“You’ve been served.” But what does that actually mean? The service of court papers (referred to as “service” throughout this post) has been a hot topic in the news recently as Jason Sudeikis allegedly had his ex-partner and...more
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last fifteen (15) years, it is hard to imagine a force that has had a more significant impact on day to day life than social media. I know personally, my screen time alerts from...more
Earlier this summer, which feels like a lifetime ago in these COVID times, the Rhode Island Governor signed the Rhode Island Uniform Parentage Act into law. The law, which had been considered in four previous legislative...more
You have considered your options, asked yourself the right questions, and started searching for an attorney. You are ready to get divorced. Now what?
In the second episode of our new webinar series, Robin Lynch Nardone and...more
Temporary Orders, or Temporary Allowances as they are called in Rhode Island, are interim orders that are made in a case before a final hearing (trial) in order to address pressing issues. Temporary Orders can be agreed upon...more
As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, many people are finding themselves working from home while caring for and schooling young children, which creates enormous stress. In situations where a marital relationship...more
Seems you can’t log on to social media, read a news headline or flip on the television these days without hearing about the Coronavirus. The Center for Disease Control has warned Americans to prepare for an outbreak, large...more
Often times in a divorce matter, the two biggest assets the parties have are their house and retirement accounts. While everyone was busy with the recent holiday rush, President Trump signed the SECURE Act into law as part of...more
1/6/2020
/ 401k ,
Annuities ,
Division of Assets ,
Divorce ,
Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) ,
Individual Retirement Account (IRA) ,
Qualified Retirement Plans ,
Required Minimum Distributions ,
Retirement Plan ,
SECURE Act ,
Spouses
The Price of Peace: a concept that arises in nearly every divorce matter, but you will likely never read about in any legal treatise on divorce law. You commonly hear about transactional costs (I.e. legal fees) and the cost...more
The First Crime in Space! Recent headlines from The New York Times and other prominent news agencies drew in readers stating that the first crime in space had allegedly been committed. The articles went on to discuss the...more
9/18/2019
/ Child Custody ,
Divorce ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Former Spouse ,
Identity Theft ,
Inspector General ,
Marriage ,
NASA ,
OIG ,
Parenting Plans ,
Passwords
As you know from my prior posts, I appreciate the interplay between divorce and estate planning. I enjoy working on cases where both worlds collide, and have been fortunate to be involved in some very interesting cases, which...more
As we enter the “dog days of summer” and New England braces for a serious heat wave over the next few days, I can’t help but think about the importance of summer parenting plans. Summer is when most parents try to maximize...more
As a divorce lawyer who also does some probate litigation and trusts and estate work, I have always been interested in the interplay between divorce and trusts and estates. Recently, the issue of whether gifts are considered...more
As a mother of a three (3) year old, I spend a fair amount of time (more than I’d like to admit) immersed in animated television programs. I am struck by how many of these programs revolve around pets. From Chase from “Paw...more
After a three month maternity leave, and a few months adjusting to being a full-time working mom, I’m excited to be back to contributing my thoughts to this blog! I’m also excited to be writing on a topic that I not only find...more
As people scramble to purchase Powerball tickets for a chance (however small) at the 1.3 billion dollar jackpot, the largest in U.S. history, I couldn’t help but think about the practical considerations that come into play...more
A few years back I wrote a post about things to consider when divorcing later in life. One of these considerations was Social Security. Social Security continues to be an important topic of discussion for any couple divorcing...more
Privilege is one of the most important legal concepts that an attorney can be versed in. Inadvertently waiving the attorney/client privilege or the psychotherapist/patient privilege, for example, can have dire consequences...more
Thinking of moving? Different child custody laws in each state may make things even more complicated. While the borders between Massachusetts and Rhode Island appear to be incredibly permeable, this is just not the case when...more
DIVIDING RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS -
There are important differences associated with dividing retirement plans that are already in pay status and those that are not. Some people divorcing later in life are already retired,...more
Gray divorce is on the increase. As Boomers age they are deciding to divorce. There are a number of issues that are of particular importance. My very talented colleague Andrea Dunbar has written today about Social Security...more