As thoughts turn towards divorce, tempers can flare and people may behave in ways they normally would not be proud of, even in a relatively amicable situation. Of course, the bad behavior of a spouse—ranging from neglect of household duties to infidelity to abusive actions—may well have begun long before the divorce, and may well…
Divorce, while never easy, does not have to be an ordeal. For couples who wish to amicably end their marriages, there are a number of processes available that do not involve a combative mindset and are designed to minimize conflict in favor of compromise. One of the most common processes that aim for a more…
Rhode Island marriages end for a variety of reasons. From financial to work-related or even stress-related reasons, many marriages all over the country end in divorce. No matter the reason, divorce proceedings can range from amicable to hostile. A number of circumstances may add additional stress to the divorce process; particularly, marriages that end due…
More and more couples, facing divorce or legal separation, are already turning away from contentious court proceedings and long-lived litigation to legal mediation. Yet, there is a third option, separate from litigation and mediation: the collaborative divorce process. This method is only a few decades old, but it already boasts a worldwide network of legal…
The State of Rhode Island is not a 50/50, or community property, state. It is what’s known as an equitable distribution state. So, when a Rhode Island court rules on the allocation of assets, they are not necessarily divided equally between the two parties. While almost all states mandate a 50/50 split, Rhode Island is…
Courts primarily base their decision on what is in the child’s best interest, using the Child’s Best Interest Standard. Factors vary from state to state, but the overall goal is to make a decision that promotes the health and wellbeing of the child. IN Rhode Island, the Court considers about 9 different factors in accordance…
Divorce is often both a financial and emotional struggle. Alimony and child support frequently take a large, even unreasonable, amounts out of your monthly paycheck. Conversely, if your income is much smaller than your soon-to-be-ex-spouse’s, or if you stayed at home to look after the family, you might find yourself in dire financial straits and…
In Rhode Island, we do not have a formal process to file a Divorce on the grounds of no-fault. Upon filing you claim irreconcilable differences and ask the Court to assign the matter to the Uncontested track, but this does not mean that one party was not a fault for the breakdown of the marriage,…
While marriage laws are based on where the parties are at the time of marriage, divorce is based on where the parties live at the time of divorce. The answer to this question depends on whether your spouse still lives in Rhode Island. So long as your Spouse has lived in Rhode Island, continuously for…
Grandparents may have legal rights in Rhode Island, regarding visitation, however, this is far from certain. In the event the grandparents and parents can come to an agreement regarding visitation, court intervention is generally not required. When no such agreement can be made, there are certain situations grandparents may be granted a court order allowing…