Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Attorney | Attorney Christopher Pearsall

RI Divorce Lawyers - Painting a Rosy Picture May Net You a Divorce Fantasy and Nothing More!

As a Rhode Island Lawyer focusing my practice exclusively in the area of Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law, I have learned that when people come in for a consultation they want to tell me their story and they want to be told exactly what they want to hear. 

Yes, despite the fact that every divorce lawyer may not portray a realistic scenario to the potential client, clients need to realize that a lawyer may tell them exactly what they want to hear.

If you skimmed that last paragraph which was only one sentence long and you have already forgotten it, then . . . my dear reader . . .WAKE UP!

I'll repeat it because it is so crucial and I'll even be more blunt.  Some lawyers . . . to get your business . . . will tell you exactly what you want to hear!  They may give you results that are not realistic not just for your divorce case but for ANY divorce case.

Lawyers are businesspeople and they get hit by economic times too.  Without clients they don't have income.  Without income, many of them can't afford that cushy little porshe or mercedes they drive.  Without income,  they may have to consider making a late payment on their house or their summer home.  Without clients, the lifestyle a lawyer may have developed for him or herself doesn't last long.  So the lawyer needs to bring in clients. 

That may be you!  Wouldn't it be nice to go into a divorce lawyer and give him or her a quick snapshot of your life with your spouse and kids and then he or she tells you how everything is going to be fine, that they've dealt with this scenario a million times before and that if you hire them, then they will deal with all that anxiety for you and it will be over before you know it.  Imagine a lawyer telling you that all this stress you are feeling right now is needless because the lawyer is going to get you a great divorce settlement and that you should let him or her deal with it and your troubles will be over.

Now, here you are all comfortable and feeling that this lawyer is going to take care of all your divorce troubles when he tells you the cost.  If you are especially stressed out, are you likely to agree to provide him or her with a $3,500 retainer at an hourly rate of $250 per hour?  Most people will find a way to do so because the lawyer is offering a solution to divorce stress and anxiety in your personal life.  What is more painful to you?  The stress and anxiety at home or parting with a few thousand dollars.  In many instances the stress outweighs the money. 

Some, but not all lawyers will do this.  Let me give you an example that came up recently but I'll change the players and the issue itself to protect the privacy of the individual involved.

Clyde met with me for a consultation.  Clyde wanted to divorce his wife Cassie.  Clyde and Cassie had a fight and Cassie told Clyde that he could go ahead and divorce her because she'd be set for life.  Clyde didn't know what Cassie was talking about so he asked her.  "Well", Cassie snapped, "I've already been to a lawyer and he already explained to me that you're going to have to pay me alimony and I'll be doing just great and you'll be broke."  Clyde looked at her in disbelief. 

"Really?" Clyde stated in disbelief.  "Yes.", Cassie answered.  The lawyer told me that you'll have to pay me alimony "indefinitely".  Clyde answered, "I don't think that's true Cassie.  You may want to check with another lawyer."

Cassie got angrier.  "I don't need you telling me what to do.  I've already seen a lawyer and I know what is going on and my lawyer said you're going to be paying me alimony FOREVER!"

"I don't think that's how it works Cassie. So you may want to check with another Rhode Island divorce lawyer."  Clyde was urging her now.

"Nope.  I like this guy and he's told me exactly how it's going to go for you and I like that just fine.  So go ahead and serve me with the papers because I don't like the way you're handling the money as it is."

In this situation it isn't hard to see what has happened.  Cassie went to a lawyer for what was probably a free consultation and she told the lawyer what was probably only her side of the story.  The economy is hurting and the attorney figured out what Cassie wanted to hear in order to hire him as her attorney.  So the attorney painted Cassie a very rosy picture and told her exactly what she wanted to hear in order to get her as his divorce client.

Only too often this is the rule rather than the exception.

It is best to remember the old adage.  If something sounds too good to be true. . . it probably is!  The easiest way to get a divorce client is to tell him or her what they want to hear instead of being honest about the process and what may or may not occur.

