary responsibility for reside in or on the road in their jurisdictions. Additional information about hurricanes, well-being and storm preparedness may be found in the Bureau of consular Hurricane Season 2010 WEB page and "Hurricane Season-Know Before You Go" page. Travel to the Caribbean, the Department of State; the updated information is obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 or from the United States and Canada in the United States and Canada, 1-202-501-4444. Area for travellers to the US Embassy or Consulate site consular responsibility for those visiting the area. For more information, please consult the Country Specific information sheet in the country or region concerned.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
India Travel Alert
The United States, hereinafter referred to as "the Indian alerts u.s. citizens traveling or Indian safety and security issues related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games live in regular conference to be held in New Delhi, India, October 3 and 14 October 2010, taking into account, in particular, on 12 August 2010, ongoing terrorist threat warning issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for global action and violence in the u.s. citizens and interests throughout the world. This Travel Alert expires on 15 November 2010. The u.s. Government does not have any information on a specific threat to attack each individual or group intends to coincide with the games. The u.s. Government may be a threat, if the Department of State; for information on the threat to the public immediately. Planning for journeys to India during the Commonwealth Games u.s. citizens should carefully read the State Department country specific information for India and check www.travel.state.gov up-to-date Travel alerts or Travel warnings of security and information security issues. For All u.s. citizens traveling to India or to sign up for these notifications as soon as possible with the delegation of the United States in India. The GOI is responsible for security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games. U.s. citizens are encouraged to monitor local news reports, and consider this in public places, visit to a level of security, including religious sites or by selecting Hotels, restaurants, entertainment and leisure venues. A large number of tourists, athletes and VIP visitors are expected to have a New Delhi games. Screening measures large crowds and security for considerable time travel game venues. Transport: Within the United States citizens are invited to attend to Delhi when traveling. While many of the Delhi's roads and public transport systems have been updated for Microsoft games some roads are still poorly maintained that causes traffic delays and accidents. Delhi metro network has been extended for the games and the status of all flags, viewers are entitled to free transport to and from the game venues Delhi Metro and Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) line on the date on which the transaction in which the ticket is valid. Special care should be taken when using public transport or driving at night. Crime: Indian police and security forces increase their presence in maqui berry results Delhi, in particular during the Games venues around the game. United States citizens are encouraged, however, the guard petty crime, pickpockets and personal property in trains or buses of vehicle loads. Major airports, train stations, popular restaurants and tourist sites use often also visitors looking for scam artists. Beware of touts, which makes a request for Cheap transportation, hotels, guided tours, or even independent Game tickets "come-has" offers travelers. The game events tickets can only be purchased online, via phone, or have been designated in the storage. For more information, See www.tickets.cwgdelhi2010.org. U.s. citizens living or travel abroad are encouraged to enroll for the nearest U.s. Embassy or consular office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel Web site so that they can obtain updated information on travel and security. U.s. citizens without Internet access can register directly to the nearest U.s. Embassy or Consulate. By registering, u.s. citizens should find it easier to contact the Embassy or Consulate in the event of an emergency. For more information, read "A safe Trip abroad". U.s. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Internet site in which the global warning and the current Travel warnings and Travel alerts can be found in the latest security information. 1-888-407-4747, toll free in the u.s. and Canada or the United States and Canada, is 1-202-501-4444 on a regular toll line outside callers can also be obtained by calling the up-to-date information. These figures are available from 8: 00 a.m. 8: 00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except u.s. Federal holidays). United States citizens are encouraged to read the Country Specific Information in the case of India. United States citizens questions or concerns, you may contact the u.s. citizens services unit of the Embassy or consulates general information: U.s. Embassy New Delhi is located in the path-Shanti Chanakya Puri 110021, telephone-+ 91-11-2419-8000; fax + 91-11-2419-8407.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Kenya Travel
This Travel Alert shall be granted to alert u.s. citizens in Kenya two independent security concerns. 11. July 2010, the terrorist bombing in Kampala, Uganda, as a result, had to be added to the threats in Kenya in public areas. In addition, on 4 August the constitutional referendum in Kenya about potential concern surrounding civil disturbances. US Embassy invites the warning visit in public areas, including restaurants and shopping centers, and urges u.s. citizens take the public rallies and demonstrations. The u.s. Embassy in Kenya still calls on u.s. citizens, and taking into account the Kenya travel to evaluate their situation on the basis of the personal security of the continuation of the threats of terrorism and violent crime in large numbers. This Travel Alert on March 16, 2010, in order to supplement the Travel warning and replace it. This Travel Alert on 22 October 2010.
