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Steven Kokensparger asked:


If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself caught in a divorce during these tough economic times, you’re going to wonder how you can make sure your interests are protected in your divorce without breaking the bank in the process. Here are five suggestions from http://www.midohiodivorce.com to help keep the cost of your divorce litigation in check.

1. Don’t even consider going it alone unless you have no other choice.

One trend which has been frustrating family courts has been the increase of “pro se” divorce filings. “Pro se” is the term commonly used for parties who are without legal counsel. Although a divorce can be a complex matter fraught with opportunities to make extremely costly errors, the court generally cannot provide legal advice to the parties nor can it refuse to hear the case without involvement of qualified divorce counsel. Even with a slight error in language, the end result can be the loss of an interest in retirement funds, the loss of child custody, the inability to discharge debts in bankruptcy, errors in spousal support calculation, and numerous other possibilities. Even if the end result is satisfactory, going it alone can result in needless frustration, a substantial, and unforeseen, time commitment on the part of the pro se parties and the court, and more cost than initially anticipated in light of additional court costs and time away from work finalizing the case.

When looking at the cost of divorce litigation, parties often look at the expense of the attorney and court costs alone without taking other, indirect, costs into account. While an attorney may charge $1,500.00 for an uncontested divorce, a party who decides to represent himself may find that the fee would have been well worth it once he goes through the process of doing the requisite research, completing the requisite forms, filing them, and addressing any problems raised by the court.

The general rule regarding legal representation in your divorce case is simply this: the earlier in the divorce process that you consult legal counsel, the more effective your legal counsel can be. While you might not be sure as to whether you wish to file for divorce or take other steps to address the conflict in your relationship, an experienced family law attorney can be a considerable resource. While most experienced family law attorneys maintain a low fee for initial consultations, they are also willing to discuss your options with you so that you may make an informed decision. Further, many maintain a list of competent marriage counselors and other community resources to assist you. They can also help you consider whether certain actions will affect you positively or negatively in a future divorce case.

If you simply do not have the financial ability to hire a qualified family law attorney, there are a few other options available to you. Quite often, the local Legal Aid Society will provide representation to indigent clients in divorce cases. You should also contact the local bar association and local law schools to see whether they offer a divorce clinic where indigent parties can obtain free representation in their divorce cases. If all else fails, and you do have to complete your paperwork yourself, you can often hire local counsel for a nominal fee to simply review your paperwork and advise you regarding any glaring errors he or she may find before you submit it to the court for filing.

2. Consider using alternative dispute resolution.

Sometimes even the roughest conflicts can be resolved amicably through mediation or collaborative law. The only true way to limit the expense of your divorce is to try and resolve your issues amicably with your spouse. This can involve one on one mediation or a settlement conference with your attorneys present. However, you should always inquire with your attorney regarding options for settlement or streamlining the process through any available alternative dispute resolution programs.

3. Do your research before retaining counsel.

In interviewing attorneys, make sure you know as much as possible about their experience and focus of their practices before making a final determination. Family law attorneys can have varying degrees of experience as well as a broad range of strengths, skills, relevant education and training, and, of course, weaknesses. In choosing an attorney to represent your interests, you should seek out an experienced and concerned attorney who will represent your interests and promote your goals zealously while also making sure that your decisions are being made based on reason rather than emotion. Most importantly, you should seek out an attorney with whom you are comfortable and who you feel you can trust.

The determination of whether one is comfortable with an attorney and feels that he or she can trust the attorney is obviously a personal, and subjective, one. However, the determination of whether an attorney possesses the optimal amount of experience and knowledge in family law can be easily researched and ascertained through a couple of questions in the initial intervie.

Find out, for example, if your state offers a “family law specialist” designation and, if so, whether the attorney you are consulting with is a family law specialist. Quite often, a state family law specialty designation carries heightened requirements concerning the percentage of the attorney’s practice devoted to family law cases, continuing legal education dedicated to family law issues, references from local family law attorneys and court staff, and often even submission to a family law specialty exam or other advanced screening process.

Not specializing in Family Law Practice does not mean an attorney is not competent to handle a Family Law case. However, where the attorney is not a specialist, or if you live in a state which does not offer a family law specialist designation, you should still inquire regarding the percentage of the attorney’s practice which is devoted to family law cases. Often, a greater focus on family law cases will entail an office with staff who are more experienced with the family law process and in handling issues which may arise from day to day as well as a more streamlined approach to handling domestic cases which, in turn, may result in more efficient and expedient representation.

4. Know your attorney’s full billing policy.

Recently, I read an advertisement for a “$350.00 flat fee for uncontested divorce” offered by a local law firm where I practice. The ad seemed deceptive since the filing fees for a divorce in the county where I practice were $250.00 which were clearly not included in the quoted price of $350.00 for an uncontested divorce. With the filing fee, the cost of a process server and any other necessary outside expenses, the ultimate cost of the divorce would be similar to the rates charged by other attorneys in the area. Thus, regardless of whether the attorney charges a flat fee or an hourly rate, you should always review the attorney’s billing policy to see whether there are other charges such as filing fees, postage, service of process, long-distance telephone charges, copies, or other charges in addition to the quoted fee.

The other key word in the “$350.00 flat fee for uncontested divorce” ad was the word “uncontested.” Often, parties will jump at the offer without asking the question of what happens if they cannot reach an agreement with their spouse on the terms of the divorce. If this happens, the “uncontested” divorce quickly becomes a “contested” one and the client often has to pay additional fees for contested divorce representation.