If a lawyer is pressing you to engage him or her as your divorce lawyer, usually this is a warning sign.  If you don't hear a few things that put you on edge during a consultation because they cause you to worry a little, this is another warning sign.  If you hear everything you want to hear AND you are pressured into retaining the lawyer's services quickly this is a warning sign as well.

On rare occasions when there is an uncontested divorce or when the parties have good respect and communication with each other, then it is reasonable to hear everything you want to hear from the lawyer.  Otherwise, if the lawyer doesn't raise some possible issues that give you cause for concern, then you should consider whether the lawyer is just telling you what you want to hear just to get your business, especially if the lawyer stands to gain a substantial hourly rate off the arrangement.

In the end, be careful.  If you hear exactly what you want to hear when there could be issues of alimony, child support, visitation, placement, retirement plans and real estate division, then you should shop around by selecting lawyers who are known to routinely practice divorce law before the Rhode Island Family Courts.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce* Lawyer & Family Law* Attorney

Now

Rhode Island's Premiere Legal Divorce Coach !!

Copyright 2009.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium!

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law. Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall | Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

Good Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer Falls Prey to a Judge With Her Own Agenda!

On or about December 4, 2008, I received a letter from the General Counsel of the Rhode Island Supreme Court the letter reads as follows:

December 2, 2008

Via First Class Mail
Mr. Christopher Pearall
Attorney at Law
70 Dogwood Drive
Suite 304
West Warwick, RI  02893

Dear Attorney Pearsall:

        It has come to the attention of this Office that a potential violation of Rule 8.2(a) of the Supreme Court Rules of Professional Conduct may have occurred due to your posting of various disparaging, misleading, and false statements regarding a member of the Rhode Island Judiciary on your website:  http://www.attorneypearsall.com/2008/09/judgelaureendam.html as well as on http://www.links4women.com/articles/chris.htm .  Specifically, these entries appear to describe an incident that occurred in 2007 relating to your conduct as counsel before Associate Justice Laureen D'Ambra and they contain unfounded allegations of incompetence and impropriety against Justice D'Ambra as well as another judicial employee.

Rule 8.2(a) of the Rules of Professional Conduct provides that

A lawyer shall not make a statement that a lawyer knows to be false or with reckless disregard as to its truth or falsity concerning the qualifications or integrity of a judge, adjudicatory officer or public legal officer, or of a candidate for election or appointment to judicial or legal office.

        While I fully recognize that members of the public are free to express their disagreement with decisions made by the Court, attorneys also have a competing obligation to comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct.  Your recourse for any perceived unfair or inappropriate treatment by a judges is through an appeal on the merits, or by filing a complaint with the Commission on Judicial Tenure and Discipline.

        Accordingly, we would ask that you refrain from posting these statements and/or revise the content in accordance with Rule 8.2(a).  Should the comments remain on your website after December 31, 2008 this office may pursue an appropriate remedy through disciplinary counsel.

Sincerely,


Erika Leigh Kruse
General Counsel



        The following is my response to the General Counsel for the Rhode Island Supreme Court.

December 28, 2008

Erika Leigh Kruse, Esquire
General Counsel
Rhode Island Supreme Court
Frank Licht Judicial Complex
Providence, RI  02903

Dear Attorney Kruse:

         Regarding your December 2nd letter, I do not own or control the content at Links4Women.com, therefore I can do nothing about the content that appears there.

        I have had no intention of violating Rule 8.2(a) of the Professional Rules of Ethical Conduct, however I do believe I have the right to express myself within the bounds of the Professional Rules of Ethical Conduct. 

I will re-read the article at AttorneyPearsall.com and any other articles over which I may still have editorial control in light of my 1 ½ year investigation.

        However, it would be very helpful if you (or the unknown complainant) would identify the statements believed to be in violation of Rule 8.2(a).  This will allow me to address any issues quickly and with clarity.

    Thank you for your consideration in this matter.

Respectfully,




Christopher A. Pearsall
CAP/cp


Notwithstanding my response to General Counsel for the Rhode Island Supreme Court, I have become painfully aware of how things work in Rhode Island.