The u.s. Embassy in Nairobi
UNITED NATIONS Avenue, Gigiri, in Nairobi, Kenya
The consular section
American Citizen Services unit
The u.s. Embassy in Nairobi
Email: kenya_acs@state.gov
In the event of an emergency phone number: + 254 (0) 20-363-6000
July 11, the bombing in Uganda, for which the Somalia-based, the United States designated foreign terrorist organization al-Shabaab terrorist group has stated that responsibility for the control of, where appropriate, in view of the increased threats in public areas of Eastern Africa. U.s. citizens should make every effort to increase the personal safety of the visiting companies quiet hours, such as avoiding large crowds with the regions and the rest of the vigilance with regard to the visit to restaurants, shopping centers, or other areas of the general public sepelkyyhkyä. Although the United States Embassy in hopes of peaceful in August 4 with the constitutional referendum in high voter turnout in recent elections, it detects in Kenya has been to contain the violence. The u.s. Embassy has requested that all the key official visitors travel to the Kenya operation shall defer from 11. August 28 July 2010.During this period, the u.s. citizens in Kenya increased security measures, should avoid referendum related public events and be careful about any offers that involve, in particular, immediately after notification of the outcome of the elections events. Demos are unpredictable, may become violent and take all possible steps should be avoided.
U.s. citizens traveling abroad should be monitored regularly in the US Embassy in Nairobi to the website and the u.s. Department of State; the n, from which the current global warning, Travel warnings, Travel alerts and Country Specific Information can be found on the Bureau of the State of the consular website.The US Embassy also encourages u.s. citizens to consider "A safe Trip abroad," contains valuable security information on living and travelling abroad. in addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information, to be set by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the u.s. and Canada or the United States of America and Canada 1-202-501-4444 on a regular toll line. After-hours emergency in Kenya, call + 254 (0) 20-363-6000The u.s. Embassy in Nairobi
UNITED NATIONS Avenue, Gigiri, in Nairobi, Kenya
The consular section
American Citizen Services unit
The u.s. Embassy in Nairobi
Email: kenya_acs@state.gov
In the event of an emergency phone number: + 254 (0) 20-363-6000
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Mexico Travel Alert
The State Department will inform the u.s. citizens Mexicana Airlines (new Grupo Aeronautico, S.A. de C.V.) has announced that effective at noon, Saturday, August 28, 2010, Mexicana Airlines has suspended all flight operations until further notice. The suspension applies to flights, Mexicana and MexicanaClick MexicanaLink. All the flights depart from after this time has been canceled indefinitely. This Travel Alert on 10 September 2010. The company's website, www.mexicana.com, muster lists to assist passengers in the best of its abilities of the airline's press release. Passengers who have already flown to take their journey on foot are invited to consult the company's website for further information. The company notes that, as a matter of priority, support will be provided for the "travel unaccompanied minors, passengers with children from 3-on the road and the special needs of passengers." Persons who have not yet begun to take their journey in one of the Mexicana airlines, it is recommended that alternative travel arrangements. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and shall inform all reservations with Mexicana, travelers or contacts airline MexicanaLink MexicanaClick and contact the company's website. Who is stranded in the Middle also take their journey and that require support for that airline passengers should contact the nearest embassy or Consulate. United States citizens are encouraged to review the U.s. Embassy in Mexico. This update includes recent security incidents in Mexico, which may affect the safety of the traveling public information. See more detailed information on staying safe in Mexico, country specific information for Mexico, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Security and popular tourist destinations travel information is also in the publication: "Spring Break in Mexico-Know Before You Go!" U.s. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Internet Web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which the current global warning, Travel warnings and Travel alerts can be found in the latest security information. Up-to-date information may also be obtained from the callers from Mexico, regular toll line at 1-888-407-4747, toll free in the u.s. and Canada or the fair 001-202-501-4444. These figures are available from 8: 00 a.m. 8: 00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except u.s. Federal holidays). U.s. citizens traveling or residing abroad are encouraged to register with the appropriate U.s. Embassy or consular office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs travel registration website. All citizens of the United Mexican States, emergency contact Us Embassy or Consulate nearest to the United States. Embassy and consulates are offered less than the numbers are available 24 hours a day. The u.s. Embassy is located in Mexico City, Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc USA phone: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within México: 5080-2000, the phone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000. Contact the Embassy by e-mail also.
