Divorce and Attorneys

Law school opens free divorce court services to qualifying citizens

2007-02-08T02:17:00.000-08:00

The Texas Tech School of Law has partnered with Associate Judge Judy Parker to offer free legal services one night a month to qualifying individuals seeking a divorce. The first clinic was held Jan. 18 with four cases, and the Feb. 15 clinic is already booked with 10 cases, said Nancy Mojica, the equal-justice volunteer program coordinator at Legal Aid of Northwest Texas. "Right now we're trying to limit ourselves to 10 a month," she said. "We're wanting to take more, but we want to see how it works out." Individuals wishing to get legal aid at the clinics must first contact Mojica to be screened through Legal Aid of Northwest Texas. "We are starting with no children and little-to-no property," Parker said. "We would like to expand it, but you have to start somewhere." Mojica said those who are interested should contact her at Legal Aid of Northwest Texas immediately to start the screening process.

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Zachary Witman's attorneys seek new trial

2007-02-06T02:19:00.000-08:00

A world-renowned forensic expert testified Friday morning that closer examination of physical evidence might have helped the defense in the fratricide trial of Zachary Witman. Dr. Henry C. Lee reviewed forensic reports and portions of trial testimony, but did not look at any physical evidence collected from the crime scene, he said. Still, based on the reports, he said he would have advised defense counsel to have certain evidence -- including DNA and soil samples -- examined more closely. "That's what an expert is for -- to explore any area of possibility," Lee said. Lee has been involved in more than 6,000 crime investigations, including the Nicole Brown Simpson and JonBenet Ramsey murder cases, as well as war crimes in Bosnia .

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Celebrity Divorce Attorney Gives Tips to See if Your Valentine Is ...

2007-02-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- There is nothing more exciting than Valentine's Day as the day for making that long term commitment with your mate -- whether you're moving in together or tying the knot. But wait! How can you tell if the person you think is right for you is really right for you? Stacy Phillips, celebrity divorce attorney and author of Divorce: It's All About Control -- How To Win the Emotional, Psychological or Legal Wars says to ask the following questions, answers to which will help you determine if your likes and dislikes, needs and wants, are compatible with those of your significant other. Phillips also suggests you answer these additional questions to size up the compatibility factor: How does your mate handle a crisis? Behave in public places? Treat your friends and family, and you? If you are in love -- if you've finally met Mr.

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Bank robbery suspect said to have divorce on his mind

2007-01-31T02:18:00.000-08:00

PASADENA - A middle-aged man citing divorce is being sought in connection with at least five recent area bank robberies, including one earlier this month in Pasadena. The "Irreconcilable Differences Bandit," a clean-shaven white man with a medium build and close-cropped salt-and-pepper hair, is believed responsible for robbing five banks in the Southland since Dec. 22. In at least one robbery, the man approached the counter and told the teller he was going through a divorce and needed help wiring money so his wife's attorney wouldn't find out. He then passed the teller a note demanding money, and said he had a gun and bomb, according to the FBI. He has brandished a revolver in at least one robbery, according to witness reports. Authorities believe he is responsible for robbing the Bank of America, 880 E.

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Attorneys Davis Polk Advises Bonnier on Its Acquisition of Time4 ...

2007-01-29T02:20:00.000-08:00

LAWFUEL - US Business & Law - Davis Polk &Wardwell is advising Bonnier AB on its acquisition, through its U.S. subsidiary Bonnier US Holding Inc. of Time4 Media, Inc. and The Parenting Group Inc. from Time Inc. Bonnier is a 200-year-old Swedish media company with operations in more than 20 countries. Time4 Media and The Parenting Group are publishers of special interest magazines, including Field & Stream, Outdoor Life, Yachting, Popular Science, MotorBoating, Parenting and Babytalk. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The Davis Polk corporate team includes partner Phillip R. Mills and associates Aly El Hamamsy, Anthony Feo, Benjamin H. Klein and Shawn Thomas Richards (not yet admitted). Partner Barbara Nims and associates Bernice A. Grant and Tamar Y.

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California Divorce Attorney Posted By : Steve C.

2007-01-23T02:22:00.000-08:00

California has tens of thousands of California attorneys or California lawyers registered with the State Bar of California. California divorce attorneys or California divorce lawyers may practice in the Northern California region or Southern California region. With so many attorneys practicing law in California, how do you find the right California divorce attorney or California divorce lawyer who can help you with your particular divorce case and/or child custody case? .

