Choosing Your Co-parent
In a recent Ted Radio Hour podcast I listened to, a scientist said something I have been giving a lot of thought. She said that the more beautiful the male peacock is, the more he preens about during the “dating…
How Will My Legal Fee Be Used?
If you are hiring an attorney for the first time you will want to be well-educated about how your money is going to be spent and how long you should expect it to last. Everyone is on a budget after…
What IS a Guardianship?
Many parents (natural, foster, and adoptive) can become confused about what a "Guardianship" is in the Rhode Island Family Court. When a child is placed into DCYF custody in The State of Rhode Island, the Family Court judge assigned to…
I’ll Give You Three Chickens for that Child!
A visibly upset Mother pleaded with the judge this morning to allow payment of child support with organic fruits and vegetables. She was frantically twirling her hair around her finger while she made this argument. Why does it have to…
Fired in Family Court
When a Family Court attorney fires her client – or is fired by her client – the relationship lives on as some kind of radioactive toxic zombie, shambling forward on pleadings, phone calls and court appearances. It is not ……
Can My Spouse Pay for My Divorce?
A wonderful woman came into my office last week, a victim of abuse who had been cornered and stuck in her marriage for far too long. Her spouse was emotionally and psychologically abusive, was controlling every aspect of her life. …
Don’t Make This Common Child Custody Mistake!
There are countless mistakes that are made by both parties in any typical, run-of-the-mill child custody proceeding. Maybe the father fails a drug screen. Or the mother violates a current Order by refusing father a scheduled visit. Both parents discuss…
The Sex Robot Invasion
Technology is forever changing the way we look at ourselves, at relationships, at fidelity, and at marriage. Perfect example: the rise of sex robots and their impact upon the current marital landscape. How do you react to these sex dolls? …
What Spouses Say About One Another at Consultations
Of course I would never breach any confidences but I have been meeting with husbands and wives for coming on a decade now, and I have happened upon a certain pattern, which I find fascinating for a number of reasons.…
Mental Illness and Child Custody in the R.I. Family Court
What is the Family Court to do with a mentally ill parent? Not one with a 10mg prescription for generalized anxiety (who isn’t anxious now-a-days, after all) but the kind who has recently had an involuntary stint in a hospital.…