Consulates (consular areas) with:
Ciudad Juarez (Chihuahua): Paseo de la Victoria 3650, Tel. (011) (52) (656) 227-3000.
Guadalajara (Nayarit, Jalisco and Colima, Aguas Calientes): Progreso 175, Tel. (011) (52) (333) 268-2100.
Hermosillo (Sinaloa and Sonora State of southern region): Avenida Monterrey 141, Tel. (011) (52) (662) 289-3500.
Matamoros (southern part of the Tamaulipas with exception of Tampico City): Avenida Primera 2002, Tel. (011) (52) (868) 812-4402.
Merida (Campeche, Slovenia and Quintana Roo): Calle 60 No 338 K x 29 y 31, Lieutenant-Colonel Alcala Martin, Merida, Mexico, Slovenia 97050, Tel. (011) (52) (999) 942-5700 or 202-250-3711 (US).
Monterrey (Nuevo Leon, Zacatecas, Durango, San Luis Potosi and Coahuila South): Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente, Tel. (011) (52) (818) 047-3100.
Nogales (Sonora in the northern part): Calle San Jose, Nogales, Sonora, Tel. (011) (52) (631) 311-8150.
New Laredo (Coahuila in the northern part) and the northwest part of the Tamaulipas: Calle Allende 3330, col. the Jardin, Tel. (011) (52) (867) 714-0512.
Tijuana (Baja California Norte and Baja California Sur) Tapachula 96, phone: (011) (52) (664) 622-7400.
All States and the Federal District of Mexico, Mexico City, are part of the Embassy's consular services.
Consular agencies:
Emporio Acapulco: Hotel Continental, Costera Miguel German 121-local 14, Tel. (011) (52) (744) 484-0300 or (011) (52) (744) 469-0556.
Cabo San Lucas: Blvd. Marina local c-4, Plaza Nautica col. the Centro, Tel. (011) (52) (624) 143-3566.
Cancún: Plaza Caracol, two by the second level, no. 320-323, Boulevard Kukulcan, 8.5, 8.6, 8.7, Zona Hotelera km., Tel. (011) (52) (998) 883-0272 or 202-640-2511 (US).
Ciudad Acuña: closed until further notice.
Cozumel: Hotel Villa Mar en el Centro, the Hotel Principal (Parque Juárez Melgar and 5th on average), 2nd floor, locales # 8 and 9, Tel. (011) (52) (987) 872-4574 or 202-459-4661 (US).
Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo: Hotel Fontan Ixtapa, Blvd., Tel. (553-2100 011) (52) (755).
Mazatlán: Playa Gaviotas # 202, Zona Dorada, Tel. (011) (52) (669) 916-5889.
Oaxaca: Macedonio Alcalá No. 407, Interior 20, Tel. (011) (52) (951) 514-3054, (011) (52) (951) 516-2853.
Piedras Negras: Abasolo # 211, Zona Centro Piedras Negras, Coah., Tel. (011) (52) (878) 1-888-STAR-YES-5586.
Playa del Carmen: "Palapa," Calle 1 Sur Avenida Avenida 15-20, Tel. (011) (52) (984) 873-0303 or 202-370-6708 (a U.S. number).