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More couples divorce later in life

2007-01-21T02:22:00.000-08:00

A couple in their 90s who had decided to divorce sought the advice of a lawyer. "You've been married so long," said the lawyer. "Why on earth would you split up now?""We were waiting for the kids to die," came the reply. Call it "late-life divorce black humor." And in a surprising number of cases, call it not so far from the truth, says author Deirdre Blair, who says she heard variations on the story from lawyers, family members and divorcing seniors themselves while researching her book, "Calling It Quits: Late Life Divorce and Starting Over," which will be published Jan. 30 by Random House.Blair interviewed more than 400 ex-wives and ex-husbands, who ranged in age from 50 to 83 and had ended marriages that had lasted anywhere from 20 to 60 years. She also talked to adult children of older divorced parents.

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Bush tries to terrorize Guantanamo attorneys

2007-01-19T02:23:00.000-08:00

Charles D. Stimson, the Bush administration’s deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs, would seem to have been reading his Shakespeare. Last week this Orwellian anonymity emulated Dick the Butcher, who in Act IV, Scene 2, of “Henry VI, Part 2,” bellows to his fellow rogues: “The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers!” Mr. Stimson last Thursday expressed his distress at the legal aid being offered pro bono to the hundreds of “detainees” at Guantanamo Bay by attorneys from leading law firms around the country, and proposed — urged — a big-business boycott of any and all such law firms. His chosen method of execution of the offending lawyers is, well, starvation. Selective starvation. “I think, quite honestly,” Mr.

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Study: Nature Of Fights Between Spouses May Predict Divorce

2007-01-15T02:26:00.000-08:00

Waco, TX (AHN) - The nature of fights between spouses may reveal whether the couple will stay together or go for divorce, a study said. The research, conducted by Baylor University researchers, mainly focused on the factors that determined whether a person would use positive or negative communication during an argument. Describing the results of study, lead researcher Keith Sanford said: "There is a notion that all negative emotion is bad and we found that simply isn't the case." "As humans, we are very sensitive to is this person going to fight against me or cooperate with me. If you say more things that signal that you willing to cooperate, that can make all the difference," Sanford added. .

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Legal News Line examines state attorneys-general, supreme courts

2007-01-13T02:19:00.000-08:00

Legal News Line (LNL) is a brand new information service providing daily, national news coverage of state attorneys-general and state supreme courts. Today, our states' top cops -- attorneys-general -- are playing an increasingly activist role in their aggressive stands against insurance companies, auto makers and utility companies. Suing big business has become a routine means of accomplishing what cannot otherwise be done legislatively. Of course, when anti-business legislation is enacted, some attorneys-general stand and cheer. For instance, Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann on Monday commended new Gov. Ted Strickland's veto of a bill that would have limited lawsuits against lead-pigment manufacturers. Our state supreme courts are also getting in on the act.

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Woman protecting sons from Islam charges divorce court rules broken

2007-01-09T02:26:00.000-08:00

Judicial ethics complaints are being filed against a Tennessee judge by a woman battling her Muslim husband in a divorce case she fears could leave her teen sons at the mercy of violent Islamic jihadists and a lawyer who was asked to take notes in the case. The woman, Rosaline Ghawji, is seeking a divorce from her husband, prominent Memphis doctor Maher Ghawji, because she alleges he has "ties to terrorism [and] has threatened to kill her and her two boys if they did not abide by radical Islamic doctrine," according to a statement from her general counsel's office. The statement from that office alleged Judge Donna Fields of Circuit Court in Shelby County for the state's 13th Judicial District "grossly violated" the Canons of Judicial Ethics. A lawyer who was hired to take notes at her divorce trial also is filing a complaint after Judge Fields ordered him out of the audience and onto the stand to testify in the divorce case.

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Law firm unveils new name and attorneys

2007-01-07T02:26:00.000-08:00

Smith, Shaw & Maddox, a more than century-old law firm practicing in Rome and Cedartown, announced last week a plan to restructure the company and change its name. Effective immediately, the firm will practice under the name McRae, Stegall, Peek, Harman, Smith & Manning LLP — named after the current senior partners. Founded in 1899, the firm had operated for many years under the names of former longtime firm principals Oscar Smith, Charles Shaw and J.D. Maddox. In addition to the name change, the firm has added two new full-time attorneys and taken on one of its former attorneys as counsel to the firm. After years of affiliation with Zartic, Jackson Baldwin Harris is back working as counsel with the law firm. “Jack Harris is a talented attorney who has had a unique career experience for our region,” said Jo H.

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Do-It-Yourself Divorce May Not Finalize Deal

2007-01-03T02:29:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES -- Rising legal fees, fewer legal aid services and a do-it-yourself mentality are driving more Californians to handle their own divorces, but sometimes not very successfully. Court officials and legal experts worry that tens of thousands of former California couples don't realize their divorces weren't finalized after they tried to end their marriages. Many more, officials say, simply let their cases languish because they're stumped by complex paperwork and court procedures. "People just don't get it done. They don't know how to get it done," said L.A. County Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas. "That's troubling. There are legal ramifications to continuing to be married." .

