Category Archives: Child Custody

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

A sheep in wolf’s clothing; Representing client’s positions.

11/20/2018 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Lawyers are a hated bunch. However, sometimes it is not deserved.

Illustration by Factory43.

Lawyers are hired to represent clients. Sometimes those clients have done or do things the lawyer did not advise. As a lawyer you represent your client zealously.

Sometimes you even represent clients you don’t agree with, but you still represent your clients.

A lawyer taking a position for litigation is not a personal endorsement for that position. To suggest otherwise is improper.

Sometimes we are just a sheep in wolf’s clothing…

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and encourages clients, lawyers and voters to be informed.

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal

Judicial Election Winners & Run-off(s)

11/08/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

HINDS COUNTY

Chancery Judges Unopposed

Dewayne Thomas

Denise Owens

Winner

Crystal Wise Martin defeating Reginald Harrion

Runoff

Tiffany Grove vs. Monique Brown-Barrett

RANKIN COUNTY

Chancery Judges Unopposed

John C. McLaurin, Jr.

Haydn J. Roberts

Runoff

Mel Coxwell vs. Troy Odom

CHANCERY CT. DIST 14 Place 1 (Starkville, Columbus, et. al.)

Runoff

Lee Ann Turner vs. Rodney Faver

Runoff

CARRIE JOURDAN vs. JOE STUDDARD

CHANCERY CT. DIST 14 PLACE 3 –

Winner

PAULA DRUNGOLE-ELLIS

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, et. al.

Winners

Charles E. “Charlie” Smith Chancery 21-2

Judge Larry Primeaux. Unopposed.

LEFLORE COUNTY (includes additional Delta counties)

Runoff

Katherine Tackett Mills vs. Willie J. Perkins, Sr.

SIMPSON COUNTY

Winner

David Shoemake

THE COAST Chancery Court Judge 8, 3

Runoff

Margaret Alfonso vs. Sanford R. (Sandy) Steckler

This race is exciting because of the candidates. Judge Steckler is the incumbent.Judge Alfonso is a former Chancellor who left Chancery for Youth Court (County Court) and is now running.This makes a very recent former Chancellor against a current Chancellor and they actually served together.

Chancery Court District 16 Place 2, SW Coastal Counties

Runoff

Tanya Hasbrouck vs. Ashlee Trehern.

Harrison County Court/Youth Court

Runoff

Mike Dickinson vs. Anna Ward Sukmann

District 6: Attala, Carroll, Choctaw, Kemper, Neshoba, Winston

Winner

Kiley Kirk

…more to come.

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Marriage, Opinion

Going to Church Doesn’t Make You A Better Person (automatically)

09/26/2018 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

“Holier than thou.”

“So heavenly focused, you’re no earthly good.”

I have seen these concepts personified. It is distressing. I have seen and heard of one’s belief in their own moral superiority to justify their wrong behavior; interfering with the parent child relationship, persuading others to not help the “sinner,” and literally causing a scene at church.

STOP. YOU’RE doing it wrong. YOU are hurting others. YOU are part of the problem.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney and has grown weary of the hypocrisy. He also encourages you to not only go to Church, but also to act like it.

Child Custody, General Legal, Opinion

Call Your Parents…

Image 09/21/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Parents Phone.jpg

http://www.BowtieLawyer.ms

(601)850-8000

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal

You Do NOT Have a Right to an (appointed) Attorney…in a Divorce

08/23/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

The 6th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees you the right to an attorney and a speedy trial, but this is concerning Criminal prosecutions…NOT divorce.

In divorce cases and most Family Law cases you do NOT have the right to a court appointed attorney.

The exception, Termination of Parental Rights cases, is only after a showing of financial inability.

The other time there’s a Court-Appointed Attorney, a Guardian Ad Litem, the parties still typically have to pay for that person from their own pockets and they represent the child, or more often are an investigative arm of the Court.

Do you need an attorney? Yes. Will the Court give you one? Probably not.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law attorney in Mississippi.

Bow Tie, Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal

Don’t Write on Exhibits/Photographs

08/08/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Q: Is this a true and accurate copy?

A: No. I don’t know whose writing this is…I don’t know what those circles mean…

Attorney: Objection. It’s obviously not a true copy, as the original does not have writing and circles on it.

Court: Sustained.

Court rules can be tediously picky. If something isn’t phrased the right way, authenticated sufficiently, or previously produced, if requested, you may not be able to use it. This is true even if it is something important, reliable and tangible to the issues before the Court. This is just one reason why Court is so frustrating.

I had a case where the witness highlighted certain portions of an email. When the time came to testify about the email, the other party pretended to not recognize it, nor remember it. He wasn’t sure if he used that email address at that time. He certainly knew he didn’t highlight it and wasn’t sure he had seen it before. It was a dance of avoiding the obvious.

Ultimately, the email came in when the sponsoring party testified and I believe the other party lost credibility in feigning ignorance, however it was a good lesson on the rules/tricks of Court.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law attorney in Mississippi and encourages you to practice, with your attorney, your testimony and how to authenticate an exhibit and get it into evidence.

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Visitation

Back-to-School time.

07/24/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Summer is ending. School bells are ringing…

With back-to-school comes the end of the summer schedule, loose routines and late bed times. Along with the return to school comes “Meet the teacher,” “Back-to-School Night,” & “Meet the (insert mascot of your school here).”

Regardless of your “Custody” arrangement, both parents are free to attend any and all events. It matters not whose “time” it is. I routinely advise clients that if our children attended school or events together, if I can go, you can go.

Additionally, Mississippi law specifically provides that a parent, even a non-custodial parent, shall have “access to records and information pertaining to a minor child, including but not limited to medical, dental and school records, [and] shall not be denied to a parent because the parent is not the child’s custodial parent if such parent’s parental rights have not been terminated by adoption or by a termination of parental rights proceeding.” MCA 93-5-26

So, parents, go to these events for your child. Meet their teacher, meet the other parents, their classmates and school administrators. Stay plugged in. It will benefit your child.

Matthew Thompson is a Child Custody attorney in Mississippi and encourages you to be an engaged parent.

Child Custody, Divorce, Grandparent Visitation, Visitation

Be a Reasonable Parent…it’s Summer.

07/06/2018 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

“Summertime and the livin’ is easy…”

For divorced parents, or parents operating under a custody order, summertime is a change in the standard schedule. The summer is full of activities that start and stop at different times. There are camps and visits to grandma’s house. There are trips out-of-town, out-of-state and last-minute opportunities that could be amazing. Be a reasonable parent.

Think about putting the children’s needs ahead of your own. Think about encouraging a good, healthy relationship between the children and the other parent. Think about “what is the right thing to do?,” as opposed to “how can I get the other parent?” By the way, if you do not know what the “right thing” is, you are part of the problem.

Matthew Thompson is a family law attorney in Mississippi and wishes we all could just get along. He also recommends you be a reasonable parent year-round, not just in the summertime.