Pacific Typhoon Season 2010
This Travel Alert has been issued by a u.s. citizens living or to warn you when you travel East Asia and Western and Central Pacific region information from Western and Central Pacific typhoons continuous threat. The area covered by this notice includes countries in East Asia and Western and Central Pacific regions North of the equator. In this area, Pacific typhoons may occur all year round, however, traditionally concerts during the month of November through June. U.s. citizens in the region should monitor local weather and take appropriate measures, as appropriate. Declaration of travel shall be 1 December 2010.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 's CPHC (Central Pacific Hurricane Center) predicts a 70% chance that 2010 Typhoon Season activities and the activities carried out within the normal Central Pacific basin below.Each season in the Western and Central Pacific region, in the light of the experience, which on average 31 typhoons around half are can cause serious and the destruction of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommends that Typhoon prone areas to be prepared.
In the past, many u.s. citizens to travel abroad during the growing season, Typhoon in this area were forced to delay their trip or return to the United States airports infrastructure damage and can therefore, by reason of the limited availability of the flight.In many cases, the flights were suspended and the passengers have been necessary to repair a damaged airport long delays the wash or obstructed residuals, the information would adversely affect access to the airport and land routes ran out of areas. In the event that you should know that the Typhoon may be able to derogate from the affected area for at least 24-48 hours.
The storm of post-conflict unpleasant and sometimes dangerous may occur when the storms have passed while you wait for the transport of the United States back. Typhoons are often involved in many places without harming the high tide and floods. If you live in the ocean or other bodies of water may be especially risky.Avalanches and landslides are also serious concerns during the periods of heavy rain and occasional violence Ryöstelyllä. sometimes occur after natural disasters, but media reports may be exaggerated or otherwise invalid. Be sure to check with local authorities for the safety and security. Weather or injury, the u.s. Embassy and the infrastructure of the host country and the safety of personnel may be unable to assist you at all times.
If the storm of post-conflict injury requires evacuation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and our ' embassies or consular offices abroad in work and to recommend from the disaster the safest and most efficient means of transport of Commercial airlines are. evacuation of the best source.The Department organizes the other means of transport, including the United States military support only as a last resort in commercial air transport, is fully available in an emergency situation should know. All provide free transfer of title, but has the right to offer the return to the United States, if you have an economic need exists and customs supervision. If you have not already done so, you should obtain travel insurance to cover unexpected emergency.
If living in or travelling abroad storm prone areas should you prepare the typhoons and tropical storms by organising a kit containing a supply of bottled water, perishable food items, the battery power or hand-control system radio and critical documents including passport, photo-identification and/or waterproof container in the birth certificate. In the event of an emergency shelters often have access only to the Commission the texts of the resources, and to limit the provision of medical care and food supplies.
Remember to stay aware of the weather from local media to monitor.For more information about the Typhoon warnings for the Western and Central Pacific region hear http://www.usno.navy.mil/jtwc and the national Weather Service Central Pacific Hurricane Center, Fiji's http://www.prh.noaa.gov/hnl/cphc and regional meteorological warnings in the center of the cyclone in the South Pacific region http://www.met.gov.fj is responsible for the Joint Typhoon Warning Honolulu by the Trust Center.
Small tropical storms can develop very quickly, typhoons to leave safely by limiting the time.Tell your family and friends in the United States and in close connection to the supply of a tour operator, hotel staff and local officials in the event of an emergency evacuation instructions Forecast.Protection from loss or damage, travel and identity documents documents such as the need to replace lost documents could harm them or delay in the United States to return.
We ask that all u.s. citizens abroad to register with the nearest embassy or consulate of the United States Department of State; travel registration Web site., are registered, you receive the nearest embassy or consulate's latest security updates and security updates to the hotel is an ideal base for. registration will also ensure that we can reach you in an emergency situation abroad or at home. Although consular officers are available to assist you in the event of a crisis, to do everything in their power to make, please be aware that local authorities have the primary responsibility for persons residing in or on the road, lainkäyttövallassa welfare.