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Attorneys try to save cop-killer's life with legal maneuvers

2007-01-01T02:22:00.000-08:00

In an all-out bid to save his life, lawyers for convicted cop killer Ronell Wilson have moved to prevent prosecutors from highlighting the victims' status as police officers during the penalty phase of the trial and to exclude evidence on the defendant's alleged membership in the Bloods gang. Wilson, 24, of Stapleton, was convicted Dec. 20 of murdering Detectives Rodney J. Andrews and James V. Nemorin on March 10, 2003, in Tompkinsville. The undercover officers were posing as gun buyers when Wilson shot them execution-style in their unmarked car. The penalty phase will begin Jan. 10 in Brooklyn federal court. The same anonymous jury of seven men and five women that convicted Wilson of 10 crimes, including murder in aid of racketeering, robbery conspiracy, attempted robbery and carjacking, will decide whether to impose a death sentence or a term of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

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Divorce and new beginnings for you and your kids

2006-12-28T02:24:00.000-08:00

New beginnings and resolutions are echoed across the world as we begin a new year in January 2007. For families of divorce and separation, new beginnings occur year round. As Einstein once said, "In the midst of Difficulty lies Opportunity." Take advantage of the opportunity of your new beginning. Prioritizing the best interests of children and family members as you plan to rebuild for a healthy and successful future is the best resolution for new beginnings any time of year. Mapping out a blueprint of where you are now, and where you would like your family to be, can be overwhelming in the midst of a redefining family, but is absolutely attainable and can be managed with these simple steps. You will be surprised to see how each component interacts with the other. .

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Fulbright’s Attorneys in Middle East Highly Ranked by Chambers Global

2006-12-26T02:25:00.000-08:00

The Chambers Global guide for 2007 describes Fulbright's Middle East attorneys as an "experienced, responsive and high-quality" team on the ground that is part of a "leading global outfit, with particular strength in the energy sector." Nearly a dozen of Fulbright's practice areas from Asia to the United Kingdom were held out by Chambers for exceptional work. Among the practice areas that caught the attention of the Chambers researchers were the firm's international arbitration, intellectual property, energy and dispute resolution work. Eleven of the firm's attorneys were individually recognized in Chambers Global, including Mark Bisch in the firm's Dubai office. The Chambers researchers said Bisch and others Fulbright attorneys in the Middle East practice offer "that extra personal touch." Fulbright's International Practice Group is made up of more than 130 lawyers, who provide a range of services on international transactional, commercial, financial, investment and dispute resolution matters.

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Former Doors Drummer Files For Divorce

2006-12-15T02:23:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles, CA (AHN) - John Densmore, the former drummer of the rock band the Doors, has filed for divorce from his wife of 16 years, documentary filmmaker Leslie Frances Neal, according to papers filed Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court. AP reports that the papers said, Densmore, 62, cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for the divorce. He was seeking joint custody of their teenage daughter, Luka. Densmore has been working on multiple theater and writing projects since the Doors disbanded in 1973, two years after the 1971 death of the band's lead singer, Jim Morrison. Densmore wrote an autobiography about the Doors called "Riders on the Storm." He has also helped Neal produce "Juvies" and "Road to Return," both documentaries. .

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Microsoft: Attorneys' 're-view' policy ridiculous

2006-12-13T02:26:00.000-08:00

A Microsoft lawyer argued Tuesday that three expert witnesses should be barred from testifying in the Iowa class-action suit against Microsoft because plaintiffs lawyers have repeatedly failed to provide documents related to the witnesses testimony. Polk County District Court Judge Scott Rosenberg ordered the lawyers to turn over the documents or he might decide to ban the witnesses. The three witnesses are Janet Netz and Jeffrey Macki-Mason, a husband and wife team who operate Applied Economic Consulting, a litigation support business, and Roger Noll, a technology and economics professor at Stanford University. The three are expected to be called to help jurors determine economic damages, which the plaintiffs lawyers say total as much as $330 million.

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Attorney: Divorce key in officer's case

2006-12-09T02:26:00.000-08:00

Divorce proceedings filed by a Desert Hot Springs police officer accused of sexual assaulting his own child could play a key role in his trial, the officer's attorney said Tuesday. "These allegations were not made until after the divorce was filed, so that's highly suspect," said attorney John Patrick Dolan. "So we're looking at the significance that might play: Why the allegations came forward after the divorce was filed." The divorce was filed Aug. 14. The officer was arrested Sept. 28. The prosecution, however, said the divorce filing will not be an issue because the 49 counts of sexual assault against him are alleged to have occurred as far back as 1996. "The evidence will demonstrate that the divorce has absolutely no bearing on any of this," said Deputy District Attorney Victoria Cameron, who is trying the case.

