November 2017

Divorce with Dignity

by Christine Howard | Nov 26, 2017 | Divorce

WHAT IS “DIVORCE WITH DIGNITY”?

Divorce with dignity is a core value with Christine M. Howard and her Greenville, South Carolina team of divorce attorneys. Divorce with dignity is perhaps most easily made possible by filing a no-fault divorce.

In a no-fault divorce, the spouse filing for divorce doesn’t have to prove any marital misconduct on the part of the other spouse. All a spouse has to do is give any reason that the state honors for the divorce, the most commonly given reasons being “irreconcilable differences” or an “irreparable breakdown of the marriage.” In no-fault divorce, the other spouse cannot object to the filing of the divorce, because the objection itself is viewed by the court as an irreconcilable difference.

No-fault divorce is available in every state, although some states require that spouses live apart for a specified period of time before filing for divorce.

BENEFITS OF NO-FAULT DIVORCE

Divorce is incredibly stressful, especially a litigated divorce in which private details of your life are laid out for all to see. When you choose a no-fault divorce, the marriage can be dissolved in a way that does not end in anger and embarrassment for the parties involved.

Another benefit of no-fault divorce is that it allows you and your spouse to decide for yourselves what will be in your divorce agreement. This may require mediation and will most certainly require cooperation and compromise from both spouses. But consider the alternative: when you go to divorce court, someone else gets to make those important decisions for you.

Perhaps the most important benefit of no-fault divorce is that it can lessen the negative effects that the divorce will have on the children. Children are the innocent parties in divorce. Divorce is also incredibly stressful on them, no matter what the reasons. No-fault divorce prevents the ugly, drawn-out battles between the parents that leave lasting, negative impressions on the children. Choosing no-fault divorce helps to minimize these painful effects on the children when they see their parents treat each other with dignity and respect.

WE CAN HELP

As difficult as divorce is, most divorces can be resolved amicably. However, some divorces are more complicated, making maintaining dignity harder.

At Christine M. Howard, our goal is to help our clients get through divorce while preserving everyone’s dignity. If you have any questions about divorce, contact us to book a consultation and discuss your legal options.

Child Custody With Compassion

by Christine Howard | Nov 18, 2017 | Child Custody

Let’s face it. The process of determining child custody typically isn’t described by the word “compassion.” On the contrary, the word most often used to describe this process is “battle.” Too often, children of divorcing parents end up as collateral damage as the result of a difficult child custody fight they never asked to be a part of. But while determining child custody doesn’t have to be a battle, it isn’t a passive process either. It takes a concerted effort and commitment from both parents to put the best interest of their child (or children) first. And it takes compassion.

Introducing Child Custody – With Compassion

At Christine M. Howard Law, we call this “custody with compassion.” You’re probably asking yourself, “Is this really possible?” We believe it is. We believe in it so strongly that it’s a core value at our firm, and we are dedicated to helping you work toward that end from the moment you contact us.

Protecting The Children Throughout The Process

We know how incredibly traumatic it can be for a child – whether it’s a young child or an older one – to see the dissolution of their parents’ marriage. Children of all ages need to know that even if the marriage is no longer intact, the family still is. When custody with compassion is the goal, both parents will be committed to doing what is best, custody-wise, for their children. And when this goal is achieved, it results in a healthier, more positive outcome for both the child and the parents: the child retains a better sense of family wholeness, and the parents will be more likely to succeed at co-parenting.