For more information about cyclones and storm preparedness can be found on the Bureau of consular Hurricane preparedness for the website of the Typhoon Season, Typhoon prone areas on the page. travel updated information shall be obtained by calling the Department of State; 1-888-407-4747 in the United States and Canada or other territories 1-202-501-4444. If you travel in the region, check the US's Embassy or consular office of the liability of the consular services of the site you visit for more information, please consult the country territory. the region or Country Specific information Web site.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Angola Country Specific Information
COUNTY DESCRIPTION: Angola is a large, developing country in south-west central Africa. The capital city is Luanda. Portuguese, the official language, is widely spoken throughout the country. Despite its extensive oil and mineral reserves and arable land suitable for large-scale production of numerous crops, Angola has some of the world's lowest social development indicators. Development was severely restricted by a 27-year long civil war that broke out upon independence in 1975, which destroyed the majority of the country's infrastructure. Since the conflict's conclusion in 2002, the economy grew at double digit annual growth until the global financial crisis undercut oil revenue. Nevertheless, the government continues extensive infrastructure reconstruction and development projects. However, Angola still faces challenges with its infrastructure and with providing government services, especially in basic social services, aviation and travel safety, accommodation availability and quality, and communications. Facilities for tourism, particularly outside the capital of Luanda, are often rudimentary. For additional information, read the Department of State’s Background Notes on Angola.
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REGISTRATION/EMBASSY LOCATION: If you are going to live in or visit Angola, please take the time to tell our Embassy or Consulate about your trip. If you let us know about your trip, we can keep you up to date with important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency. The link to the Department of State’s travel registration page can be found here.
Local embassy information is available below and at the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates.
U.S. Embassy Luanda
Rua Houari Boumedienne #32
Miramar, Luanda
P.O. Box 6468
Telephone: (244) 222-641-000, (244) 222-447-028, (244) 222-445-481, (244) 222-446-224;
Emergency after-hours telephone: (244) 222-641-000; (244) 923-640-154
Facsimile: (244) 222-641-259.
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ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: A passport and visa are required and must be obtained in advance. An International Certificate of Vaccination is required. Visitors should allow several weeks for the processing of their visa application. Angola does not issue airport visas. Persons arriving without visas are subject to arrest or exclusion. Travelers may also encounter delays or exclusions if they do not have at least one completely blank visa page in their passports for entry stamps, and Angolan embassies and consulates will not issue visas unless the passport has at least six month’s validity remaining. Angola does not require travelers to have an exit visa. Travelers whose international immunization cards do not show inoculations against yellow fever within the past ten years may be subject to exclusion, on-the-spot vaccination, and/or heavy fines. Visitors remaining in Angola beyond their authorized visa duration are subject to fines and arrest. It is illegal to carry local currency out of Angola and anyone attempting to carry local currency out of Angola is subject to having this currency confiscated by customs officers. Current information on entry requirements may be obtained from the Embassy of Angola at 2100-2108 16th Street NW, Washington, DC, tel. (202) 785-1156, fax (202) 785-1258. Visit the Embassy of Angola’s website for the most current visa information.
The U.S. Department of State is unaware of any HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors or foreign residents of Angola.
Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our Customs Information sheet.
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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: While the overall security situation in Angola has improved markedly since the end of the civil war; you should still exercise caution when traveling in the country. Remnants of war such as land mines and unexploded ordinance still make road and overland travel hazardous. If you are traveling or living in Angola, you should stick to clearly marked and travelled roads, and avoid walking off of the road during rest breaks, particularly around bridges and river crossings. Never touch anything that resembles a mine or unexploded ordinance.
Despite Angola’s great progress in rebuilding, infrastructure such as highways and bridges, remains poor. Police and military checkpoints are common along Angola’s highways. Officials are sometimes undisciplined; however, their authority should not be challenged. These checkpoints are often used by police to stop and request identification from passing traffic, so be sure to have a valid passport and visa available at all times while traveling between provinces. Travel in most parts of the city of Luanda is safe by day. However car doors should be locked, windows rolled up, and laptop, cell phones, and other valuable items should be stored out of sight. You should make every effort to avoid travel within the capital after dark. Don’t undertake travel on roads outside of major cities after nightfall.
