Notorious.

 

There are moments in life where the world just suddenly stops and pauses to reflect for a moment; for us, the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg is one of those times.

The hearings leading up to her confirmation on the Supreme Court of the United States was arguably the last time that a confirmation had solely to do with qualifications. Her legacy as a Justice should set the standard for the future of the Supreme Court where she was well respected for her work and work ethic.

We could certainly discuss some of her contributions to case law and culture, but, for us, we are currently focusing on how she treated others during her career and life. Even those who did not agree with her decisions and dissents understand that she always did what she thought was right and did it in a respectful manner. Rumor has it that Justice Scalia, who often had a different thought process, was one of her closest friends. There is no stronger statement that can be made of how friendships based on mutual respect and interest in understanding someone else’s perspective.

We are not going to make any statement regarding whether we think President Trump and the Senate should move forward in nominating Justice Ginsberg’s successor; however, we offer this link to anyone seeking information on the appointment process, limitations and obligations regarding timing and appointment of a Justice:

https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R44235.pdf

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A Solid NO.

Pretty much every time that we talk about child custody or parenting, the phrase “Best Interest of the Child” is either uttered or written. IF you have been divorced within the last decade or so, you have attended a parent education class which focuses on co-parenting.

 

We can actually tell a lot about our clients depending on how they react to the parenting class. Great parents seem to take the class hoping to gain some ideas and bad parents often think that they information doesn’t apply to them.

 

The principles should be basic but we want to share them nonetheless. If you are a co-parent, there are things that you should never ever do:

1. Never talk negatively about your co-parent. Your child loves both parents and, if you talk trash about their other parent, they will potentially internalize it as disapproval of who they are as an individual;

2. If the co-parent starts dating someone or gets married, do not criticize that new person to your child.  Children need to form their own opinions and build their own relationships;

3. Do not cancel out on parenting time if you can avoid it. Things happen: people get sick, work runs late and emergencies happen. Cancellations should be the exceptions, not the standard;

4. Do not set rules in your home that are drastically different from the home they have with your co-parent. Will there be some minor differences? Of course. The best things for a child are stability, structure and predictability. It doesn’t make a huge difference if one home eats at 5pm versus 6pm, but bed times that are hours apart will create a grumpy and confused child;

5. Do not spoil your children too much during your parenting time. It’s really tempting to be the “fun parent,” especially if you are not with your child on a daily basis. Kids do not love you because you sneak them extra cookies (though many grandparents would disagree);

6. Do not leave your homework to the other parent. Almost nobody enjoys Common Core math but chances are good that one parent doesn’t mind it as much as the other. Work together to use your talents, skills and knowledge whenever possible. Your children will benefit academically and they will know that both parents make them a top priority;

7.  Do not ignore your children when you have time with them. Consider playing XBox WITH your child instead of just letting them sit in the basement alone. Quality time is almost more important than quanity;

8. Do not forget to have fun together while also teaching life lessons. Chores are not really fun, but they are important and can be done together. Teach your child to mow the lawn, do laundry and other life skills, then celebrate a job well done together; and

9. Do not introduce your child to ever person that you date. If you are serious with someone, it might be appropriate that your child gets to know this new person. Before you introduce that person to your child, talk with the other parent and the child to let them know that this is going to happen so that everyone can support the child emotionally. If your child is not comfortable meeting someone, take that cue and wait. When you do make an introduction, keep it light and short. Allow your child and your person to develop a relationship on their own and at their own pace.

 

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We Are Everywhere

We Are Everywhere.