Therefore, after substantial consideration I have removed this article and any similar articles on my websites in favor of preserving my livelihood. 

My thanks go out to the unwavering support of my friends and family through this continuing ordeal.

Article Authored By:

  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall,
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall
| Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers |

RI Alimony Language - Wording is Everything! Part 2

This article is a follow-up to my first Rhode Island Alimony Article which can be found at
http://www.attorneypearsall.com/2008/11/ri-alimony-language-wording-is-everything-part-1.html

This first tip article is helpful, if not essential, to helping you understand rehabilitative alimony in Rhode Island.  Therefore I recommend that you read my first alimony tip article if you do not already know how Rhode Island law treats alimony in general.

Lanuguage is crucial in both Rhode Island Settlement Agreements and especially in the Rhode Island divorce proceedings when it comes to alimony awards and alimony waivers.

Whether you are representing yourself or you have a Rhode Island lawyer to represent you in your divorce proceeding, it is best to be vigilant when it comes to the language used by you, your lawyer and even the judge.  In this divorce tip article the crucial word you should focus on is "non-modifiable."

Leaving out the word "non-modifiable" in your Marital Settlement Agreement or failing to clarify to the judge a request for the court's order to include the word "non-modifiable" could lead to hazardous consequences.

Consider this Rhode Island Divorce example about Mr. and Mrs. Lawyers:

Mr. Lawyers has agreed to pay Mrs. Lawyers alimony of $400 per week for a period of three (3) years in their Marital Settlement Agreement and he has testified to that on the record of the court.  Mrs. Lawyers agrees that Mr. Lawyers' testimony is accurate and that $400 per week for three (3) year is precisely what they agreed to in their Marital Settlement Agreement.

Mrs. Lawyers testifies that she wants to waive alimony after that three (3) years has been paid, that she knows that this waiver would be permanent, and that she believes she will be able to sustain herself at the end of the three year period and therefore she would like the court to grant her permanent waiver.

At the end of the hearing, the Court orders the following:

Mrs. Lawyers is awarded weekly alimony of $400 per week for a period of three (3) years from Mr. Lawyers and that upon completion of the three (3) years Mrs. Lawyers' request for waiver of alimony is granted and she waives alimony permanently.

Do you notice that the word "non-modifiable" does not appear anywhere in the excerpt of the testimony above?  Do you notice that Mrs. Lawyers confirmed that it is "precisely what they agreed to" in their Marital Settlement Agreement? 

Let's assume this is correct and that the Marital Settlement Agreement doesn't contain any reference to alimony being "non-modifiable". 

Now, imagine that Mr. Lawyers secures a job that pays considerably more than his last job, that he becomes a partner in a very profitable business, that he creates a very successful invention, that Mrs. Lawyers gets into a tragic accident in the first year after their divorce which leaves her with brain damage which prevents her from proceeding with her attempts to rehabilitate herself and become self sustaining.

Choose any one of these events or any other event that you might think of that drastically affects the earnings or abilities of Mr. and Mrs. Lawyers within the three (3) years alimony is to be paid.

What is important here is what Mrs. Lawyers DID NOT agree to!

Even though Mrs. Lawyers waived alimony permanently after the three (3) years of payments, she DID NOT agree at any time that the alimony during those three (3) years would be non-modifiable.

If Mrs. Lawyers wanted to, she could retain a Rhode Island lawyer and once again return to court and request that the alimony she is receiving in those first three years be increased based upon either Mr. Lawyers' increase in his ability to pay more alimony and/or her own decrease in her ability to provide for herself over the long term as planned.

Though the agreement provided for $400 per week of alimony for a period of three years, this merely indicates to the court that this is an amount and timeframe that was either agreeable to the parties or ordered by the Rhode Island family court judge at the time of the divorce.  However, without the word "non-modifiable" before the word "alimony" this DOES NOT prevent Mrs. Lawyers from arguing that neither the parties or the court intended that it could not be modified during that three (3) year period if circumstances changed which warranted a modification of the amount of alimony.

What could this mean for Mr. Lawyers?

