Martinsburg West Virginia Family Law Blog

Many people dream of a perfect wedding from the time they are little. Brides are not alone in this, and many grooms have clear and specific ideas of how they expect their big day to play out. Perhaps some have the feeling that the more special the wedding event, the stronger their marriage bond will be. Sadly, this is often the opposite of the truth.

If you and your spouse spent tense months arguing over the cost of your wedding plans, it may have taken only a short time before you realized those disagreements carried over into your marriage. In fact, entering marriage with debt from an extravagant wedding is becoming a common factor in divorces in West Virginia and across the country.

Few life events are as emotionally draining as divorce. When one partner’s intentions become dark and threatening, they could end up blurring the lines between healthy aggression and physical and mental abuse. If you are going through the separation process and are receiving threats and or physical blows from your partner, it is important for you to take action to protect yourself and your children. Many children who witness one of their parents suffering abuse from the other develop behavioral issues and are more likely to become victims of abuse themselves in the future. 

Divorce that involves domestic abuse is often full of unique challenges that can create complications that put you and your kids at further risk of harm. Consider the following pointers to keep the situation from escalating further.

Divorce is not something that couples always handle well. Tensions run high, especially when there are custody issues. The holidays are generally a happy time of the year, but for those in the midst of a divorce, it can make an already stressful situation worse. How can divorced or divorcing parents get through the holiday season with shared custody?

You may have a solid co-parenting plan and shared custody arrangement in place, or you may just be getting started with your divorce. In either case, it is a good idea to think about ways you can handle visitation throughout the holiday season.

Many high-paying jobs mean great salaries but may come with costs such as stress and time away from home - costs that offset the higher earnings in some ways. So, it makes sense that many spouses decide together that one of them will take a lower-paying job that allows for more work-life balance.

However, if you two are going through a divorce, and you have been a stay-at-home parent, you could be worried. Maintaining your standard of living and the children's standard of living afterward might be difficult, so can you request that your ex-spouse take on higher-paying work similar to the employment he or she quit a few years ago?