Does it Take an Act of Congress to Get a Divorce…in Mississippi?

05/11/2021 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

The Mississippi Constitution of 1817, Article VI, Section 17 , provided that “Divorces from the bonds of matrimony, shall not be granted but in cases provided for by law, by suit in Chancery; provided that no decree for divorce shall have effect until the same shall be sanctioned by two-thirds of both branches of the General Assembly.”

At the time Mississippi became a state it took a vote by 2/3 of the legislature to get a divorce, after a Judge determined you had grounds for divorce.

This requirement for legislative approval was removed in 1869 and likewise did not reappear in the 1890 Mississippi, the state’s current Constitution.

So, no, it does not take an act of the legislature to get a divorce…anymore, but it can still be difficult and possibly impossible in Mississippi without provable fault grounds.

Matthew Thompson is a divorce and civil litigation attorney in Mississippi.

Divorce

Happy Mother’s Day!

05/09/2021 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Bow Tie, Divorce, General Legal

When the GATES Come Crashing Down; Bill Gates’ Divorce and How it Impacts YOU.

05/05/2021 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

The celebrity divorce du jour is Bill & Melinda Gates.

After over a quarter century of marriage, Melinda Gates has sought a no-fault divorce from Bill Gates in the state of Washington. The parties appear to be working on an agreement to resolve the dissolution of the marriage and the division of assets.

Of note, Bill Gates was already a billionaire when the parties met and married. Media reports indicate there was no prenuptial agreement and Washington is a community property state, which bodes well for a 50/50 split of assets.

So, how does this impact you?

It’s a lesson that no matter how much money you have it does not guaranty wedded bliss;
You never truly know the health of a marriage from an outside perspective; and
It really doesn’t impact YOU. It has no bearing on the strength of your relationships.

Matthew Thompson is civil litigation attorney and reminds you that other people’s divorces are not really your drama.

Divorce

Happy Valentine’s Day!

02/14/2021 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

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Divorce

Happy New Year!

12/31/2020 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Opinion

Parent Tip of the Day: Delete SnapChat and TikTok

12/07/2020 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Social Media makes it very easy to stay in touch and plugged in. Too easy…

Parenting has always been a hard, full-time job. With the availability of technology at our finger tips, it seemingly is getting harder.

One way to make it easier? Delete SnapChat and TikTok from your child’s device.

I agree the SnapChat filters are neat but the access/potential for trouble is too great. It is too easy for some random to connect and send a message or image. SnapChat creates a false sense of security with its auto-delete feature. With everyone having multiple devices and traveling in packs, this provides no real security.

TikTok, too. Some of the videos are cute, but many are not.

Delete the temptation. You’ll have one less thing to worry about and more time too.

Matthew Thompson is a parent and is expressing his personal opinion.

Divorce

Happy Thanksgiving!!

11/26/2020 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Divorce, General Legal

Chancery Courts, Covid and YOu.

09/16/2020 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

The Capital Area Bar Association (CABA) recently held it’s second in a series of offerings featuring local Judges in the area discussing the Court’s efforts to adapt to continuing with Court in this Covid-era.

Featured were Chancellors Owens, Grove and Roberts. Yours truly was the moderator for the panel. Some 40-odd attorneys were in attendance for this Zoom conference.

The Judge’s comments were similar with the challenges presented by Covid; some court delay with cases involving multiple litigants/attorneys, technical difficulties, and a little too-lax formality when Zooming.

The pro’s were commented on as well; more economical for parties, more efficient for the Court in certain cases, and allowed for out of town, out of state parties/witness to be accommodated with Zoom hearings.

The consensus is Covid and Zoom are both going to be here for a while so attorneys need to adapt. Additionally, some level of Zoom is here to stay and that will make Court and attorney’s more efficient for clients in the future.

If you are interested in learning more about CABA click.

Matthew Thompson is a civil litigation attorney in MS and managing in a Covid-crazed world.