If either Mr. Lawyers or his Rhode Island attorney did not add that one word "non-modifiable" then Mr. Lawyers could end up paying $600, $900 or even $1,200 per week to Mrs. Lawyers for the remainder of the three (3) year period, if the Rhode Island family court judge found that Mrs. Lawyers had that need for such alimony and Mr. Lawyers was capable of paying that amount of alimony.

What monetary difference could this make to Mr. Lawyers?

Let's say the court found Mr. Lawyers had the ability to pay Mrs. Lawyers Rhode Island alimony in the amount of $900 per week for the last 28 weeks of the three (3) year alimony period that was agreed upon.  Let's also assume that the court held Mrs. Lawyers to the three (3) year period of alimony because she had validly waived alimony permanently after that three (3) year period of time.

Mr. Lawyers had agreed to pay $400 per week.  Mr. Lawyers is now ordered to pay an extra $500 per week for the last twenty-eight (28) weeks.  This now requires Mr. Lawyers to pay Mrs. Lawyers an extra $14,000 that he hadn't planned on.

To Mr. Lawyers and/or Mr. Lawyers' Rhode Island attorney, the omission of that single word . . . "non-modifiable" . . . just cost Mr. Lawyers $14,000. 

The words you use in your agreement and the words used in the order by the court are crucial.  Care should be taken in drafting any alimony provision in a Rhode Island Marital Settlement Agreement.  Care should also be taken to make sure that the word "non-modifiable" is used by the court in its order, if that is what is intended or expected by the parties.

In this example it was worth $14,000 to Mr. Lawyers.  That's one very costly word, don't you think?

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce* Lawyer & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008. Christopher A. Pearsall
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium!

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law. Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall | Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

RI Alimony Language - Wording is Everything! Part 1

In a Rhode Island Divorce proceeding alimony must be awarded or denied by the Family Court Justice.

Since alimony under Rhode Island law is rehabilitative in nature, more often then not it is waived by one or both parties during the course for most Rhode Island divorce proceedings.  

Alimony that is rehabilitative is awarded by the court based upon the recipients need for financial support while he or she (1) re-establishes himself or herself in the working world with existing skills, (2) re-trains himself or herself with skills sufficient to sustain himself or herself with more modern skills, (3) is unable to care for himself or herself due to injuries, illnesses, handicaps or other circumstances that reasonably warrant the award of alimony for an extended period of time because one spouse is unable to care for himself or herself.

Alimony may be agreed to by the parties in circumstances when an award of rehabilitative alimony may be considered inevitable by the parties and/or their lawyers.  In other instances, a spouse may agree to pay rehabilitative alimony to the other spouse because their is an ability to make such a payment, even if the court would not normally award it, and one spouse wants to help the other spouse for a reasonable period of time until he or she regains a financial foothold on his or her own.

 
Whether alimony is by an award of the court or by an agreement of the parties, it is important that the language used by the court for any award of alimony is accurate pursuant to the agreement of the parties or as intended by the court.

The typical example is when an award of alimony is made for a specific amount of money for a specific period of time.  In this instance, clarity of language is essential!

Assume that Mr. Lawyers has agreed to pay Mrs. Lawyers alimony of exactly $400 per week for a period of three (3) years.    Now let's assume that the alimony award is phrased as follows in both the Marital Settlement agreement of the parties as well as the Decision of the Court.  Nothing else is mentioned about alimony.

    "Defendant Mrs. Lawyers shall pay Mrs. Lawyers rehabilitative alimony of $400 per week for a period of three years."

Here is where accuracy in the language regarding the rehabilitative alimony provisions is crucial when it comes to clarifying the Marital Settlement Agreement and/or the Decision of the Court.  If this is the ONLY alimony that Mrs. Lawyers is to receive per their Marital Settlement Agreement, then Mrs. Lawyers MUST request to waive alimony permanently on the record of the court and Mr. Lawyers or his attorney must make sure that the decision of the court is clarified to state that Mrs. Lawyers waives alimony permanently after that three year period.  Either Mr. Lawyers or his attorney should do so even if it means clarifying to the judge BEFORE the hearing or trial is concluded that the award of alimony should involve a waiver of alimony permanently with the exception of that three year period.