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Nigeria: Cleric Flays High Divorce Rate in Yobe

2006-12-07T02:26:00.000-08:00

The divorce rate in Yobe State has reached a new high, a respected Friday prayer leader has said. Commissioner for Religious Affairs, Ustaz Hudu Mohammed has expressed dismay over what he described as the high level of divorce cases among Muslims in the state. Speaking in Damaturu, Ustaz Mohammed said husbands are divorcing their wives in higher numbers. These men have neglected the teachings of Islam on Marriage, he said. He said: "For very insignificant reasons, men divorce their wives simply because they can afford to marry other women... many women have been made to become liabilities on their families owing to unnecessary divorce." Ustaz Hudu Mohammed described the situation as "completely unacceptable and grievous", maintaining that anyone who divorces their wives on "flimsy excuses" will be questioned by God in the hereafter.

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Maryland Attorneys Appeal Ruling Against Fair Share Health Care ...

2006-12-03T02:24:00.000-08:00

Attorneys for the state of Maryland on Thursday argued before a federal appeals court in defense of a law that would require Wal-Mart Stores to increase spending on health care for employees, the AP/Hampton Roads Daily Press reports (Chen Sampson, AP/Hampton Roads Daily Press, 11/30). The law, which was enacted on Jan. 12 but overturned in July by U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz, would require employers in Maryland with 10,000 or more employees to spend at least 8% of payroll costs on health care or contribute to a state fund for the uninsured. Wal-Mart would be the only employer in Maryland affected by the law. The Retail Industry Leaders Association, a retail industry group that includes Wal-Mart, in February filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Baltimore alleging that the Maryland law violates the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act, among other allegations.

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Celebrity Divorce Attorney/Author Offers Ten Holiday Tips for ...

2006-11-27T02:28:00.000-08:00

CENTURY CITY, Calif., Nov. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Stacy Phillips, Los Angeles celebrity divorce attorney and author of Divorce: It's All About Control - How To Win the Emotional, Psychological and Legal Wars, (www.controlyourdivorce.com) is concerned about those divorced couples with children who may play "divorce war games" with one another over the holidays -- using the kids as collateral damage. She offers them ten tips: .

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TV hostess Li Xiang confirms divorce

2006-11-25T02:25:00.000-08:00

BEIJING, Nov. 24 -- TV hostess Li Xiang announced in her blog Wednesday night that she has been divorced from jewelry tycoon Li Houlin for a while, the first confirmation from the couple following rumors they had split. Earlier this month, an anonymous man who claimed to be a staff member in Li Houlin's company revealed to the media that the couple's two-year marriage was in trouble. Later, photos and video clips showing Li Xiang dining with another man appeared in the domestic press. The TV star said she had told the truth in her blog because she could no longer stand people's quizzical looks and the rumors. "It's true that our marriage is over. I did not say anything earlier because I was afraid of appearing in tabloid headlines, and I didn't want to affect our day-to-day life." Li wrote: "We got married bravely, despite never-ending gossip around us, which I don't regret.

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One Marine pleads guilty as attorneys fight to keep another out of ...

2006-11-23T02:20:00.000-08:00

There was plenty of court action Tuesday in the Hamdaniya case, in which eight Camp Pendleton servicemen are charged with kidnapping and killing an Iraqi man last spring. In one courtroom on the base, Lance Cpl. Jerry Shumate Jr. received a sentence of 21 months after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The lesser charges are part of a plea deal that will allow him to receive a lighter sentence in exchange for his testimony against co-defendants. The judge had rendered a verdict of eight years in jail, but that was negated by Shumate's pretrial agreement with the government. Once Shumate finishes his sentence, he will be given a general discharge from the Marine Corps. In a nearby courtroom, Lance Cpl. Robert B. Pennington's arraignment continued for its second day.

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Sicka wasn't aware divorce was final, his attorney says

2006-11-21T02:19:00.000-08:00

Larry Sicka's wife got their divorce finalized four days before he allegedly stabbed to death his in-laws, but Sicka was unaware that the marriage was legally over, his attorney said. Belleville attorney Charlie Stegmeyer said he didn't find out until Monday that the divorce was final because the court did not notify him, something it should have done. "It might have changed the course of events," said Stegmeyer. Knowing about the hearing might have delayed the divorce and given Sicka some hope — or a chance to get help, he said. "You can speculate forever," Stegmeyer added. .

