Montgomery County Divorce Law Blog

How does the military get involved in child support?

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Military Divorce on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

If you have a child with a military service member or veteran, it's important to know that there are federal laws regarding their obligation to pay child support that has been ordered by a court or which they've agreed to pay in a signed legal agreement with their co-parent. These regulations aren't meant to conflict with or override state child support statutes but to help ensure that these parents abide by any support agreements.

If no court order or legal agreement is yet in place, the military provides guidelines to determine the appropriate amount of child support in the interim. The amount determined under the military guidelines is often lower than if the relevant state guidelines were used. State guidelines give no special consideration to service members and vets. They're primarily based on a parent's income.

2 key considerations to shorten the divorce process

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky on Wednesday, December 12, 2018.

One big misconception that many people in Clarksville have is they must settle their divorce issues in court. Many problems often arise during the dissolution process that makes it harder for some couples to keep sight of their divorce goals. If you and your partner are seeking a divorce, it is vital for you to try to work out as many issues as possible to avoid a lengthy and challenging split.

It is okay for you to feel overwhelmed and scared, particularly when you have to deal with many contentious concerns, such as child custody, child support, real estate, business and alimony. If you and your spouse are on the same page or ready to put the divorce behind you, consider the following information to save time, money and your sanity.

Easing your child's transitions between homes

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Child Custody and Visitation on Thursday, December 6, 2018.

When divorced parents share custody of their kids, they can both stay involved in their lives. However, moving back and forth between their parents' homes can be stressful for kids if parents don't work to ease these transitions and bring some consistency to their lives regardless of which residence they're in.

Parents can help ease this anxiety for their kids and make things more peaceful for themselves if they're committed to maintaining this consistency across their households and the transitions themselves.

How do you communicate constructively with an angry co-parent?

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Child Custody and Visitation on Thursday, November 29, 2018.

If you and your ex already have a high-conflict co-parenting relationship, the holidays can exacerbate problems. If you feel like your co-parent is out to make your life as miserable as possible, there are strategies you can use to make things go as smoothly as possible for your children. This, of course, should be your primary focus.

For many battling co-parents, communication is difficult. A parent who is intent on rehashing old grievances or creating new ones can use virtually any form of communication (in-person, phone calls, texts or emails) to do so. However, you don't have to take the bait. It may be best to avoid face-to-face and phone conversations. When communicating via text, email or online messaging, keep your responses as neutral and consistent as possible.

5 items you cannot include in a prenup

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky on Tuesday, November 27, 2018.

There has been a drastic increase in the number of couples getting prenuptial agreements. Millennials have really hopped onboard the practice, which is great because prenups provide numerous advantages.

Although couples who have not married yet may not want to think about the possibility of divorce, signing a prenup is a valuable precaution that can help you should the marriage end. However, prenups do not encompass everything. There are items you do not want to have in the paperwork or else it could invalidate the entire document.

Gaining greater child custody and visitation after getting sober

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Modifications and Relocation on Friday, November 23, 2018.

Your addiction to alcohol and/or drugs led to the end of your marriage and likely damaged your relationship with your children. Your divorce and your inability to get custody rights or even unsupervised visits with your kids helped you face your problems and get treatment. You sought care in an in-patient treatment center, joined a 12-step program and found a therapist who specializes in treating people with alcohol and drug problems.

Now, you've been sober for some time. You know that you can be trusted to care for your children. You'd like to seek shared custody or at least greater visitation rights. How do you convince a court that you deserve this chance?

How divorce in military families is different

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky on Wednesday, November 21, 2018.

Most people generally understand that specific divorce topics may apply to their situation, including how to file for divorce, child custody arrangements, alimony, fair division of assets and other common issues.

The process of obtaining a military divorce, on the other hand, is often uncharted territory for military families. They may know that their base provides legal advice, but they are not sure whether they also need off-base resources.

Is 'birdnesting' the short-term child custody solution for you?

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Child Custody and Visitation on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

If you're a divorcing Tennessee parent worried about your kids and child custody, you might want to learn this term.

Birdnesting.

For the best visits with your children, make it about them

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Child Custody and Visitation on Friday, November 9, 2018.

For many noncustodial parents, the day that they moved out of the family home – or the day their spouse and children left the family home – was one of the most difficult days in their lives.

Although you may be enjoying a healthier, less toxic home life because you're no longer enduring a relationship based on incompatibility, you're probably missing the "pitter-patter" of little feet and the opportunity to be with your children full time, every day. For this reason, you probably want to enjoy the visitation time you have with your children to the max.

What are my rights as a Tennessee noncustodial parent?

On behalf of The Law Office of Steven C. Girsky posted in Divorce on Saturday, November 3, 2018.

Even if you don't have physical custody of your children, if you're a noncustodial parent, you still have legal rights with respect to your status as a parent under Tennessee family law.

Here are the most important noncustodial parental rights you have (as long as they don't interfere with the best interests of your child):