Family Law

Under Unusual Montana Marriage Law, Some Couples Say ‘I Do’ a Lot

Montana may be the only state in the country that allows couples to get married without actually being present. As a result, the thrill is gone for the proxies who get married again and again, on behalf of others. Nonetheless, these absentee marriages serve an important purpose for some faraway…

Mar 11, 2008 11:17 PM CDT

Britney’s Lawyer: Big Tipper Federline Can Afford His Own Legal Fees

The new lawyer representing Britney Spears in her child custody battle told a court that the singer’s ex-husband should pay his own legal fees. Lawyer Stacy Phillips told a court commissioner that Kevin Federline recently tipped a waiter $2,000 on a $365 check, showing his ability to pay, the Associated…

Mar 11, 2008 1:54 PM CDT

Fla. Lawyer Willie Gary Wins Contempt Battle in Child Support Dispute

The Georgia Supreme Court has ruled that Florida trial lawyer Willie Gary isn’t responsible for $462,000 in back child support and he can’t be held in contempt for failing to pay it. At issue was whether Gary had agreed to pay $14,000 a month in support for both—or each—of two…

Mar 11, 2008 12:40 PM CDT

Hollywood Agog Over Names to be Named in Private Investigator’s Trial

As a so-called private investigator to the stars is about to go to trial tomorrow for allegedly using illegal tactics to gain evidence for his clients, Hollywood is reportedly agog over the names that are being named as possible witnesses. The trial is also expected to provide further details of…

Mar 4, 2008 5:57 PM CST

Improper Faxed Notice Dooms Appeal of Pro Se Mom

A mother who says she was unable to contest the termination of her parental rights because she was involuntarily hospitalized has had her appeal tossed because she faxed rather than mailed her notice of appeal. The mother faxed the document 13 days after the final entry of judgment, one day…

Feb 22, 2008 1:27 PM CST

Court Accepts ERISA Case Involving Pension Rights After Divorce

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide the validity of a divorcing spouse’s waiver of a right to the other’s pension benefits under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, SCOTUSblog reports. The New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled (PDF) in the case, Kennedy v. Plan…

Feb 19, 2008 6:04 PM CST

MySpace Case: Judge Says ‘Friend Request’ Can Violate Protective Order

Sending a MySpace “friend request” to a person who holds a protective order against you requiring no contact is a violation of the order. Hence, a municipal judge in Staten Island, N.Y., has declined to dismiss a criminal contempt case against a 16-year-old. She allegedly made the Internet communication, in…

Feb 15, 2008 7:34 PM CST

Radio Station Prize: Free Divorce Lawyer in Feb. 14 Contest

In honor of Valentine’s Day, a radio station in Charleston, W. Va., is running a contest that offers a free divorce lawyer to an unhappy spouse. The contest ends at 4 p.m. on Feb. 14, and the winner’s name is to be drawn at 5 p.m. the same day. The…

Feb 13, 2008 10:48 PM CST

Judges Increasingly Asked to Weigh Religion in Custody Battles

Child custody disputes involving religion are increasing, creating quandaries for judges who don’t want to favor one faith over another. Ronald William Nelson, chair of the ABA Family Law Section’s Custody Committee, told the New York Times the increase correlates with a hike in contentious custody battles. Parents involved in…

Feb 13, 2008 6:45 PM CST

New Matrimonial Tactic: Hire Hot PD to Test Spouse’s Loyalty

Business is reportedly brisk at private detective agencies in Britain that are offering a popular new service. For those who doubt a spouse’s adherence to his or her marriage vows, an attractive private detective can be hired to test the loved one’s loyalty by flirting with the suspect in public…

Feb 13, 2008 5:22 PM CST

Australia to Apologize to Aborigines, But No Compensation is Planned

Australia’s prime minister plans to apologize tomorrow to the country’s indigenous minority residents for decades of historic mistreatment, including the removal of aboriginal children from their family homes to be raised elsewhere until as recently as the 1960s. The apology, which has been requested for years, includes repeated use of…

Feb 12, 2008 11:22 PM CST

Archbishop Ignites U.K. Firestorm With Support of Islamic Religious Law

Updated: The Archbishop of Canterbury is front-page news throughout the United Kingdom today, facing a firestorm of criticism even from his own bishops following his reported call for Britain, at least to some extent, to recognize Islamic religious law based on the Koran. Now, however, Dr. Rowan Williams is saying…

Feb 8, 2008 4:46 PM CST

New Bridezilla Tactic: Require a Bridesmaid Contract?

Think you’ve heard it all about bad behavior by soon-to-be brides planning their big day? Think again. One in five women who participated in a recent magazine survey said she would like to require her bridesmaids to sign the wedding-day equivalent of a prenuptial agreement, reports the Daily Mail. Asked…

Feb 4, 2008 9:10 PM CST

For Mail-Order Brides, Happily Ever After

Layli Miller-Muro isn’t down on love. She doesn’t hate men, and she doesn’t want to prevent them from following their hearts—even to other countries.

Feb 1, 2008 4:32 PM CST

Author Put Dad in Prison for Child Abuse, But Still Loves Him

A British author who says she was sexually abused by her father since age 8 has written a book about the experience—and the strong emotional bond she still has with both of her parents, as an adult, despite their failure to protect her as she was growing up. After she…

Jan 23, 2008 5:35 PM CST