If you are living in, or planning to visit, the northern province of Cabinda, you should exercise caution while outside of Cabinda city. On the occasion of the African Nations Cup (CAN) in January 2010, armed separatists in Cabinda claimed responsibility for an attack on the visiting Togolese national football team that left three dead and several others wounded. Several attacks against expatriates in Cabinda resulting in rape, robbery, and murder were registered from 2007 to 2009. Those responsible declared their intention to continue attacks against expatriates. Occasional attacks against police and Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) convoys and outposts in Cabinda also continue to be reported. These incidents, while small in overall numbers, have occurred with little or no warning. Exercise extreme caution when traveling outside of Cabinda city and limit travel to essential needs only.
Travel to Lunda North and South provinces only if it is essential. The government of Angola is sensitive to the travel of foreigners in the diamond producing areas of the provinces, and you will require proper permission and documentation to frequent these areas. Failure to adhere to these requirements may subject you to restriction or detention.
Do not take photographs of military or security sites or installations, including government buildings, as this may result in the payment of fines or arrest.
You can stay up to date by bookmarking our Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website, which contains current the Travel Warnings and Travel Alerts, as well as the Worldwide Caution.
You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. and Canada or, by calling a regular toll line, 1-202-501-4444, from other countries. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).
There is nobody better at protecting you than yourself. Take some time before travel to improve your personal security – things are not the same everywhere as they are in the United States. Here are some useful tips for traveling safely abroad.
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CRIME: Crime is a serious problem throughout Angola. While most violent crime occurs between Angolans, foreigners are frequently targeted as well. Street crime and crimes of opportunity are a constant threat in Luanda, and threaten both locals and foreign visitors alike. Pick-pocketing, purse-snatching, vehicle theft / break-ins, and, increasingly, assaults against pedestrians by armed assailants on motorcycles and scooters, are widespread. Avoid Roque Santeiro and Rocha Pinto, and travel the “Serpentine Road” in front of the U.S. Embassy only by vehicle. In general, movement around Luanda is safer by day than by night. Avoid touring after dark.
Air travelers arriving in Luanda should arrange reliable and secure ground transportation in advance; there is limited regular taxi service. Avoid the use of the public transportation known as “candongueiros” or “taxistas”; these multi-passenger vans are largely unregulated and often dangerous.
If you are driving in Luanda, you should stop at all police checkpoints if so directed. Police officers may solicit bribes or request immediate payment of "fines" for alleged minor infractions. If you commit a moving violation and are asked for bribes by the police, you should politely request the traffic police to write a ticket. If the police officer writes a ticket, you are responsible to pay the fine at the place indicated on the ticket. If no moving violation is alleged and the officer is asking for a bribe, you could, without actually challenging the officer's authority, politely ask the officer for his/her name and badge number. Officers thus engaged will frequently let motorists go with no bribe paid. Regardless, motorists should have all proper documents in the vehicle at all times (i.e., vehicle registration, proof of insurance, and driver's license). The lack of documentation is a violation against local law that requires every driver in Angola have proper permission to drive, and can also be a reason an officer would solicit a bribe. You can obtain further information on driving in Angola from the Embassy of Angola. Please note that police are not always responsive to reports of crime or requests for assistance. Most police are on foot and are assigned to designated stationary posts. However, the Rapid Intervention Police (PIR) unit is frequently seen patrolling various areas of the city. This unit is well trained and organized and will respond to major criminal incidents.
If you are an independent entrepreneur in Angola, you should carry certified copies of relevant immigration and business documents at all times. There have been police operations against illegal aliens and private companies that result in deportation of illegal resident foreign nationals and loss of personal and company property.
While in the airport, you should be alert to fraud occasionally perpetrated by Luanda airport personnel. Immigration and customs officials sometimes detain foreigners without cause, demanding gratuities before allowing them to enter or depart Angola. Airport health officials sometimes demand that passengers arriving without proof of current yellow fever vaccination accept and pay for a vaccination at the airport. Carry your yellow fever vaccination card and ensure that your yellow fever vaccine is up-to-date. If you forget to carry your yellow fever vaccination card, and do not wish to receive the vaccine offered at the airport, you should be prepared to depart the country on the next available flight. It is important that you maintain control of your carry-on baggage at all times. If you believe something has been inserted into your baggage, you should report the incident immediately to airport authorities. Searches of travelers' checked baggage are common, and criminals sometimes attempt to insert items into other travelers’ baggage at the airport, particularly for flights from Luanda to South Africa.
