Category Archives: Divorce

Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, General Legal, Grandparent Visitation, Irreconcilable differences, Modifications, Visitation

But, I Cannot Afford an Attorney…Low to No Cost Help is Out There.

06/16/2014 BowTieLawyer 2 Comments

Can you afford an attorney? More often than not, you cannot afford to go without an attorney!

Oftentimes I hear, “I want the best!

We’re going to take this one all the way!

No, I don’t have any money...”

Having no money is a problem, but more often than not it’s more of not being willing to pay the money you do have. In Family Law, in all but the rarest of incidences you do not have the right to have an attorney appointed to represent you. This is a common misconception. In the Criminal arena you do have the right to an attorney. While Civil issue may be no less important to you the protections afforded to Civil litigants are typically lesser.

So, what do I do? If you really have no money there are 3 great resources for Civil Litigants.

Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project. MVLP handles civil matters, through volunteer attorneys for low income persons in Mississippi. (Primarily Uncontested Divorces, Guardianships and Expungements, etc…)
Phone: 601-960-9577 Fax: 601-944-9678 Email: mvlp@mvlp.org Jackson Office.

Mississippi Center for Legal Services. Legal Services handles civil matters, through in-house and some volunteer attorneys for low income persons in Mississippi in a variety of Civil matters. (Uncontested Divorces, Adoptions, Name Changes, Disability, Consumer, Education Law matters, etc…)
Contact the State-wide Intake Hotline at 1-800-498-1804

Mission First Legal Aid. Missions First uses a combo of in-house and volunteer attorneys, but offers a more limited scope of representation. (Family law matters, Government Benefits, Housing,and Debt, but they do not handle divorce cases.) Approached from a mission, christian-based model of service.
Legal Aid Office, please call 601.608.0056

Matthew Thompson is a Mississippi Family Law attorney and volunteers with all 3 entities above.

Follow the blog:#BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm You may also contact Matthew with your family law matter or question at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms

Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

Signs of an Unreasonable Client…

06/12/2014 BowTieLawyer 3 Comments

Does your lawyer avoid you like the plague, saying he’s in “Court,” or she’s in depositions? Maybe they are, or maybe you are an unreasonable client!

Signs of an Unreasonable client:

You want it yesterday. (Most things are not emergencies and even the basics take time to get right. Allow adequate time.)
You want it your way. (This is not Burger King. Usually, doing it your way leads to the mess that you are now in.)
You do not heed advice. (Similar to wanting it your way, you ignore instructions such as “DO NOT COMMUNICATE WITH HIM IN ANY MANNER WHATSOEVER!” and then you call, text, email and send smoke signals and a fight ensues.)
You blame the messenger. (A lot of times attorneys have to deliver crummy news due to bad circumstances. It’s is not because we want you to suffer, but it is because that is the way it is.)
You think everything is an EMERGENCY. (It’s not.)
You want something for nothing. (You may well get what you pay for.)
You paid last year and think they owe you. (That was a year ago. See You want something for nothing.)
You call the office, leave a message, call the cell phone, leave a message, send 2 texts, send 1 email, and call the paralegal all within 3 minutes and it is NOT an emergency. (This is wholly unnecessary.)

Matthew Thompson is a Mississippi Divorce attorney and knows a thing or two about unreasonable clients. If you identify with 2 or more of the above you may well be an Unreasonable Client, see your lawyer at their next available appointment for treatment.

Follow the blog:#BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm You may also contact Matthew with your family law matter or question at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms

Divorce

Happy Memorial Day!

05/26/2014 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

In memoriam to all who have served and lost their lives for this Country. Thank you.

#happymemorialday #USA #bowtielawyerms

Divorce

Don’t Kill the Golden Goose!

05/16/2014 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

That dirty, no good, weasley, little, you-know-what deserves to be run out-of-town on a rail and have it shouted from the roof tops that he’s sorry and no one should do business with him! Right??

Goose that Laid the Golden Egg Hand pulled silkscreen ca. 1950

WRONG!

Your initial reaction of disdain and disgust are understandable. But, bad mouthing the bread-winner in a divorce situation is akin to cutting off your own nose to spite your face. A New York divorcee recently learned the hard way, costing herself six figures in the process. She attacked her husband publicly for his reprehensible conduct and cost him significant business and dramatically decreased the value of his law firm.

It was needlessly self-destructive. That bread-winning spouse maintaining the ability to bring home the bacon will allow you to get more cheddar!