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Second divorce for Chris Evert

2006-11-19T02:20:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES: Former Wimbledon champion Chris Evert is getting divorced for the second time, according to weekly magazine People. The winner of 18 Grand Slams and 157 titles in a glorious career, 51-year-old Evert is divorcing former skier Andy Mill after 18 years and three sons together. According to the magazine the couple's split is mutual. Evert enjoyed a thrilling rivalry with Martina Navratilova during her pomp in the 1970s and 80s until her retirement in 1989. Her first marriage was to British tennis player John Lloyd in 1979 which ended in 1987. AFP .

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Illinois Legal Aid Attorneys Forced to Leave Jobs to Make Ends ...

2006-11-17T02:24:00.000-08:00

CHICAGO, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Almost half of Illinois legal aid attorneys plan to leave their positions in the next three years, according to a major new study of legal aid attorney recruitment and retention. Today the Chicago Bar Foundation and the Illinois Coalition for Equal Justice released Investing in Justice: A Framework for Effective Recruitment and Retention of Illinois Legal Aid Attorneys. Currently in Illinois, there is only one legal aid lawyer for every 4,752 legal problems faced by low-income Illinoisans. This disparity will only increase as financial barriers are making it nearly impossible for law graduates to pursue careers in legal aid, and forcing many who do to leave the field after just a few years. "The majority of Illinois legal aid attorneys are struggling each day to make ends meet.

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Divorce Advice For The Holidays - Celebrity Divorce Attorney ...

2006-11-15T02:22:00.000-08:00

CENTURY CITY, Calif., Nov. 8 LAWFUEL - Law News, Law Jobs -- Stacy Phillips, Los Angeles celebrity divorce attorney and author of Divorce: It's All About Control - How To Win the Emotional, Psychological and Legal Wars, (http://www.controlyourdivorce.com) is concerned about those divorced couples with children who may play "divorce war games" with one another over the holidays -- using the kids as collateral damage. She offers them ten tips: 1. Get counseling. The holiday season is undoubtedly the most distressing time of the year for everyone associated with a broken family, especially the children. Prepare for it with a trip to your favorite therapist. 2. No "one-upsmanship." Don't try to "out-buy" the other parent with gifts, vacations, and lavish extravagances.

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Pre-nups to Include a Ban Against Text Messaging Divorce Plans

2006-11-13T02:48:00.000-08:00

Millions of clients the world over are rushing to lawyers wanting an addendum to their pre-nups, requiring that both parties agree that divorce announcements are NOT to be text messaged. And providing severe penalties if either party violates the agreement. Sam Singleman took the news in stride, proudly reporting that he's taken care of his last two breakups via post-it notes. He added, "I got the idea from 'Sex in the City' when one of Carrie's boyfriends handled business that way. Short and sweet, it works great." Owen OftenMarried was also undeterred by the new caveat against ending a marriage via a text message. He commented, "Hey, no problem. When left to my own devices, without a babe hanging on me, I can be totally creative and think of lots of other ways to end a marriage. Plain old e-mail, the answering machine, a postcard, an ad in the local paper, skywriting, renting space on the lit-up bulletin board at a sporting event, whatever." Shrugging, he added cheerfully, "Plus the other means of communication yet to be invented." Meanwhile, still rolling along is that New York City bus (once reported on by the late comedian Joey Adams) with graffiti offering some unique marital advice: "When you meet someone who can cook and do housework -- don't hesitate a minute -- marry him." .

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State attorneys general to meet on Hicks

2006-11-11T02:44:00.000-08:00

State attorneys general will meet with the US-appointed defence counsel for David Hicks to discuss the Australian terror suspect's continued detention without trial. Federal Attorney General Phillip Ruddock, though, will not attend as it would be "inappropriate". Major Michael Mori will address the assembled attorneys general on Friday before they attend the quarterly Standing Committee of Attorneys General (SCAG) in Fremantle, Western Australia. A spokesman for NSW Attorney-General Bob Debus said Major Mori would also answer questions on concerns about the increasingly drawn-out legal processes surrounding Hicks' case. "They (the attorneys general) all believe the federal government should be doing all it can to ensure Hicks gets a fair trial, this is nothing to do with his guilt or innocence but his right to a fair trial," the spokesman said.

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Divorce from reality for Senate campaign

2006-11-03T02:38:00.000-08:00

Here we were thinking that the Allen campaign hit a record level of idiocy with its idea that you can plumb the depths of a man's soul by reading the smutty parts of his novels. Then, a gaggle of Webb supporters does something just as pathetic. No, novels are not the place to seek big T "truth" about men running for the Senate, Webb supporters tell us, divorce records can shed real light on the inner man. Please spare us this sleaze. The latest flare-up in the Allen-divorce-records saga, previously confined to the Internet, came on Monday when a Michael Moore-wannabe confronted Sen. George Allen with allegations from decades-old divorce proceedings just as the senator was preparing to speak to reporters in Charlottesville. A melee ensued in which Allen supporters clearly overreacted, hurling Mike Stark to the ground.

