Category Archives: Opinion

Child Custody, Divorce, General Legal, Opinion, Visitation

Do You Pass “The SleepOver Challenge?”

02/18/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Sometimes being a Family Law Attorney leads to having information that you wish you did NOT have.

From swinging key parties to recreational substance abuse, you would be surprised to learn what good, normal people are doing, even your neighbors.

One way to determine if your conduct is “ok” is to ask yourself “Do I pass the SleepOver Challenge?” This simple test is would you allow your child(ren) to go to a sleepover at so-and-so’s house if you knew they were doing whatever it is that you are doing.

If your answer is “yes” then in the eyes of a Judge you’ll probably be fine, (assuming you are in the bounds of societal norms, whatever that means). If your answer is “no” it’s time to re-examine what you are doing.

And, if you have some rally bizarre behind closed doors conduct, just disregard this, keep it to yourself and don’t invite anyone for a sleepover.

Matthew Thompson is a Child Custody Attorney practicing Family Law in Mississippi.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer

Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or more information on Child Custody and Divorce. (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms.

Divorce, General Legal, Opinion

Less is More…Knowing the Dirt May Do More Harm Than Good.

02/04/2015 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Confession is good for the Soul.

However, what’s good for the Soul may not be so good for your marriage. Sometimes knowing the details, deeds and dirt makes it impossible to “forgive.” Knowing the location of the “scene of the crime” results in PTSD every time you pass by. Knowing the name of the paramour gives you the HeeBeeGeeBees when you have a waiter/waitress with the same name. Also, even when you know all the dirt, you still wonder if you really do.

If the goal is to attempt to reconcile and work through life’s difficulties, you may well be better served by the mantra- Less is More.

Read about “The Dirt” here, “The Book of Sins” here and more on “Reconciliation” here.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi and believes that sometimes ignorance is bliss. Consult your attorney, counselor or mental health professional for more info!

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms.

Child Custody, Child Support, General Legal, Opinion

Family Law Bill of the Day; What Are They Thinking

01/30/2015 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Yesterday was about a proposed change in Fault Grounds in Mississippi law. Today is about a far different change…

House Bill 714, hb0714in, seeks to declare a presumption that a child’s best interests is NOT served by being placed in the custody of a homosexual person, even if it’s the biological Parent.

Regardless of one’s political and/or religious views this would create significant problems in the law. The law currently recognizes a concept called the Natural Parent Presumption. This means that a Natural Parent is the best parent to raise their own child as they deem best. This is well founded, accepted law. Additionally, you have a Constitutional Right, as a parent, to raise your child as you best see fit, assuming you are neither neglecting nor abusing your child.

The problem that HB 714 creates is that it will in fact require a Court to conclude that a parent is presumptively fit and unfit if that parent was the natural parent and homosexual. It ignores the fact that a homosexual can be a biological parent triggering the Natural Parent Presumption, it creates a presumption of unfitness based solely on sexual orientation with NO criteria of whether that parent “acts” on said orientation and it provides no litmus test for homosexuality. This also ignores the fact that a Court may already consider the morals of parents and take that into considerations when determining Custody. It assumes bad parenting when there is no reasonable basis to do so (Click for Real Bad Parenting).

This appears, at best, to be election year pandering and, at worst, an unconstitutional restraint on a Parent’s Right to Parent. This would not withstand a Constitutional challenge, in my opinion. And, is another reason that MS will catch ridicule as being so Heavenly Focused that we’re no Earthly good.

Matthew Thompson is a Child Custody Lawyer in Mississippi and believes that the Albright Custody Factors allow for the Court to consider ALL issues that the Court deems necessary to determine custody of a child- and that’s a fact!

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms.

Bow Tie, Opinion

Motivation for the Day; Life is Like Riding a Bicycle…

01/13/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving. – Albert Einstein

Baby Einstein (2) — Edited from Pinterest.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi and encourages you to keep moving.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@BowTieLawyer.ms

Child Custody, Divorce, Marriage, Opinion

Don’t Make Up Stuff About Your Ex.

01/09/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

It can be fun to “run them down the road” or “throw ’em under the bus,” figuratively speaking, of course.

They were, after-all, mostly responsible for the worst thing that happened to you as an adult. (Or the best, if you consider you no longer live with that cretin?)

