If there is a silver lining to the Great Recession of 2008, it may be that couples today are more open and aware when it comes to discussing money and financial matters, even before they are married, says a new survey from Experian, one of the country’s leading credit reporting agencies. Read more
By the time a couple decides to pursue a separation or divorce, one or both of the spouses may be feeling betrayed and more than a little hurt. While these types of feelings can be normal, sometimes transgressions between spouses go far beyond hurt feelings and result in damaging actions called marital torts.
Examples of “torts” (or “wrongs” in legal terms) include assault, infliction of mental anguish, passing on a sexually transmitted diseases, and other harmful actions. In New Jersey, where marital torts are also known as “Tevis Claims,” these types of wrongdoing can be the basis of a legal claim. If proven, martial torts result in a financial settlement. A marital tort claim is typically filed at the same time a couple divorces.
While inter-spousal claims have grown in number over the past few decades, “marital tort” still isn’t a household name and many may not know that compensation from damaging actions can be sought. Others may feel embarrassed or ashamed to mention certain torts, especially STDs or domestic violence, due to perceived stigma.
What should you share with your divorce attorney? Here are five common grounds for marital tort. If you have experienced one or more of these in your marriage, it’s valuable information to share with your attorney: Read more
Concerned that your spouse may be hiding assets during your divorce? If you are a spouse who was not privy to certain aspects of your joint finances during marriage, or you find that your spouse has displayed certain red flag behaviors, questions about whether that spouse may be misappropriating or hiding money or other assets may be a concern.
Here are some answers to some of the most commonly asked questions we hear: Read more
Shelly Sterling, wife of disgraced LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling, is reportedly on the brink of filing for divorce from her husband of 60 years. She has signed divorce papers, sources say, but has not yet actually filed them — in part because those divorce papers could now become the key piece of leverage in the Sterlings’ fight against the NBA and bid to retain ownership of the Clippers. At issue? The Sterling Family Trust, which is the technical owner of the team. Read more
Khloé Kardashian filed for divorce from Lamar Odom in December 2013, with reports at the time claiming the couple’s divorce would be quick and easy thanks for a far-reaching prenuptial agreement the two are said to have in place.
It’s now May 2014 and according to some sources, Odom is refusing to participate in the divorce process by allegedly failing to file a response to papers. Read more
The divorce of figure skater Johnny Weir and husband Victor Voronov made headlines last month as the first high profile same-sex divorce in New Jersey since the state’s legalization of gay marriage in 2013. However, the celebrity split made news again last week when it was reported that Weir and Voronov may be making attempts to mend their relationship and reunite with the help of certain legal agreements that outline unacceptable behaviors on the part of both parties. Read more
Divorce stirs up plenty of emotions, but a recent headline-grabbing divorce case in which a wife received a lowered divorce settlement for “badmouthing” her attorney husband and allegedly ruining his business reputation provides good reason why it may be best to keep negative feelings about your spouse under wraps. Read more
Is there a nationwide movement afoot to make getting a divorce more difficult? A provocative new article in the Washington Post describes how a number of state legislatures are now pushing for waiting periods, mandating marriage classes, or even eliminating no-fault divorce entirely. Read more
The posh summer season in the Hamptons will get off to an usual start this Memorial Day Weekend with the “divorce yard sale” of James B. Fairchild and Whitney St. John, a couple once billed as a modern day F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald. According to the NY Daily News, Fairchild, son of former Women’s Wear Daily and W publisher John Fairchild, and St. John, a high society real estate broker, have decided to hold a joint sale of antiques and collectibles as part of their divorce settlement. Read more
In headline-making news yesterday, Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin announced their marital separation through a blog post on Paltrow’s lifestyle site, Goop.com titled “Conscious Uncoupling“:
“It is with hearts full of sadness that we have decided to separate,” the pair wrote. “We have been working hard for well over a year, some of it together, some of it separated, to see what might have been possible between us, and we have come to the conclusion that while we love each other very much we will remain separate.” Read more
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