If you’re like us, you love to get lost in a good book or a movie. Since quarantine started, we have certainly read a lot of books and watched a ton of movies. If you want a peek into our every day, check out these movies:

1. My Cousin Vinny: Hands down, one of the funniest movies EVER;
2. Legally Blonde: Although not totally accurate, there are some similarities to the law school experience;
3. Liar Liar: Because Jim Carey is always funny;
4. Chicago: As awesome as the movie is, the play is even better;
5. Erin Brockovich: The key to every awesome lawyer is having an equally amazing paralegal;
6. To Kill a Mockingbird: Although considered controversial now, it has been considered a time period classic;
7. A Few Good Men: It uses words like honor, code and loyalty;
8. A Civil Action: Weirdly enough, the book version was pre-requisite reading before our first year of law school and the basis of a civil procedure exam question;
9. A Marriage Story: Love, love, love this movie because of how it ends;
10. Kramer vs Kramer:  When the divorce process goes really bad;
11. 12 Angry Men: An interesting perspective of the process during which jurors come to a verdict;
11. The Accused: If you can get through the graphic three minutes, the film is an excellent depiction of a victim’s emotional journey;
12. The Lincoln Lawyer: It probably was not a coincidence that Lincoln hired Matthew McConaughey as their spokes person a few years after the movie’s release;
13. Philadelphia: We dare you not to cry at the end;
14.  Primal Fear: Probably one of the best psychological thrillers of all time;
15. Judgment at Nuremberg: Selected by the United States National Film Registry as one of the most “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” movies ever made; and
16. Brewster’s Millions: We have never seen someone include such crazy terms in a Will or Trust, but we could certainly have fun trying to spend all that money to inherit the ‘real’ fortune!

What is YOUR favorite movie?

Regards,
John & Faye

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Twitter.




We hope that this email finds you safe and healthy. If you are like most of the United States, you are watching more television than ever during the Covid pandemic. Have you noticed how many people are broadcasting live from their homes? If so, have you taken note of the adorable pets, crazy paint colors and amazing kitchens? We certainly have!

Not surprisingly, Twitter has been a hot spot for commentary on what is happening in the world. If you need some amusement, check out the tweets from Room Rater @ratemyskperoom. The tweets have become so popular that they were even highlighted on the Today Show:

today.com/popculture/twitter-account-ruthlessly-judging-celebrity-homes-tv-t179194 .

As always, please let us know if we can assist you in any way. Please continue to stay safe.

John & Faye

**** Please note that we have moved. Effective as of 4/13/2020, our office is now located at 491 Mt. Hope Street, North Attleboro. ****


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When You Aren’t Living Your Best Life

You might be surprised how many people go through a massive life overhaul all at once. They are in the middle of getting divorced, potentially moving into a new home and then WHAM, they quit their job or get fired. This happens ALL-THE-TIME but why?

For some people, they are trying to reinvent themselves for a multitude of reasons;
For others, they are trying to manipulate child support or alimony obligations (we don’t recommend this); or
They get fired.

Divorce can be an emotional roller coaster regardless of whether you wanted it to happen and how amicable the situation has been. The stress can have a massive effect on your body and mind, often leaving people distracted or absent minded. What can you do to help yourself before your divorce becomes an issue at work?

1. Communicate with your boss or human resources department to let them know what is happening. Not only will they potentially need to be involved with providing insurance coverage information, but they are more likely to be supportive and understanding if they they are aware of the situation and if you have reassured them that you will still get all of your work done in a timely manner;

2. Do not make a grandiose announcement or talk about your divorce at work, but if you do, only talk with a select group of close work friends and keep it to a minimum, especially during work hours;

3. Handle personal and divorce matters outside of work hours. Occasionally, you may need to respond to an email or call, but be mindful of your volume and content if you do so;

4. Do not use your work email for communication with your attorney. Some companies monitor their employees’ email and it will not benefit you for your company to know your personal business;

5. When you need to miss work to attend a divorce related meeting or appearance, inform your employer as soon as possible;

6. Put in the extra time at work if needed. If you are an hourly employee, don’t request over time pay if the extra time is needed to finish things that you would have normally finished but for the divorce;

7. If and WHEN you feel stressed or anxious, take a few minutes to refocus by getting some water or going for a quick walk;

8. Keep your emotions under control. We can assure you that if you get fired for poor performance or yelling at your boss, your spouse’s attorney will find out and will use it against you;

9. Get more involved with group projects if you can. Not only will it force you to be more accountable and keep you on schedule, but it will also give you an excuse to interact with others.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions about this or any other legal matters.

Regards,
John & Faye

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