Don’t buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Bringing them back to the United States may result in forfeitures and/or fines. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, you may be breaking local law too.
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INFORMATION FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate (see the Department of State’s list of embassies or consulates). If your passport is stolen, we can help you replace it. For violent crimes such as assault or rape, we can, for example, help you find appropriate medical care, contact family members or friends, and help you get money from them if you need it. Although the investigation and prosecution of a crime are solely the responsibility of local authorities, consular officers can help you to understand the local criminal justice process and to find an attorney if needed.
The local equivalent to the “911” emergency line in Angola for police is 113; for fire fighters: 115, and for ambulance services: 112. Please be advised that the emergency numbers listed may or may not have an English speaking operator available.
Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States.
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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in another country, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different than our own. In some places driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. These criminal penalties will vary from country to country. There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States and you can be prosecuted under U.S. law if you buy pirated goods or engage in child pornography. While you are overseas, U.S. laws don’t apply. If you do something illegal in your host country, your U.S. passport won’t help. It’s very important to know what’s legal and what’s not where you are going.
Anyone violating Angola’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Angola are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.
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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS: Angolan customs authorities may enforce strict regulations concerning temporary importation into or export from Angola of sensitive items including firearms, antiquities, and currency. If you are planning on traveling with or shipping any of these items, you should contact the Embassy of Angola in Washington, DC or one of Angola's consulates in the United States for specific information regarding customs requirements.
FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS: Angola is generally a cash-only economy; neither traveler’s checks nor credit cards are used outside the capital of Luanda. In Luanda, credit cards are accepted in extremely limited circumstances, namely large hotels. Despite a major campaign to expand credit card acceptance, this effort has yet to expand beyond the capital city. In general, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are accessible only to those individuals who hold accounts with local banks. Dollars are generally accepted for most commercial transactions in Luanda and in all provincial capitals. It is best to carry a sufficient supply of U.S. dollars with you during your travels. Please note that only the newer series U.S. dollar bills (with large faces) are accepted. U.S. dollars can be converted to local currency at exchange businesses authorized by the Angolan government. Angolan currency (the Kwanza) may not be taken out of the country, and anyone attempting to carry currency out of Angola could have the currency confiscated.
PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION: While living or traveling in Angola, you should carry a certified copy of your U.S. passports with you at all times so that, if questioned by local officials, you can provide proof of identity and U.S. citizenship. The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Luanda can prepare copies of U.S. passports at no charge when you register with the Embassy. To avoid the risk of theft or confiscation of original documentation, you should keep your passport in a secure place and carry only a certified copy.
LABOR DISPUTES: American performers traveling to Angola to participate in concerts and/or other events should be aware that there have been several serious allegations made against talent agencies making arrangements for foreign performers. These allegations include, among other things, several charges of breach of contract and the forcible retention of passports and persons. Before signing a contract and traveling to Angola, you should investigate the talent agency carefully. It may be useful for you to contact performers who have previously worked in Angola and are familiar with agencies there. If you experience any incidents of this nature, file a report with the local Angolan police and the U.S. Embassy.
LONG DELAYS IN RENEWAL OF VISAS: If you opt to renew your work or other visa while in Angola, you should expect delays of 2-10 weeks or more, during which time the Angolan immigration authorities will hold onto your passport and you will not be able to travel. You should plan your travel and visa renewals carefully to avoid complications. If you have to travel, you can apply for a second U.S. passport PRIOR to turning over your primary passport to Angolan authorities for visa renewal. To apply for a second U.S. passport, you must write a letter explaining the need for the second passport, as well as meet all the requirements for a normal application for passport renewal, including being able to show a current valid passport. It can take up to 7-10 business days to receive a second passport. If you stay beyond your visa expiration date, you will be subject to steep fines.