So, bad-mouth him to your lawyer, to your counselor and your mamma, but don’t run him down the road to his co-workers, don’t email all of her clients that she’s a home-wrecker.

Will it be easy? No. Is it the right thing? Maybe. Is it the Smart Play? Absolutely.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce and Domestic Relations Attorney in Mississippi and if your goal is to have more bread in your pocket do NOT kill the Golden Goose.

Follow the blog:#BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm You may also contact Matthew with your family law matter or question at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms

Divorce, Food Related

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter & Divorce: What you Need to Know

05/14/2014 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Per Capita Use of Margarine and the Declining Rate of Divorce in Maine

A website that has emphasized Spurious Correlations has made the connection between Per Capita Consumption of Margarine in the United States and Divorces in the State of Maine. As one has declined so has the other.

While scientist cannot directly link a cause and effect, perhaps using less margarine may make a stronger marriage…

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce and Domestic Relations Attorney in the Magnolia State. Follow the blog:#BowTieLawyer Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm You may also contact Matthew with your family law matter or question at (601) 850-8000

Child Custody, Divorce, Opinion

Happy Mother’s Day!

05/09/2014 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Mother’s Day is Sunday.

Make sure that the mother of your children is recognized. Mothers are the most influential force on a child. Dads are important, no doubt, but a hug from mom makes everything better.

Too often, in separated families, the dad takes the position that “well, she’s not MY mother” and leaves it to the kids to take care of. Don’t. Help your child get an appropriate Mother’s Day gift, every time.

Send flowers, give a card – handmade by junior is a winner every time, a gift certificate for a massage, a dinner, the movies, or bowling, whatever it is, Do it.

Thompson Law Firm wishes all of the Mother’s out there a Happy Mother’s Day!

Divorce

Is Your Lawyer Just Running Up a Fee?

05/08/2014 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Lawyers and their fees, the bane of the client’s existence.

Lawyers bill in several ways, most commonly with retainers and hourly billing. A retainer is unearned money that is placed in the lawyer’s Trust Account. As the lawyer works on your case, talks to you, meets with you, emails, texts, or thinks about you, the lawyer charges you. As your charged the money is pulled from the Trust Account into the lawyer’s Operating Account. When the retainer gets low the lawyer sends a nice letter, called a “Replenish Retainer” letter. It says send more money. The client then calls and asks “how much is this going to cost me?” The response is ALWAYS the same, “It depends.”

Another way to bill is Value Pricing, or fixed fee pricing. This is when there is a pre-negotiated or agreed upon price on the front end of the case. The client and lawyer agree to the fee, the timing and circumstances under which it is due. Here the client knows how much it is going to cost them. In my experience most lawyers do not like this method because “high fees” scare clients away and some lawyers are not comfortable quoting fixed fees because they may limit what they can charge.

There are pros and cons to each method. The hourly billing method is great if the matter settles quickly, but persons in the position needing lawyers are rarely in the settle-easy category. The fixed fee method allows you to plan, budget and make a fully informed decision.

Whatever method your lawyer uses, make sure you understand it. Make sure you appreciate the full cost and expense you are facing.

Thompson Law Firm uses the Value Pricing and fixed fee approach to handling your legal matter.

Crime, Divorce, General Legal

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinsky.” – Bill Clinton

05/07/2014 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

“Monicagate, Lewinskygate, Tailgate, Sexgate, or Zippergate”

Whatever you call it, it’s the case that parsed words over what the definition of “is” is and put a focus on what is and is not sex-and ergo adultery.

Mississippi defines Adultery as uncondoned Sexual intercourse with a person of the opposite sex, not your spouse. To be adultery you have to be legally married, then have intercourse with a person, not your spouse, of the opposite sex, without permission of your spouse before or forgiveness of your spouse if after. What a definition!

Uncondoned – is the part that requires it not be with permission or forgiveness, whether before or after.

Sexual Intercourse – is the part that requires sex, and what Bill Clinton based his testimony on.

Opposite sex – is the part which requires the other person be the opposite gender from the adulterer. This one is interesting as technically speaking a same-sex rendezvous does not meet the definition of adultery, maybe for a number of reasons.

Not your spouse – is obvious.

A Valid marriage – usually obvious, but every now and again that issue comes up. If you are not legally married, then it is not adultery. Mississippi abolished common law marriage over 50 years ago.