Alabama Divorce & Family Law Attorney Blog : Birmingham Divorce Lawyer & Attorney : Eversole Law Firm : Serving Birmingham, Montgomery, Mobile Alabama

As a Birmingham divorce lawyer, I know that sooner or later some people will need the services of an experienced divorce attorney. One of the reasons folks turn to a legal professional is because of the complex and sometimes labyrinthine structure of our legal system here in Alabama. Regardless of whether a person is getting a divorce in Gadsden or Tuscaloosa, or becoming legally separated in Mobile or Huntsville, there are many areas of the law that only a lawyer can guide you through.

One area that sometimes causes people confusion is the myriad of legal terms they hear or read in agreements, contracts and decrees. To help make things a bit more clear, I have listed below a few of the many important terms and definitions used in the area of divorce law. Because getting a divorce is fraught with new and possibly intimidating terminology, retaining a qualified divorce lawyer and family law attorney is an important first step.

=============== Divorce Terms ================
 

Abandonment
Applied when one married spouse leaves the marital home, in some areas this may be grounds for divorce or may reflect adversely upon the spouse who moves.

Adultery
Sexual intercourse by a married person outside of the marriage, which in some parts of the country may be grounds for divorce or could adversely affect the offender's case.

Affidavit
A sworn written statement usually made under oath or on affirmation before a magistrate or officer (often a notary public).

Alimony
Also called maintenance or support. See Maintenance.

Alimony Pendente
Spousal support to be paid by one marital partner to the other during the pre-trial period of separation.

Contempt of Court
The deliberate failure to comply with the orders or directives of the Court.

Contested
Any issue on which the petitioner and respondent cannot agree, which must then be decided by the court.

Default
Failure to respond in the prescribed manner within a given period of time. The Respondent in a Petition for Dissolution is said to be in default if he or she failed to respond within a set period of time, usually 30 days after the date of service.

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I’ll say right off that it’s probably true that most folks think a prenuptial agreement -- or prenup, as they say in Hollywood -- will kill the romance between a couple as surely as a an illicit affair. But does suggesting that your soon-to-be spouse sign a prenuptial agreement really spell the end of trust; Certainly not. Oddly, it may just make that bond even stronger. Rather than curse or jinx a pending marriage, a prenup should be looked at as helping to cement the relationship.

Contrary to popular belief, asking your future husband or wife to sign a prenuptial agreement should not be viewed as a sign of distrust, but as a mutual act of financial openness and faith in the enduring qualities of your relationship. As a Birmingham Divorce and Family Law Attorney, I’ve represented both women and men who have entered into a prenuptial agreement with a future marriage partner.

The trouble is that many people associate the mere mention of the prenup as a prelude to a bad marriage inevitably doomed to end in divorce. Because of this, it’s really no surprise then that most folks, men and women alike, can be quite apprehensive about raising this topic with a future spouse. But there’s really nothing to fret over.

First and foremost, a prenuptial agreement is a document created between future spouses prior to their exchange of marriage vows. An agreement of this type usually lists property settlements in the event of divorce, and could include other legal issues such as possible additional obligations that could arise during the marriage. In Alabama, the law requires that certain procedures as part of the process of forming a prenup, such as full financial disclosure between the two named parties. (It’s important to remember that the law actually prohibits prenuptial agreements if they are not truthfully represented.)

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Many married couples in Alabama use the services of an adoption agency to help them find a child in need of a good home. In Huntsville, Mobile, Dothan, Gadsden and other towns and cities across the state, adoption agencies provide experienced staffs capable of in finding children and matching them up with willing couples. These organizations also have the knowledge and capability to meet all the needed legal requirements.

As a Birmingham family law attorney, my interest is to see that people know what their legal responsibilities are in cases of adoption. Here in Alabama, adoption groups help adoptive parents with a wide range of services including locating a birth parent to putting the finishing touches on the final legal adoption documents.

A qualified agency will handle many of the critical elements of an adoption, which typically include conducting of a home study, getting the needed consents, and advising the adoptive couple on any state-specific legal requirements that may need to be met.

For many folks looking to adopt, the question often comes up as to whether a private or public adoption agency is best. It should be remembered that private agencies tend to provide extensive counseling to the prospective parents. The counseling services offered by private agencies usually include that for the couple themselves, the birth parents, and the child being adopted, assuming that he or she is old enough to warrant such a service.