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Federal Agent In Attack Ad Flap Hires Attorneys

2006-10-26T03:16:00.000-07:00

DENVER -- A federal immigration official accused of leaking information from a federal crime database to a Republican gubernatorial candidate has hired a former federal prosecutor as his attorney. Authorities said Immigration Customs and Enforcement agent Cory Voorhis is under investigation, accused of leaking information from the NCIC database to rep. Bob Beauprez's gubernatorial campaign. The campaign used the information involving the arrest of an illegal immigrant to paint Democratic rival Bill Ritter as soft on illegal immigration. Voorhis is now represented by William Taylor, a former chief of the major crimes unit of the Colorado U.S. Attorney's Office. Taylor will be joined by white-collar-crime defense specialist J. Triplett Mackintosh. Neither lawyer has commented on the case.

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Divorce: it's even dirtier than politics

2006-10-22T03:22:00.000-07:00

Sir Paul McCartney should have anticipated that his life would turn into a media circus the day he proposed to Bertram Mills's little girl, Heather. But I am really appalled by the press over-reaction to last week's sordid peek inside the McCartney-Mills mansion. Why are people so shocked that this alliance is ripping asunder after four years? That's a long time for a multi-millionaire to put up with a woman's mood swings just because she scrubs up well. "Pay up and move on, chum," I say to Paul, "life's too short and so is one of your wife's legs." (I forget which, it's a long time since Heather and I were that close). As for the revelations themselves, they're hardly eyebrow raising, are they? So he cut her with a glass; so he pushed her in the bath; so he made her crawl to the toilet in the night; isn't this what married life is all about? I know mine was.

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Divorce 'can boost debt levels'

2006-10-16T03:13:00.000-07:00

Getting divorced can increase the chances of an individual falling deeper into debt, according to research from lender Alliance & Leicester. Alliance & Leicester said that the extra costs relating to the process of getting divorced can erode finances. A divorcee owes an average of about 5,000, excluding mortgages, equivalent to 28% of their annual salary. Married couples owe a little more on average, about 5,250, but this equates to 15.9% of their combined salary. 'Relationship breakdown' "Splitting up clearly gives rise to a lot of costs, including setting up a new home," Chris Rhodes, managing director of Alliance & Leicester Retail Banking, said. "This is reflected in the fact that the recently separated have the highest overall level of debt.

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Siegelman Attorneys Allege Further Juror Misconduct in ...

2006-10-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

MONTGOMERY, Ala. --- Attorneys for former Governor Don Siegelman have filed a supplemental motion alleging further juror misconduct. The motion asks to supplement the record on the joint Motion for a New Trial filed earlier by attorneys for Siegelman and Scrushy. The motion says further information regarding alleged juror e-mails was received by counsel for Siegelman on October 10, 2006 with a postmark of October 7, 2006. The documents received appear to be a copy of an email from Juror B dated June 25, 2006 at 11:31 p.m. from the same G-mail account for Juror B previously identified. The e-mail is allegedly addressed to another juror not previously identified. "The text of this alleged email reads: proud of u. . . other 6 kounts most important.

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Children to get new voice in divorce cases

2006-10-10T03:12:00.000-07:00

Children caught in the middle of court battles between warring parents would be allowed to express their feelings and wishes personally to the judge deciding the case under plans being drawn up by the government, the Guardian has learned. The proposal for children to talk to the judge or magistrate presiding over cases is controversial, and ministers acknowledge that the judiciary's views are mixed. But Harriet Harman, the constitutional affairs minister, is convinced that children old enough to express their views should have a direct voice in cases about them. She is pushing for wide-ranging reforms of the family justice system. .

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Doctors bankruptcy case may extend to 2007, attorneys say

2006-10-08T03:14:00.000-07:00

OAKLAND - The bankruptcy case brought on by the fiscal woes of Doctors Medical Center will likely linger over the hospital until well into 2007, according to attorneys who attended a hearing in the case Friday. The U.S. Bankruptcy Court proceeding in Oakland was the first official legal proceeding in the Chapter 9 filing by West Contra Costa Healthcare District. The hospital district filed a petition on Oct. 1 to shield itself from creditors. The district listed $50 million to $100 million in liabilities and the same range of assets. The hearing was the first glimpse of what will almost certainly be an arduous and tangled process to restore the financial viability of the San Pablo-based hospital district. The district has lost somewhere from $1 million to $2 million a month since it bought the West County medical facility in 2004.

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Cantwell divorce file resealed by court, yet to be explored by ...