5. Know whether your attorney incorporates recent technological advances into his or her practice.

Does the attorney use email? Believe it or not, there are still attorneys who do not have a computer in their offices let alone use document automation software or computerized case management systems. They rely upon more traditional methods of communication and this works well for them and their clients. However, with such methods comes the need for additional personnel, increased telephone expense, and a greater time investment than would exist if these technologies were used.

Document assembly software is simply software which generates the various forms required for a divorce filing from a central database of client information. Rather than entering the same information numerous times on numerous forms, the information is entered once and the documents are automatically populated with the requisite information. Document assembly software streamlines the document assembly process and allows attorneys to spend less time drafting paperwork and more time focusing on the legal issues in the case.



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Gabriel Adams asked:


As they say the best holiday vacation a person can have in their life is the honeymoon. It’s the kind of holiday wherein you will first enjoy the company of that person that you married.

It is very important, just like planning that perfect wedding, to also plan that perfect honeymoon. Here are some great planning tips for that wonderful honeymoon.

Whatever the location of your honeymoon destination, bear in mind to get a room with a magnificent view of either the ocean or a scenic mountaintops or even a lively cityscapes that will bring you both closer to learning other cultures as well.

Going on a honeymoon means enjoying and having the time of your life; it’s a celebration of your union as husbands and wife. That’s why the most important thing in planning your honeymoon is not to fight with each other about choosing the perfect honeymoon place.

Here are some tips to make your honeymoon planning very easy

1. Plan ahead of schedule.

- Plan your honeymoon if possible months in advance; that way you can book the best available hotel rooms and it will also gives you the chance to search the internet of wonderful locations worldwide. In this time of modern age, booking flights, hotel and planning travel itineraries are conveniently done online.

2. Set a realistic budget

- To avoid financial problems later on, be sure to set aside a honeymoon budget that is enough to cover the whole period of your honeymoon. Remember getting married is the start of a long-term life with each other. Do not over spend on your honeymoon, as money can be use in other important things like mortgage and anniversary celebration.

3. Pick a wonderful location

- Don’t just pick a place at random, it is advised that you both study each places, cities and country that you are planning to spend your honeymoon. Make sure that the particular country’s culture and places to offer will both excite and interest both of your senses.

4. Study Reviews of Hotels

- To avoid the possibility of ruining a perfect honeymoon by sub standard hotel accommodation services, read among the vast hotel reviews written online and choose the perfect hotel that you think will satisfy both of your needs.

5. Make a list of restaurants

- Part of a wonderful honeymoon is the experience of dining out together and enjoying local cuisines, again you must study and choose from a wide selection of restaurants in your honeymoon location. Why not make a list of restaurants that you think you may like to eat at beforehand?

6. Have fun and worry about nothing

- Make sure that once you are both enjoying your honeymoon, make sure to leave all work related stress at home. Enjoy the time together and try hard to make this experience something both of you will remember for a long time.

Following these simple tips will make your honeymoon become a pleasant experience. Remember it’s the best holiday anyone can have in their life. Plan ahead and enjoy the whole experience.



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Penny Olson asked:


Recently, my sister got married. The day was absolutely incredible; many memories were made by all. But being the sister and the Maid of Honor, I saw many of the bumps in the road of creating the day that my sister had always dreamed of. Planning a wedding can be, and most likely, will be the most fun and the most frustrating experience you will ever have all wrapped up into one.

Weddings can get very expensive, very quickly. Although there are many ways to cut costs, it is important to figure out a budget prior to getting started so that things don’t spiral out of control and cause any unnecessary stress during the planning stages.

Make a list of EVERYTHING that you feel is important for your big day. This detailed list will feature everything from your dress, drinks at the reception, officiant and chapel fees, decorations, flowers, gifts, rings, catering… You get the point; all the ‘wedding bells’ and whistles should be included.

Sit down with everyone that is going to help you financially and review the list, i.e.: you and your fiance, your parents, his parents and any grandparents or friends of the family that may be contributing. (Please note: use your discretion when you decide whether or not to gather all of these people together at once to discuss finances, you know best if this could potentially cause any unnecessary arguments. If you need to, meet with them separately to keep the peace.)

Next to each item on the list mark who is responsible for each item, keeping in mind that they will probably have a limit to what they are able to give to you. It will help to make a separate page with a breakdown of each party, the amount that they can contribute, and below, a list of all of the things that they would like to offer to you and your fiance.

Now it’s time to start to make phone calls. I’m sure that if you are of the age to be married, you have a few places in mind where you’d like to hold your event. Call them and get some ideas of deposit requirements and balances they will require. Call florists, officiants, churches, photographers, and do a lot of research on the internet to find the best prices and make sure that you pay attention to feedback in chat rooms or forum pages. Friends that have been married and people that have had experience with wedding planning are great resources that may help you save money and find the people that will make your day memorable.

Once you have some ideas on prices you can plug in the balances to your sheet and get a better idea of what items you can keep and where you need to cut back. You may need your mother or a bridesmaid to help you with this because you might find it difficult to rate the importance of the things on your list. Just keep in mind that if you are married to the person that you wish to spend the rest of your life with at the end of the day, your mission has been accomplished, the rest is mere details.

At this point you can start to book dates and facilities, try on dresses, and meet with florists or photographers. Throughout your planning, refer to your budget constantly. This will help you stick to your plan and relieve some of the stress while planning your dream wedding. Most importantly, have fun, this is your day, enjoy it.



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