Why is this so crucial in a Rhode Island divorce proceeding?

Well, in the first instance it is significant to Mr. Lawyers.  If there is no permanent waiver of alimony by Mrs. Lawyers other than that three year period, then Mrs. Lawyers has a viable legal argument that alimony WAS NOT expressly limited to that three year period of payments because she DID NOT waive alimony permanently.  Therefore, if things aren't going well for Mrs. Lawyers at that time and Mr. Lawyers still has the ability to pay continued alimony, then Mrs. Lawyers might decide to return to court for another 1, 3 or more years of alimony.

In the second instance, if Mr. Lawyers has hired a Rhode Island attorney to protect his interests in the divorce, then the attorney may have made a crucial mistake because he or she didn't make sure a permanent waiver of alimony was made by Mrs. Lawyers.  Unless there was a miscommunication or some other circumstance which explains why the Rhode Island attorney didn't insure the permanent waiver of alimony was made, then the Rhode Island attorney may find himself or herself on the receiving end of a legal malpractice claim.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce* Lawyer & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008. Christopher A. Pearsall
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium!

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law. Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall | Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

In a Rhode Island Divorce is Dividing a Vested Pension within the Rhode Island Family Court's Power?

Sometimes Rhode Island divorce lawyers aren't able to provide "definite" answers to legal questions, including pension issues.

This is one of those frequent instances.

The answer is, "It all depends."

If either party in a Rhode Island divorce has a pension then there are various issues you will want to consider.  Specifically, the divorce issue we want to address here is that of "vesting." 

You can find out if your pension is vested for the purposes of your Rhode Island divorce by contacting the administrator of your pension fund and simply asking if your pension if your pension is vested or not.  You also may want to asked your pension administrator when your pension will vest (become vested) just in case the date might occur during the course of your Rhode Island Divorce proceeding.

ISSUE

The Rhode Island family court judge only has the power to order the equitable distribution of marital assets, including pensions. 

If you or your spouse has a pension that is not vested, what part of the pension, if any, is subject to the Rhode Island family court's power of equitable distribution?

If you or your spouse has a pension that is vested, what part of the pension, if any, is subject to the Rhode Island family court's power of equitable distribution?

ANSWERS

The only part of a vested or unvested pension that is subject to equitable distribution/division by the Rhode Island Family Court Judge is the "marital portion" of the pension.

The marital portion of any pension is dependent upon various circumstances, including (1) the length of the marriage, (2) the type of pension (civilian or military) and the laws governing it, and (3) whether the pension is vested or not.

While it may be the Rhode Island family court judge's role to determine after trial what the marital portion of the pension may be, it is the job of each spouse and his or her divorce lawyer to present to the court what part of the pension is the marital portion.  Sometimes your divorce lawyer may be able to argue that a larger portion of the pension is actually the "marital portion" if it is to your benefit to do so.  However, if there is disagreement between spouses and/or their divorce lawyers regarding the true manner in which the marital portion should be calculated, proof may be presented at trial.

Proof of the marital portion of the pension that is subject to distribution by the Rhode Island family court may require expert testimony by way of an actuary who substantiates the basis for claim and the amount of it.  Without this information, your Rhode Island divorce judge may not have sufficient information for determining the basis, amount or validity of your claim on that pension.

The issue of whether a pension is vested or not is of substantial benefit to both spouses, the court and an actuarial expert if one is necessary. 

If the pension has not vested at the time of the entry of the Final Judgment of divorce, then the pension payments themselves are not subject to distribution in the future.  Since the pension is not vested then the body (corpus) of the pension is only made up of the contributions made to the pension.  There is no entitlement to the benefits of the pension after it vests simply because a spouse may have an entitlement to a portion of the monetary contributions to the pension.

If the pension is vested prior to the entry of the Rhode Island Family Court's Final Judgment of Divorce, then the benefits of the pension itself provided by the "vesting" of the pension during the marriage are subject to distribution of the Rhode Island family court.

