FAMILY LAW ISSUES

"Family Law" encompasses many, many important issues.  Some are related to marriage.  Some are not.  Likewise, some deal with children; others do not.  This area of practice used to be commonly referred to as "Domestic Relations", but it has evolved into so much more.

Click on the links below for much more information on each of these important subjects:

• Divorce:

  • Grounds for Divorce

  • Jurisdiction and Venue

  • Vital Personal Information

  • Restoration of Non-Marital Property

  • Division of Marital Property

  • Division of Debts

  • Maintenance (formerly known as "alimony")

    • Temporary Maintenance

    • Rehabilitative Maintenance

    • Permanent (or Long-Term) Maintenance

    • Open-Ended v. Close-Ended Maintenance

    • Fault and Special Needs

    • Medical Records Supporting Maintenance Claims

    • Reasons to Demand Maintenance

    • Maintenance: A Lawyer's Liability Bear Trap (PDF)

  • Other Financial Issues:

    • Income of the Parties

    • Division of Marital Portions of Retirement Plans

    • Valuation of Marital Assets (businesses, medical practices, stock, investment property, etc.)

    • Discovery, Documentation and Proof

    • Bank and Investment Accounts

    • Tax Liability

    • Attorney Fees

    • Dissipation of Marital Assets

• Children:

  • Custody & Visitation

    • Sole, Joint & Shared Custody Explained

    • Effect of Domestic Violence on Custody

    • Families in Transition (Divorce Education Program)

    • Tips for Better Parenting

    • Parenting Coordinator Program

    • Current Model Agreed Order for a Parenting Coordinator (PDF)

    • Stepping Back from Anger (PDF)

    • Parenting Plans

    • Parenting Agreements

    • Building New Holiday Traditions

  • Primary Residential Custodian

  • Child Support

    • Calculating Child Support Obligations in Kentucky

    • Enforcement of Child Support Obligations

  • Adoption

  • Protecting the Children

• Post-Divorce:

  • What Happens After Divorce?

  • Modification of Custody

  • Modification of Support

  • Relocation Issues

  • Child Support Arrearages

  • Enforcement of Settlement Agreement

• Pre-Nuptial Agreements:

  • What's in a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?

  • Who Needs a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?

  • Should We Make a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?

  • The Uniform Pre-Marital Agreement Act

  • Will a Pre-Nup Take the Romance Out of Our Engagement?

• Domestic Violence:

  • What is "Domestic Violence"?

  • What is the Law in Kentucky on Domestic Violence?

  • How do I take out an EPO ("Emergency Protective Order")?

  • How Can I Prepare for Another Episode of Domestic Violence?

  • Domestic Violence Safety Plan (PDF)

  • Metropolitan Louisville, KY Resources for Help

  • Should I be worried my abuser may learn about my Internet activities?

  • Disturbing Facts About Domestic Violence

• Unmarried Couples:

  • Living Together

  • Gay & Lesbian Couples

  • Common Law Marriage

  • Pre-Nuptial Agreements

• Estate Planning

• Living Wills & Healthcare Directives