Megan Rapinoe started kicking the soccer ball at age 3. Coco Gauff picked up the tennis racquet at age 6. Parental encouragement allowed these two individuals to continue on with the activity that they loved, and gave them the confidence to go forward and be their best.
Jack and Julia have been married for 14 years. They have two children, ages 8 and 10. The 8 year old boy, Nathan, has been playing the violin for 2 years, taking private lessons every week. He loves it! His sister, is totally into ballet and has been taking lessons and doing recitals for the past 3 years. She loves this, too! These two activities are not without cost. They take quite a bit of time out of the lives of the family, and they are expensive. But Jack and Julia have always been willing to sacrifice for their children, and the time and money they spend is part of their future plans for the children, to raise happy and healthy children.
But, last month Julia came home a little late. Oddly late. She hadn’t been answering her phone, despite the numerous calls and texts that Jack sent. This was not like Julia at all.
She walked in the house at about 9:00 p.m., after the children had already eaten dinner. After Jack had already put them to bed. Glassy-eyed and looking frazzled, she said the words that no husband wants to hear; “Jack, we need to talk”.
And, talk they did. Jack learned that Julia was not only unhappy, but that she was in love with a neighbor down the street. He learned that the neighbor had just filed for divorce, and that Julia wanted a divorce as well.
Anger first. Grief later. Jack moves out. He sees a lawyer downtown. You know, the lawyer in the VERY fancy office near the courthouse. The lawyer explains his legal circumstance. Jack earns $150,000 annually, and Julia earns $75,000. Luckily because Julia is employed, Jack will certainly pay much less in child support and spousal support than he would have if Julia would be unemployed.
But, who will pay for these extracurricular activities? Jack wants Julia to pay for these. After all, she is the one that wants the divorce.
Julia, of course, wants Jack to pay for these.
A stalemate has occurred.
Julia refuses to pay. Jack refuses to pay. And the result? They have both won their argument. But the children lost. No private lessons. No ballet. No violin. The children have lost any future dream that they had for the American Ballet Theatre or the Symphony. And maybe the world just lost great future talent as well.
A good attorney will do everything they can to work out a settlement that will be fair to not just their client, but will try to help work past the anger and grief of a divorce so that in the aftermath the parties can continue to parent the children in as much of a stable environment as possible. Sometimes, that means looking into the network of excellent psychologists or mediators to assist.
The attorneys at Joseph & Joseph & Hanna, Co. LPA look forward to working with you.
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Best Interest of the Child In a Divorce Understanding a Guardian Ad Litem