2006-10-04T03:14:00.000-07:00

The Cantwell divorce file was resealed yesterday. Dotzauer's attorney argued that the pro-tem commissioner who unsealed it last week at my request was out-of-line. It's also clear from yesterday's filing that somebody had been trying to unseal the file before I came along (see the letter dated 9/21). Today's Everett Herald has an article about the controversy. Somehow, it avoids reporting what the file actually contained or why I think it's significant. (The same reporters reported in detail on McGavick's DUI police report). I told the Herald this is an important story because (not in any particular order) -- 1) The pre-wedding fling reveals Cantwell's poor judgment. Any fool knows that's a bad move to sleep with somebody a few days before their wedding to somebody else.

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PayPal Settles With Attorneys General

2006-10-02T03:13:00.000-07:00

The online-payment service PayPal will simplify its user agreement and better inform users about fraud protection under an agreement announced Thursday with 28 state attorneys general. PayPal said it already has removed links from its user agreement to make the document easier for people to read and print. During the payment process, PayPal now explains how the company protects customers against fraud _ for example, when a seller fails to deliver merchandise paid for via PayPal _ and what protections apply to their transaction. PayPal enables individuals and businesses around the globe to send and receive money online. In 2005, users moved $27.5 billion through the money transmitter. The New Jersey state attorney general's office said it has received 30 complaints about how PayPal remedies billing disputes.

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Attorneys can't prove assets were hidden

2006-09-24T03:19:00.000-07:00

Galesburg - The bankruptcy of two former motorcycle shop owners will proceed as scheduled now that attorneys say there was insufficient evidence to prove they were hiding assets. Former Mid-West Choppers owners Chip and Chrissy Miyler filed for bankruptcy on their custom motorcycle shop Oct. 14, 2005, and filed for personal bankruptcy the next day. About 40 people from across the country and some from New Zealand and Germany have filed complaints against the shop, claiming they were asked to pay large sums of money shortly before it went out of business. Bankruptcy trustee Richard Barber filed a complaint Feb. 10, 2006 to deny the approval of their personal bankruptcy after he was given information the couple was concealing assets from the bankruptcy proceedings. Peoria attorney Sumner Bourne, who represents several of the former customers, said his office was unable to find any concealed assets and said the personal bankruptcy will now move forward.

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The misunderstood divorce rate

2006-09-21T10:22:00.001-07:00

More and more, the topic of divorce rates on the rise in the United States are littering the news and everyone is ready to jump on the release and condemn modern society. Golden-agers finally get the chance to reprimand their children once again, claiming that they lack the capacity to hold a true relationship or are too selfish to stay hitched. Still others will go out and say that the social fabric of marriage is beginning to rip at the very onset of any increase of this statistic. Lets look at it from a different perspective. Decades back, the United States hardly had any families that differed from the nuclear family mold. There were two parents and children in school. And although the King of England had years ago paved way for anyone who wanted to remarry, whether it be once or eight times, the stigma of divorce earned anyone the black sheep role of the family.

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Attorneys Push for Passenger Fee

2006-09-21T10:22:00.000-07:00

FLORIDA – As reported by the Sun News: "Attorneys for the casino boat industry said Tuesday that Horry County could avoid a losing court battle if it accepts a passenger fee instead of taxing the industry's proceeds. "County Council pushed ahead anyway with the tax on gambling boat profits and pay-outs but agreed to negotiate with casino operators once again. "…Florida-based SunCruz Casinos, which owns one of the boats, sued the state over the new law, saying tax collectors could not touch gambling proceeds generated outside South Carolina waters. The case appears headed for the state Supreme Court. "SunCruz offered the county $3 for each of the estimated 25,000 passenger who board the ship each month if it agrees to drop its effort to tax the casino boats' proceeds…" .

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Plainfield is left to deal with Darlington divorce

2006-09-21T10:21:00.001-07:00

While the final days of Dan Darlington in Morris were seen as something of a messy breakup, the marriage of the long-time local icon to Plainfield North High School has to be considered a bitter divorce. Unfortunately for the two sides, children are also involved in the split. Weeks of accusations, allegations, charges, assertions and claims about his football team have taken another turn as Darlington swings back at Plainfield School District 202, which essentially helped him find the door while letting it hit him in the fanny on the way through. "Four weeks ago, I sat down with (Superintendent Dr. John) Harper and I told him, 'Any time that you don't want me here, just tell me and I'll walk out the door. I'm retired anyway. I can leave tomorrow. I can leave now.

