Tag Archives: divorce

Welcome to Divorce Hotel

02/11/2015 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

Amicable, Collaborative divorces are all the rage. At least as much as something in the divorce world can be “all the rage…”

http://nypost.com/2015/02/10/i-checked-into-the-divorce-hotel-to-check-out-of-my-marriage/

Well, now you can have the spa treatment, champagne & strawberries, a mint on your pillow and a Divorce!

DivorceHotel, a UK based divorce corporation, has a package for the couples who can agree to part ways and agree on most everything else. DH provides a mediator, financial planner, 2 rooms (though one is an option) and all the tools necessary to finalize a split if wedded bliss just is not working out.

All of this, by the way, for the low, low fee of about $5,000.00… depending on the season, of course.

Is this right for you? Probably not, but there are certainly worse ways to divorce. If you can agree on everything, want a memorable divorce experience and those memories be as pleasant as possible this may be an option for you.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Attorney in Mississippi and recommends that if it’s time to Check-Out of your Marriage, you may consider Checking-In to the Divorce Hotel…or maybe the DivorceMotel6.

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 Collaborative or Amicable Divorces. (601) 850-8000 or Matthew@bowtielawyer.ms.

Divorce

Divorce Rate vs. Getting Burned

02/09/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

Divorce rate in Mississippi
correlates with
Number of people killed by hot tap-water

Upload this image to imgur

	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Divorce rate in Mississippi Divorces per 1000 people (US Census)	5	5	5	4.9	4.6	4.5	4.4	4.8	4.5	4.3	4.1	4.3
Number of people killed by hot tap-water Deaths (US) (CDC)	51	55	57	40	26	30	43	32	34	31	23	30
Correlation: 0.785526

Comparing Divorces in Mississippi to Deaths by Hot Tap Water may lead to some uncomfortable results.

I recommend divorce over the alternative, by the way.

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Visit the website: #Thompson Law Firm

You may also contact Matthew with your family law case or question at (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, Divorce, General Legal

Family Law Bill of the Day – Mississippi Style

01/29/2015 BowTieLawyer 1 Comment

The legislature is in session. Saturday Night Live once referred to the Mississippi Legislature as the “hissing possums.”

But, today’s blog is about proposed legislation. Senate Bill 2342-(sb2342in).

This Bill’s intent is to add a 13th “fault ground” to Mississippi Law. This ground would provide for a divorce being granted upon 5 years of separation in fact. This means if you and your spouse are married, but not living together for five years or longer and at least one of you wants a divorce, you can get a divorce. It further provides that if there are minor children that the Chancellor may deny the divorce if a divorce is found to not be in the children’s best interests.

This is a much needed change in Mississippi law and a step in the right direction. Some may say 5 years is too long, but it is better than nothing and better than the law as it currently is.

Who says that? I do.

Read about the current 12 fault grounds.

Read Why You Should Care About This Legislation here and here.

Matthew Thompson is a Family Law and Child Custody Attorney in Mississippi, Adjunct Professor at MC Law in Domestic Relations and believes this provides a much needed remedy in the current law.

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

Married to a Zombie? When “Death” Doesn’t Do Us Part…

01/28/2015 BowTieLawyer Leave a comment

‘Til Death Do Us Part!

Karen sued Joseph for Divorce in Connecticut. Joseph took the position that she could not get a divorce because they were no longer married. The reason? He died.

Connecticut law provides that a marriage may be terminated by divorce or death.

Joseph alleged that during the marriage he was technically dead for a period of time, albeit temporarily, until the use of CPR brought him back to life. Ergo, Karen was not entitled to a divorce. Joseph took this position in a Court-filed pleading! The Court did not take his argument as serious as a heart-attack.

Joseph failed to provide any evidence supporting his claim, such as medical records and more importantly the definition of “death” is the permanent cessation of all vital functions, an irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions, or an irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem.

Joseph, after all, was not dead. Just his legal argument was…and NOW his marriage!

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce Lawyer in Mississippi and may can help resuscitate your case.

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

Divorce, General Legal

Being NOT Divorced Does Not a Marriage Make.

01/23/2015 BowTieLawyer 2 Comments

In Mississippi it can be ridiculously hard to get a divorce. Untying the knot can be quite the task…

Mississippi is NOT a true “No Fault” divorce state. Instead, MS requires the parties agree to the divorce and all the terms for an Irreconcilable Differences Divorce and absent that agreement you must have Fault Grounds, that can be proven.

If no agreement and no Fault Grounds, guess what? You cannot get divorced, but that does not mean you have a marriage!

Sure, legally you are married, but there is no requirement that you reside with your spouse and even if you commit an act which would entitle your spouse to a divorce it does not mean you can get the divorce- – only if they choose to seek fault grounds against you.

Time and again legislation has been proposed to eliminate this “divorce blackmail” chasm that is MS law. Time and again any compromise on divorce law has died on the vine under the auspices of “protecting families.”

Families are not being protected by laws which create legal blackmail situations. This change, by the way, if it ever happens is contrary to divorce lawyer’s self interests! If there is a more reasonable process to get a divorce, divorce lawyers make less money.

Marriages are wonderful blessings, unless they are not. It’s time for Mississippi laws to reflect that.

Matthew Thompson is a Divorce attorney in Mississippi and can help you untie the knot that became a “noose.”

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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

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