A United Kingdom court recently ordered Dubai ruler and UAE Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to pay his ex-wife, Haya bint al-Hussein, a jaw-dropping $734 million in a divorce settlement. Haya bint al-Hussein in the Princess of Jordan and the couple have two children together. This settlement…
Articles Posted in Divorce
Rules of Family Financial Mediation
Mediation is a fantastic alternative method of settling your case and often more satisfying than going to court. It is likely that a few issues stand between settlement and more prolonged litigation. This is where mediation can really shine—it lets you laser focus on the few things you really care…
When Can the Jury Consider Revenge Porn?
Clark v. Clark and Barrett, 2021-NCCOA-653 (2021) Facts: The Clarks were a married couple in North Carolina. In 2016, Husband began an affair with Ms. Barrett, in Virginia. That same year while home in North Carolina, Wife discovered text messages between Husband and Barrett. Husband finally left the marital home…
Alienation of Affection: Venue Matters
Clark v. Clark and Barrett, 2021-NCCOA-653 (2021) Facts: A married couple, the Clarks, lived in North Carolina. In 2016, Husband began an affair with Ms. Barrett, in Virginia. That same year while home in North Carolina, Wife discovered text messages between Husband and Barrett. The couple argued and Wife ultimately…
The No-Contact Order and Harassment
North Carolina’s statutes include a provision, chapter 50B, for an individual who is in a personal relationship to apply for a protective order. The name given is domestic violence protective order, and it is an Order of the court that accomplishes three things; the defendant must avoid certain acts, they…
Contempt: When a Verification Is All You Need
Scott v. Scott, 2021-NCCOA-636 (unpublished). In North Carolina, contempt is the avenue to enforce many domestic court orders, including those that were part of a separation agreement, but only if the agreement is later incorporated into a court order/judgment. That is the situation in the case below, where the father…
Washington State Decides Pets Are Property
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/a-first-for-state-court-of-appeals-kona-mr-bear-dogs-divorce-visitation-rights/ Our pets and divorce saga continues. Today we have a tale from the state of Washington that continues this trend. A couple that separated in 2018 owned two dogs together: Kona and Mr. Bear. At the time, they co-parented the dogs extensively, texting each other schedules, grooming appointments, trainings,…
“Adele 30”
Unless your home is under a rock, you probably know that Adele released her fourth studio album on November 19, 2021. This is Adele’s first new music since the release of her third studio album in 2015. It has been six years since Adele fans have been graced with her…
Student Loans and Divorce
Purvis v. Purvis, 2021-NCCOA-616 (2021). It can be safely said that a majority of the parents in North Carolina want to see their children succeed. And to ensure that success, parents often take on large burdens to provide their children with as many opportunities as possible, including helping them with…
Are Spouses Entitled to their Deceased Ex-Spouse’s Benefits?
In a divorce that includes a retirement plan, a domestic relations order (DRO) is issued by the state court to assign benefits from the employer to another person (usually the employee’s spouse, known as the alternate payee). The retirement plan that administers these benefits must receive this order. Certain federal…