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Saddam's attorneys walk out in protest

2006-09-21T10:21:00.000-07:00

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Saddam Hussein's defense lawyers left the courtroom Wednesday in protest after Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki on Tuesday fired the judge overseeing the second phase of Saddam's trial, accusing him of bias toward the deposed Iraqi ruler. "We don't expect this court, established under the occupation authorities, to be fair, so we decided to withdraw from this trial," a defense lawyer, Wadoud Fawzi, told the court, The Associated Press reported. Aides to Maliki said Tuesday that pressure had been building from Kurds and others to remove the judge — Abdullah al-Amiri, a Shiite who was also a judge under Saddam's government — after Amiri told Saddam in court that he was not a dictator. On Wednesday, Amiri was replaced in court by his assistant, Muhammad al-Uraibi, another Shiite, who ordered Saddam out of the court after he objected to the changes, news agencies said.

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Whitney Houston Files for Divorce; Hires High-Powered Celebrity ...

2006-09-21T10:20:00.003-07:00

Whitney Houston has filed for divorce from husband Bobby Brown, after 14 years of marriage. Houston filed the paperwork in Orange County, California, on Friday, and the papers were served to Brown on Tuesday. Houston's representative Nancy Seltzer confirms the split to American publication People stating, "She has filed from divorce from Bobby Brown. We're saying she filed for divorce because that is (Whitney's) intent. (Whitney) was in LA on Tuesday night with Clive Davis at the Ella Awards. I have nothing further to add." Houston, 43, and Brown, 39, have one child together - daughter Bobbi Kristina, 13. Divorce proceeding are expected to begin next month. Whitney Houston won't be taking any chances when she takes estranged husband Bobby Brown to court - she's hired one of America's most famous divorce lawyers.

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Divorce blows in a squall at Vornado

2006-09-21T10:20:00.002-07:00

A couple's divorce sometimes sends a business into turmoil, too. That's what has happened at Andover's Vornado Air Circulation Systems Inc. In the past year, top managers have been fired, a hostile takeover attempt was thwarted and the company and its directors are embroiled in a lawsuit. In 1987, Michael Coup revived the Vornado brand fans that the O.A. Sutton Co. first popularized in the 1940s. The family of his then-wife, Karen,invested heavily in the company. The couple split in 2004 after 27 years of marriage, and their divorce was final in January 2006. In February, the company's board of directors voted to buy back almost $1.9 million of its stock from Karen Coup's family. "It wasn't a matter directly of (resolving) a divorce," Michael Coup says.

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Ward and Smith, PA attorneys present at Workers' Compensation ...

2006-09-21T10:20:00.001-07:00

On September 19, 2006, Lorman Education Services hosted a one-day seminar on Workers' Compensation in North Carolina. This seminar was held at the City Hotel and Bistro in Greenville, North Carolina. William Joseph Austin, Jr.; S. McKinley Gray, III; and William A. Oden, III; all of Ward and Smith, P.A., were the featured speakers at this seminar. The seminar topics included "The North Carolina Workers' Compensation Act: A Summary"; "The Non-Insured Employee"; "A Claim Is in the House: What To Do"; "Disability"; "Dispute Resolutions"; "Access to Medical Documents"; "Retaliatory Employment Discrimination Act (REDA)"; and "Fraud." The seminar was concluded with a panel discussion on "The Trajectory of Workers' Compensation, the Law and Procedures." William Joseph Austin, Jr.

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Houston Hires Big Gun Attorney For Divorce

2006-09-21T10:20:00.000-07:00

Whitney Houston is digging in deep and not taking any chances when she takes estranged husband Bobby Brown to court. She's hired one of America's most well-known divorce attorneys Stephen Kolodny to represent her. . Kolodny and his legal team have represented Sean Connery, Kim Basinger and Barbra Streisand, among others, and the attorney has also co-written what is considered to be the ultimate guide to divorce court strategy, The Divorce Court Trial Manual. Houston and Brown were married in 1992 and surprised many critics as their marriage appeared to be enduring, but, following reports of domestic abuse that landed Brown behind bars and Houston's recent drug troubles, divorce reports have been raging for the past 12 months. In Houston's divorce documents, which were filed in Orange County Superior Court, California, and obtained by website TMZ.com, the singer is named as 'plaintiff Whitney Elizabeth', while Brown is listed as 'defendant/respondent Robert Beresford'.

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Amicable Parting or Messy Divorce?

2006-09-21T10:19:00.000-07:00

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun's brief and inconclusive meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush last week only served to underscore what has been apparent to observers for some time now: U.S.-South Korean relations are taking a serious downturn, and the end of the alliance as we have known it is nigh. This is not, necessarily, a bad thing. The world has changed significantly since the alliance was forged over 50 years ago, not least in South Korea itself, which has transformed from a dictatorship with a GDP on par with Botswana to a thriving democracy with, by some counts, the 10th largest economy in the world. It is only natural that the alliance relationship should be updated, and perhaps even abandoned, to account for the new realities. Yet instead of a reasoned debate about whether the alliance should continue as is or be replaced by something else, much of the discussion about the issue has been driven by rhetoric and recriminations.

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