Why join stepparents as opposing parties to family court proceedings?
Posted Friday, March 25th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
The short answer is discovery. While I understand the logic of joining stepparents as parties to custody or visitation proceedings when that stepparent will not
Husband’s lack of credibility on financial disclosure has multiple adverse consequences
Posted Saturday, March 19th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney's Fees, Equitable Distribution/Property Division, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys, South Carolina Appellate Decisions, South Carolina Specific
The March 16, 2016 Court of Appeals opinion in Conits v. Conits, 417 S.C. 127, 789 S.E.2d 51 (Ct. App. 2016) rejects many of Husband’s allegations of
Posted Friday, March 11th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Humor?, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
Where’s the time machine that a sizable portion of family law clients, and potential clients, think I have? My colleagues inform me that their clients
Posted Monday, March 7th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys, United States Supreme Court Decisions, Visitation
On March 7, 2016, in the case of V. L. v. E. L., ET AL., the United States Supreme Court, in an unsigned Per Curiam
Why not divide up legal custody?
Posted Saturday, February 27th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Child Custody, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
Deciding who will have legal custody–final decision making authority for a child–can be one of the more contentious issues in custody cases. Often one parent
Don’t end a long-term marriage unless you’re ready to amputate
Posted Wednesday, February 24th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Divorce and Marriage, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to General Public
I spend a bit of time talking folks in long-term marriages out of separating from a spouse with whom they are unhappy. It’s amazing how
Posted Friday, February 19th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Jurisprudence, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to General Public
Earlier this week I spent two days presenting and attending a legal education seminar, “Family Law From Start to Finish.” As with most such seminars,
In defense of the concept of romantic comedies
Posted Wednesday, February 10th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Law and Culture, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to General Public
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. Jane Austin,
Using opposing parties’ evasive discovery responses against them
Posted Tuesday, February 9th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
Often opposing parties will respond to discovery with evasion: giving answers that respond to some, slightly different allegation; providing lengthy responses to “yes/no” questions without
Posted Sunday, February 7th, 2016 by Gregory Forman
Filed under Attorney-Client Relations, Litigation Strategy, Not South Carolina Specific, Of Interest to Family Court Litigants, Of Interest to Family Law Attorneys
In responding to discovery or pleadings, some of the responses, if accurate, will bolster the other party’s case. Clients, even (especially) sophisticated clients, often balk