On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Child Custody on Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Divorce can be a difficult and messy process, especially when there are children involved. While children being raised by separated parents has become quite commonplace in today's society, the struggles that lead up to establishing such arrangements remain difficult, to say the least. Oftentimes, a tug-of-war occurs between the parents regarding visitation, child custody and child support payments. For one unfortunate Tennessee man, his child custody and child support situation has proven to be a heavy load to bear.
With child support payments in arrears totaling $14,000 he had to make the difficult decision between keeping his vehicle or his home. Choosing his car so that he could still drive to work forced the man into living out of that same vehicle. While not every situation is this dramatic, such factors should be considered when deciding divorce-related issues such as child support and child custody.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Wednesday, May 15, 2013
In the US, we are fortunate enough to have an array of services available to us as members of the public. Police officers patrol the streets and attempt to keep the peace. Firefighters rush around cities and towns saving homes, people and the occasional cat. And 911 operators direct numerous public servants to people in need. The speed and efficacy of these services is often a point of pride, but the fact that they needed to be used so frequently on one day in Tennessee is a sad statistic indeed.
During one 24-hour period, domestic violence organizations provided services to 768 victims. While that is a sobering statistic, even more heartbreaking is the fact that more than one hundred additional calls were not answered. Officials in the area point to a lack of funding as one reason why not all the victims were able to be served that day.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in High Asset Divorce on Wednesday, May 8, 2013
Tennessee music fans may have heard that country star Jason Aldean recently filed for divorce from his wife of 12 years. The couple were high school sweethearts and have two young daughters, but their marriage apparently began to unravel last year, after Aldean was photographed kissing a contestant on the television show "American Idol."
Their divorce will likely involve complex issues of property division. Aldean has had numerous hit singles, was awarded Male Vocalist of the Year at the Academy of Country Music awards and was recently scheduled to be the co-host of this year's CMT Awards. By some reports, he has amassed a fortune of $20 million since the release of his 2005 debut album.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Friday, May 3, 2013
Though more cynical citizens will assert that crime is a tragic fact of any modern society, it remains important to all that efforts are made to minimize or eliminate it. One useful tool in altering or improving any society is the tracking of crime and analyzing the resulting statistics. While recent stats on Tennessee crime offer some good news, it also reveals a sad fact with regard to domestic violence.
According to a report from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, for its third straight year the state boasts a decreased in overall crime throughout the state. This past year, crime reports dropped nearly 3%, included a 5.8% decrease in crimes against property alone. When it came to crimes against people and crimes against society, however, uglier numbers told a different tale.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in High Asset Divorce on Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Despite being relatively common, a married couple splitting up is still a difficult and often painful process. Of course the emotional and mental strain is tremendous, and the strain put on any children involved can also be hard. But the financial burden of a divorce is a very real and sometimes arduous aspect of the divorce process.
A cottage industry of banks and other financial institutions that specialize in financing divorce proceedings has recently sprung up in the country. Especially in a high asset divorce where one partner might have significantly greater financial resources than the other, money can tilt the divorce process unfairly in one direction. With access to loans, the playing field can become more level.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Tuesday, April 16, 2013
No one said being a teenager was easy, though most couldn't imagine how hard it is for some. Typical troubles for many teens, especially those who live on the television or movies screens, involve troublesome acne, killer biology exams and that amazing boy or girl who has no idea they even exist. For other teens, however, home life is marred by a much greater trouble such as domestic violence.
"Violence is a repeated cycle," stated one University of Tennessee Chattanooga doctoral student trying to reverse the trend. The UTC student is working with teenagers at a local high school to develop a program designed to decrease dating violence among teenagers. Though not as widely publicized as domestic violence, teen-dating violence is a serious problem.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Wednesday, April 10, 2013
A bill that recently passed the Tennessee House of Representative might have unintended consequences on Tennessee families. The legislation is already creating quite the controversy and if made into law it connects parent's welfare benefits to how well their children perform in school.
Advocates of victims of domestic violence, as well as social workers, testified in front of the House before the votes. Their testimony indicated that the legislation could make an already tumultuous family situation worse. Parents who are victims of abuse may rely on the welfare to support their children. If their children then fail to meet certain standards in school, the family may look the welfare benefits.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Alimony on Friday, April 5, 2013
Though divorce rates still hover at about 50%, many Americans continue to believe in the institution of marriage and line up every year at the altar to say, "I do." Even those who have experienced the pain of a divorce and possible alimony payments line up again to marry a second time. ne mayor of a Tennessee town decided to marry again . . . but apparently forgot to inform his first wife of the arrangement.
The mayor of Oakland, TN recent resigned following the discovery that he married a second woman weeks ago but allegedly has not filed for divorce from his first wife, who is also mother to his four children. His second "wife" is not seeking divorce or annulment because of the apparently still valid first marriage. The second wife is also filing for alimony from the ex-mayor.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Property Division on Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Divorce is, for better or worse, a well-established part of American life. Though many lament the ends of these unions, often divorce can be the best option for all parties involved. Unfortunately, the decision to dissolve a legally binding relationship involves complex issues such as child custody, property division and financial disentanglement. Such personal and complicated issues can lead to emotional distress, but a Tennessee woman has developed a more amicable alternative.
The Nashville financial expert sought a different route when her marriage came to an end in 2008. "Collaborative divorce" involves finding resolutions outside of courts, while still making sure the ultimate settlement is amicable. The process also looks to make the transition as easy as possible on any children involved. With a focus on arbitration and counseling, this approach has reduced the emotional stress often associated with divorce.
On behalf of Judy A. Oxford, Attorney at Law posted in Child Custody on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Divorce is always an emotional ordeal, but when children are involved, it can be even more so.
Tennessee residents may be familiar with the former NFL superstar Deion Sanders. He was recently involved in a very contentious and well publicized child custody battle with his estranged wife.