Thoughtful counseling at this emotional time can be of great benefit to all parties involved in the adoption process. This usually includes practical advice along with help on all the complex legal issues that can accompany the adoption process. It is especially important that there be protections for the adoptive parents, which is why the birth parent is typically included in the early stages of the counseling process. (It has been shown that a birth parent is less likely to change her mind when the time comes to place signatures on the actual adoption consent forms following the baby's birth.

Of course, there is a down side to using a private agency as these groups are known for being terribly picky about who will be chosen as adoptive parents. Quite simply, this is due to the law of supply and demand. There is usually a surplus of couples looking to adopt, while the pool of available children is much more limited. These agencies tend to select out parents based on age, marital status, income, health, religion, sexual orientation, family size, and personal history (even criminal conduct).

Public agencies, on the other hand, usually have many children ready to be adopted. However, these kids are commonly older or have special needs. If you and you spouse are looking for a newborn or infant, a public agency may not be the best avenue for you. Another thing to remember is that public agencies generally do not provide the range of counseling and other services that the private ones offer. This is typically reflected in the cost, which is much lower for those choosing a public adoption agency.

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Once again Hollywood is abuzz with stories of the marital rift between Oscar-winner Sandra Bullock and so-called bad boy and biker Jesse James. With rumors of divorce now swirling around the couple, it would appear that once again even the rich and famous can end up at odds with each other, although according to the tabloids this is mostly the husband’s making.

As a Birmingham divorce lawyer and family law attorney, I have represented numerous clients across Alabama. From what I’ve seen, it makes no difference if you live in a large city such as Birmingham, Montgomery or Huntsville, or smaller municipality like Fort Payne, Fairhope or Muscle Shoals, separation and divorce can become the option of last resort for some folks. As for Ms. Bullock, this appears to be the case as well.

According to reports, Bullock has may be on course to divorce her husband of five years, with the public weighing in on the subject as well from coast to coast. The recent revelations of James’ alleged affairs with five separate women, including tattooed model Michelle McGee have apparently opened Bullocks eyes to her husband’s possible infidelity. The news of McGee’s admission that she had an alleged 11-month affair with James seems to have left little question in Bullock’s mind where she stands in the equation.

Based on new articles, close friends of the Hollywood star have said that Bullock has “definitely” made up her mind to divorce James. She has apparently been consulting a lawyer and is preparing to for divorce. Other insiders state that James is hoping that his stint in rehab and some privacy will help him recover and save his marriage.

Describing him as a “broken man,” one of James’ friends is on record as saying that James is still in love with his wife and that the whole affair has destroyed his “entire universe.”

According to news reports, 40-year-old James recently checked himself into an undisclosed treatment facility to “deal with personal issues" and to try and save his marriage. In a public apology last month, James apparently admitted to having poor judgment in regard to the extramarital affair.

Sandra Bullock 'definitely' wants divorce, NYDailyNews.com, April 2, 2010

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One fact of divorce in Alabama, no matter what town or city you call home -- Huntsville, Tuscaloosa, Decatur, Vestavia Hills or Talladega -- alimony and child support are a definite possibility depending on your means and the needs of your soon-to-be-ex spouse. While most individuals will fight hard not to pay alimony to a former partner, paying child support is usually accepted, albeit grudgingly by some.

As a Birmingham family law and divorce lawyer, I understand how some consider child support to be a burden, especially when that party doesn’t get to see the kids on a daily basis. Over time however, even the best provider may ask himself, “do I need to keep paying support for these nearly adult-age kids?”

The fact of the matter is that in Alabama, the age of majority is 19. What this means is that child support comes to an end once that teenager hits 19. (Be careful, though, because there is a provision for post-minority support payments when it comes to helping with college tuition and such). But for our purposes here, 19 is the age at which child support is terminated.

That being said, I have run into situations where people have asked me whether or not an 18-year-old who joins the military or otherwise is on his or her own still qualifies for child support. Does that parent’s obligation to pay support end under these kinds of circumstances?

Simply put, a parent cannot simply cease payments because they feel the child is now functioning as an autonomous individual, and neither does the child support automatically stop. However, Alabama law does provide for these kinds of situations, such as an 18-year-old joining the military.

In such instances, Alabama law allows the parent who is providing child support to file a petition with the court requesting that the child in question be declared “emancipated.” If the court agrees and the petition is granted, then the child support will usually be terminated legally.

Depending on the circumstances, it is possible that a judge will concur that the child is emancipated and subsequently grant the request for termination. Keep in mind that this is completely up to the discretion of the court and is not necessarily guaranteed . As with any family law issue, it’s wise to seek the advice of a qualified legal professional.

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