Gray Divorce: Division of Retirement Assets Disparity

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   March 28th, 2015

Be Sure To Hire A Divorce Attorney With Experience In “Gray Divorce” Cases

An interesting article published in the Arkansas Business Journal discussed the issue of divorce with retirement age individuals.  As a founding member of the International Academy of Attorneys for Divorce Over 50, I personally am quite familiar with the unique issues that often arise in these “gray divorce” cases. When discussing the financial background of many couples aged 50-60, the typical equal asset allocation can be problematic.

These couples are more likely to have combined their retirement planning and savings. Over the past 5 generations, the workplace demographics have shifted.  Often, many couples who marry today both pursue a career path and develop their own separate retirement accounts.  In the 1950’s and 1960’s, married couples often relied financially on the men in the relationship to be the primary “breadwinner”.  This means that when a retirement account is discovered during the divorce process, and it’s distributed equally, each party will be left with 50% of their retirement assets even though they are often only a few years away from retirement.  … View Full Article → “Gray Divorce: Division of Retirement Assets Disparity”

Adoption Records NOW Unsealed in Ohio!

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   March 14th, 2015

All Adoption Records And Original Birth Certificates Available To Ohio Citizens

New Ohio Law Gives Adoptees Easier Access To Adoption Birth Records

UPDATE – March 20, 2015, is the first day that individuals adopted in Ohio between January 1, 1964, and September 18, 1996, can pay a $20 fee, and fill out a request form to get a copy of their original birth certificate and certificate of the adoption. Ohio now becomes the twelfth state to provide ALL of their adopted citizens access to their adoption records. This will affect up to 400,000 people who have previously been denied access to their Ohio birth records.

To learn more about this process, view this comprehensive 8 minute video from the Ohio Vital Statistics.

To obtain the request form go to: www.odh.ohio.gov/vs

Here is the backstory from my article from May 10, 2014, posted on the Ohio Family Law Blog.

Adoptees Can Access Original Birth Certificate Says New Ohio Law

A new law in Ohio will unseal records for about 400,000 Ohio adult adoptees.   … View Full Article → “Adoption Records NOW Unsealed in Ohio!”

Domestic Relations Court In Greene County Hires Nidiffer

By Anne Shale   |   March 7th, 2015

An Introduction to Greene County Domestic Relations Court Staff Attorney Justin C. Nidiffer


Justin C. Nidiffer

On February 9, 2015, I traveled to the Domestic Relations Court of Greene County, Ohio to interview Justin C. Nidiffer, the newly hired Staff Attorney for the named Court.  Justin advised me that he had completed an internship with the Court during his last year in law school and that he was so very pleased with that experience.  It was apparent to me that the Domestic Relations Court was very satisfied with Justin’s performance as the Court hired him as their very first Staff Attorney to commence his position on January 1, 2015.

What will Justin’s responsibilities be?

  1. He will be reviewing new cases filed with the Court and examining the pleadings and Financial Affidavits of the parties.  He will then be preparing and filing the Court’s Temporary Orders of Custody and Support.  He will be working closely with Judge Steven Hurley, Magistrate Cynthia Martin, and Magistrate Kimberly Combs.
… View Full Article → “Domestic Relations Court In Greene County Hires Nidiffer”

FOMO: Does it Impact Decisions to File for Divorce?

By Guest Contributor Donna F. Ferber, LPC, LADC   |   February 28th, 2015

The Role FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) Plays Out In Daily and Family Life

Technology has created a glut of new words and expressions. It also has “repurposed” old words; a mouse is no longer just a rodent in my basement. A crash is not a vehicular accident, a chip is not just used for scooping up onion dip and a pad is not just a monthly required feminine product.

Electronic communication has also introduced us to a wave of new acronyms. LOL, ROFL, OMG, BRB were sprinkled through our e-mail and now are a standard in texting. Those initialisms (another new word I recently learned) have entered into our face to face conversations and are a part of our lexicon. Since I don’t Tweet, Snap, or Facebook, I admit I am lagging in current vocabulary updates.

Then an acquaintance confided she attends church weekly because she has FOMO. For those of you who are, like me, lagging in social media jargon, I will decode.… View Full Article → “FOMO: Does it Impact Decisions to File for Divorce?”

Divorce Representation Without A Lawyer On The Rise

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   February 21st, 2015

Representing Yourself in a Divorce? No Way! Why Retaining Legal Counsel Is Worth It!

Courtrooms all across the country are seeing an increase in the number of unrepresented parties on their dockets.  Whether it’s due to the failing economy, the rise in popularity of television shows such as “Judge Judy” which encourage the legal “do it yourself” attitude, or perhaps the belief that the courts will take it easy on those who represent themselves…the amount of people trying to navigate their way through the legal system without a lawyer is on the rise.

While it is easy, (and perhaps self-serving) for a family law attorney to claim that it is in a person’s best interest to hire a lawyer for their divorce or child custody matter, the courts’ decisions in cases where a party appears on their own behalf speak for themselves. Family law is filled with rules and procedures, nuances and intricacies…many of which differ depending on which county, district, state, etc.… View Full Article → “Divorce Representation Without A Lawyer On The Rise”

Military Custody Law Update For Deployed Members

By Thomas G. Kopacz   |   February 7th, 2015

Congress Passes Law Affording Military Custody Protection to Our Deployed Servicemembers

Deployment Can No Longer Be Held Against Military Parent In Child Custody Disputes


Left to Right: Lt. Eva Slusher, her daughter Sara Slusher and Mike Turner

For 8 years, Michael R. Turner, R.-Ohio, has been calling for Congress to afford its military members child custody protection while deployed; it appears they finally listened.

In February 2010 and February 2011, Anne Shale posted articles entitled, “They Fight for America and Upon Return Must Fight for Their Children” and “BREAKING NEWS: Secretary of Defense Gates Changes Position to Protect Custodial Parents Deployed Overseas!” articles addressed Turner’s arduous fight to persuade lawmakers to amend the National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) to provide military members child custody protections while deployed overseas.  Tuner was inspired in 2007 when he met Lt. Eva Slusher, a member of the Kentucky National Guard, who lost custody of her daughter after returning home from a deployment in 2004 because according to the judge, “the military lifestyle is not stable and is not conducive to raising children.”  … View Full Article → “Military Custody Law Update For Deployed Members”

Revenge Porn Laws Enacted In Many States Except Ohio

By Robert "Chip" Mues   |   January 31st, 2015

Groups Push To Outlaw Revenge Porn

Facebook Hit With Civil Lawsuit Over Revenge Porn

In today’s ever connected world, what was once private often becomes public. Most individuals almost certainly have a smart phone camera or tablet device with a camera at their fingertips at any time.  This increase in accessibility coupled with the desire to photograph anything and everything has turned often daily tasks into internet posts.  This is all well and fun when it comes to photographing your dinner, your adventures and travels, and most often, your pets. Things can turn ugly though when this type of technology is brought into private relationships and intimate encounters.

Can You Post Nude Photos of Your Spouse Online Without Consent?

As a divorce lawyer, I am seeing more cases where a bitter spouse either threatens or disseminates nude photos of his/her spouse online.  Assuming there are current restraining orders in place preventing “harassment”, a contempt motion can be filed.… View Full Article → “Revenge Porn Laws Enacted In Many States Except Ohio”

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