But, why make stuff up about how bad they were? It serves no purpose. Recently, I heard the other side of the story from a friend of the ex. It was chock full of outrageous conduct, statements and actions- some criminal, that were just not true.

I thought, “Wow, if he was that bad I would have divorced him too!”

However, the conduct, statements and actions were not true. I know because I deposed the ex during the case. I asked, under oath, about all the dirty deeds. They were not mentioned.

People seem to have one of two predispositions. 1) We remember things better than they were, ie: childhood years, college days, or 2) We remember things much worse than they were, ie: “he never loved me.”

Making things up about your ex may be fun, but it serves no purpose and delays the “healing process.” It also may backfire down the road when you finally forgive and resume some semblance of a relationship.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Litigation Lawyer in Mississippi and believes the truth can set you free.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@BowTieLawyer.ms

Divorce, Marriage, Opinion

How Cold is Your Ex’s “Cold, Dark Soul?”

01/08/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

On the drive in to the office this morning I heard our local Meteorologist, Brad Maushart, say…

“It is colder than your Ex’s cold, dark soul…”

The official low was 13 degrees!

So, How Cold is Your Ex’s “Cold, Dark Soul?”

Approximately 14-15 degrees!

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Lawyer in Jackson, Mississippi and can help bring the heat if your relationship is too cold to survive.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@BowTieLawyer.ms

Divorce, Marriage, Opinion

One Divorce, Two Divorce, Three Divorce…The Third Time is not the Charm, Even for a Billionaire

01/06/2015 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Elon Musk, Justine Musk and Talulah Riley, names you don’t know and probably don’t care about. Their marriages and divorces, however, provide a unique look into money, power, spaceships and electric cars.

Elon Musk is a billionaire, co-founder of PayPal, Tesla and SpaceX. He is three times divorced. Once from his “starter wife,” Justine Musk and twice from his “trophy wife” aka “soul mate” Talulah Riley.

Justine Musk is a writer, blogger and mother-of-five. Elon gave her an ultimatum some-years into their marriage. “Fix this today or I am divorcing you tomorrow…” Justine, as part of the divorce, sought “The house; alimony and child support; $6 million cash; 10 percent of his stock in Tesla; 5 percent of his stock in (ed: space transport company) SpaceX (and he retains all voting rights) and a Tesla Roadster (I really, really want one …).” A seemingly paltry sum for a billionaire.

Talulah Riley married Elon twice. Once in 2010, approximately ten minutes after his first divorce and again in 2013. Elon and Talulah divorced in 2012, and Talulah received an estimated $4.2 million and a year or so thereafter their romance rekindled. It was short-lived however, as Elon filed for divorce in December of 2014. This time Talulah is looking at a reported $16 million dollar settlement.

So, what do we learn from this? No amount of money guarantees a happy marriage. One should never use the terms “starter wife” or “trophy wife.” Neither Spaceships nor Electric cars are the secret to a healthy relationship.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law Attorney in Mississippi and can help guide the division of spaceships and electric cars in your next divorce.

Follow the blog: BowTieLawyer Visit the website: Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case, question or concern at (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@BowTieLawyer.ms

Divorce, Opinion

Curse Words and Other Names to Call a Divorce Lawyer. (*#%$#&…and some Hate)

12/17/2014 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

About half of all the people I come into contact with end up hating me…

I don’t think this bothers me, though. It suits my personality. However, my goal is not to be hated, nor is my goal to destroy your family. Enough of you do that without any attorney’s help.

I have been cussed out, threatened and heckled for doing my job. A few include;

“Terrorist” (by opposing party)

“Weasly, little, S.O.B.” (by opposing counsel outside of Court)

“@#@$^&@$*!” (too harsh to print)

“Homeboy” (by opposing counsel, in Court!)

“Bow Lie Lawyer” (by opposing party…a year later, hmm…)

threatened to be “filleted” (like a fish, I suppose, by opposing Counsel- in a call to my home after hours- we’re friends now)

and just about every other “name” in the book

What have you been called at work?

(leave a comment)

I consider this a badge of honor, in case you are wondering. I would also encourage the would-be-litigants to direct their anger not at the attorneys, nor even the other spouse, but to use that anger to search inward and resolve to improve yourself and those relationships with others. At least that is what Dr. Phil would say. And if all of that is too hokey – be your worst self and see how that works for you.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Lawyer in Mississippi and encourages those of you that are name callers to Grow Up.

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