HOTEL AVAILABILITY: Hotels are limited in Angola, and demand for the limited number of rooms is high. Hotels are often booked months in advance, especially in the capital. Only a few large hotels in Luanda accept credit cards; hotels in the provinces generally do not accept credit cards. Adequate hotels are found in most provincial capitals, but some provide only limited amenities.
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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Medical facilities and services are available in Angola, but are limited and are often not up to western standards. Adequate care for medical emergencies is limited to Luanda, where there are some good private clinics that usually have 24-hour service provided by a general practice physician and specialists on call. A list of such facilities can be found at http://angola.usembassy.gov/ medical_information.html. Routine operations such as appendectomies can be performed. Local pharmacies provide a limited supply of prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines/drugs. Carry with you an adequate supply of properly-labeled medications that you routinely require. Please remember that malaria is endemic in most areas of Angola.
Angola and surrounding African countries have experienced outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fevers. Most recent incidences are the 2005 Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Uige province, and the 2008 Ebola virus outbreak in the border region of neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) that prompted the Government of Angola to close its border between Lunda Norte and the DRC.
Good information on vaccinations and other health precautions can be found via the CDC website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization’s (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.
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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can’t assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It’s very important to find out BEFORE you leave. You need to ask your insurance company two questions:
1) Does my policy apply when I’m outside of the United States?
2) Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or an evacuation?
In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. In general, your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors’ and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn’t go with you when you travel, it’s a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our information on medical insurance overseas page.
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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in a foreign country, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Angola is provided for general reference only, and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.
Since the end of the civil war in 2002, overland access to the interior has improved considerably. Nonetheless, highways in some areas remain poor and infrastructure for travelers is poor or nonexistent.
Road travel can be dangerous, especially during the rainy season (October - March), which can cause large potholes and erosion. Landmines remain a problem on some secondary roads in more remote areas. Road conditions vary widely outside the capital from acceptable paved surfaces to virtually impassable dirt roads, particularly secondary routes. Many secondary roads, including secondary roads in urban areas, are impassable during the rainy season. Overloaded, poorly marked, and disabled vehicles, as well as pedestrians and livestock, pose hazards for motorists. Ground travel in rural areas should be undertaken during daylight hours only. Areas with suspected landmines are generally clearly marked and travelers should heed these warnings. Primary roads are considered to be landmine free in most provinces, but travelers should not venture far from the margins of the road. Extensive government, commercial, and NGO demining projects continue throughout the country.
Traffic in Luanda is heavy and often chaotic, and roads are often in poor condition. Few intersections have traffic lights or police to direct vehicles. Drivers often fail to obey traffic signals and signs, and there are frequent vehicle breakdowns. Itinerant vendors, scooters and pedestrians often weave in and out of traffic, posing a danger to themselves and to drivers. Angola has little public transportation. Most inter-city transportation in Angola is done by small blue and white vans called “Candongueiros” or large buses. Many drivers of these vehicles have little training and the majority of the Candongueiro drivers are not in possession of a driver license and the vehicles are poorly maintained. The Candongueiros often drive at high speeds, and they are the principal vehicles involved in the many deadly single and multi-vehicle accidents along Angolan roads.
Please refer to our Road Safety page for more information. Also, we suggest that you visit the website of Angola’s national tourist office, and national authority responsible for road safety.
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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: As there is currently no direct commercial air service to the United States by carriers registered in Angola, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has not assessed Angola’s Civil Aviation Authority for compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards. Further information may be found on the FAA’s safety assessment page.
The U.S. Embassy in Luanda prohibits U.S. Government employees from using TAAG, the Angolan national airline, and all other Angolan-owned and -operated commercial air transportation services for official domestic or international travel due to concerns regarding safety and maintenance. International flights on foreign-owned and -operated carriers are not affected by this restriction.
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CHILDREN'S ISSUES: Please see our Office of Children’s Issues web pages on intercountry adoption and international parental child abduction.
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This replaces the country specific information for Angola dated August 25, 2009, to update sections on: Threats to Safety and Security, Crime, Victims of Crime, Criminal Penalties, Special Circumstances, Medical Facilities and Health Information, and Medical Insurance.
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