Thus, the family court's distribution power in Rhode island in a divorce proceeding is limited to either (1) the financial contributions made to the pension when it has not vested prior to the entry of Final Judgment of Divorce, or (2) the benefits provided by the pension when it has vested prior to the entry of Final Judgment.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce* Lawyer & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium!

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law. Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall | Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

To Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers the Client's Perspective is Key!

If a client in a Rhode Island divorce doesn't have the right perspective AND reasonable expectations about the outcome of the divorce then the divorce lawyer may need to brush up on his or her skills when it comes to explaining the workings of the Rhode Island Family Court System.

A good divorce lawyer is also experienced in the court's proceedings and is capable of explaining to his or her clients what he or she can reasonably expect from the court regarding their family law matter.

Ultimately every Rhode Island lawyer assisting his or her client with a divorce would like that client to be happy with his or her services. However, happy clients in divorce proceedings usually result from a client's realistic expectation of what might occur in their divorce proceeding.

A client's development of a realistic perspective regarding the outcome of their divorce or family law matter is directly to how well your Rhode Island divorce lawyer or lawyers has prepared you regarding the alternatives and possible consequences in your divorce matter.

Ultimately, in this arena, if you want to be a happy divorce client, or at least as happy as you can be as a client in a divorce matter, there is no substitute for experience. Only experience in the Rhode Island family courts can assist the client in developing a proper perspective on the family court and reasonable expectations regarding his or her family court matter. This includes more than a passing familiarity with the judges and their respective philosophies, respect for and contact with the various court clerks and understanding the role of each in the system.

Lastly, it is a culmination of a divorce lawyer's skill and experience, the lawyer's understanding of overriding practicalities and judicial discretion which may sometimes override regulatory concerns to promote judicial expediency, and the lawyer's ability to communicate these things to the client in a way he or she can understand that makes the client's perspective key to the Rhode Island divorce lawyer so that he or she can maximize the possibility of a happy client with a reasonable result.

Do you want to be a Rhode Island Divorce lawyer with happy clients?

Culminate Realistic Expectations through your skill and experience.

Do you want to be a happy Rhode Island Divorce or Family Law Client?

Take the time and effort necessary to engage a Rhode Island Family Law attorney with a reasonable rate and enough experience in divorce and family law to be honest and forthright with you so that you can be assured that you do not develop unrealistic expectations regarding the outcome of your matter or the pitstops along the way.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce* Lawyer & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall
A New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer for a New Millenium!

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.
Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney title="ri lawyer divorce"Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall | Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers

Rhode Island Divorces and the Rhode Island Statute on Gifts!

§ 15-5-16.1  Assignment of property is the statute that governs the treatment of gifts in a divorce proceeding.  This is, of course, subject to case law that interprets the statute and other legal principles that may be argued alongside the gift statute.

The statute states in pertinent part,

§ 15-5-16.1  Assignment of property. -

(b)  . . . The court shall not assign property or an interest in property which has been transferred to one of the parties by gift from a third party before, during, or after the term of the marriage.

This is an interesting statute to note. . . . among many others . . . yet consider this interesting affect on this Rhode Island statute when supported by case law.

EXAMPLE

During their marriage John is given a player piano by his friend Celia.  The piano works great and has several piano rolls that come with it that play perfectly with various holiday songs.  John is not all that technically inclined but his wife Genna becomes familiar with the piano and knows how to carefully change the rolls.  The piano is an antique and is in good shape.

John consults with his wife Genna and they decide to put the player piano in the livingroom.  John and Genna are married for 15 years and every year the piano became the center piece of each holiday and family gathering.  Genna changed the player rolls, decorated the piano for each holiday and family gathering, cleaned the piano and arranged for it to be tuned each year.  John paid for the tuning.

John and Genna are getting divorced in Rhode Island.  The piano is appraised at $35,000.   John claims that the piano was a gift and Genna is not entitled to any portion of it.  Genna argues that the piano lost its quality as a "gift" and came within the marital estate when John commingled it in the family gatherings and holidays and allowed Genna to assume the maintenance of it.  Once the player piano became such a primary focal point of the family and was maintained by Genna, it became a marital asset and came under the power of the court.

What do you think?  Should the commingling with the family and maintenance by Genna bring the player piano within the Rhode Island Family Court's power as being able to distribute the marital estate? 

If this statute about gifts exists and case law exists that states that commingling a non-marital item within the marital estate and the Rhode Island Judge's power of equitable distribution, which rule governs?  The statute or the case law?

Many Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers and parties within the divorces believe that things such as "gifts" are "simple", but are they really? 

Authored By:

  Christopher A. Pearsall
Money Making Entrepreneur and Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce & Family Law* Attorney
now
100% Digital and Virtual!

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Internet Entrepreneur and Attorney-at-Law

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.
Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall
| Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys |
Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers 

RI Child Support Modification - A Benefit to Representing Yourself!

Many Rhode Island Family Court Judges have repeated the old maxim that "a person who represents himself in a legal proceeding has a fool for a client."

In fact, I've heard it myself in the Rhode Island Superior Courts as well.

Yet I've also heard several Rhode Island family court judges state something to the contrary when someone does, in fact, come into court with an attorney during a child support hearing.

Consider this brief example:

Myron had very specialized skills relating to the operation of a rare wrapping machine used in the packaging industry.  Myron worked for the same company for many years and therefore he earned a decent wage because there were very few people who could operate this particular machine.
Myron had two children that he paid his Rhode Island child support for religiously when he was suddenly laid off and his company filed for bankruptcy and dissolution. 

Myron looked for work in a downed economy while he continued to pay his child support.  When it finally became necessary Myron cashed in his 401k and paid huge penalties and interest on the distribution.  He set aside monies to survive on for a few months and pay his child support and to pay his rent.  He kept a small amount to see a lawyer and determine what he should do.  Ultimately he had just enough money to pay the lawyer to file a Motion to Modify his Child Support and to attend one hearing to argue on his behalf.

During all the time Myron kept his ex-wife apprised of what was going on.  His ex-wife was not happy.  She was used to receiving several hundred dollars in child support for their children and she had based their standard of living upon the continuance of that support.  She did not want those monies to stop coming in.

Myron continued to seriously look for work in Rhode Island's downed economy and branched out his search to Massachusetts and Connecticut when his search proved fruitless just in Rhode Island.  Myron applied at countless Temporary Agencies, construction companies, production facilities, etc . . . but had no luck.  The fact was was Myron's skill was so specialized to that one machine and area of the industry that he had no other skills to fall back on to generate the kind of income that had been used to pay his child support in the past.

Myron was still on unemployment when he went to the hearing to modify his child support.  Myron testified to his circumstances and his countless attempts to obtain employment.  Myron's ex-wife hired an an attorney who opposed the reduction and testified to the court that it didn't make sense that Myron could go from making a five figure income each year to remaining on unemployment for three whole months.  Myron's Rhode Island attorney did an excellent job explaining why this was the case.

Finally it came time for the decision on the Motion to Modify.  The motion was denied by the judge who agreed with the ex-wife's argument even though Myron had explained the circumstances and had proof of all his applications for employment on a daily basis. 

In the end on thing stood out.  The court ordered Myron to quickly find a job making approximately what he had been making before.  The court had unilaterally assigned this as Myron's "earning capacity" though no motion for such an assignment had been pending.

Myron finally stood up in frustration and spoke at this point, "Your Honor, but this isn't fair. It just can't be done.  I've been trying for 3 months every day.  I want to work, but I just won't be hired at my former wage by any company around here.  My work was just too specialized."

The Rhode Island family court judge responded:

"Sir, you had better find that job or the next time you will be before me on a contempt hearing for not paying your child support.  And frankly, if you can find some way to afford to come in here to argue your motion with a lawyer, then you can find someone who will hire you at your former wage.  It's that simple."

The hearing ended and Myron was understandably more discouraged than before.  Myron's ex-wife gleefully passed him in the hallway as if she had won a huge triumph and headed out the courtroom doors.

The question of this example is simple. 

Would Myron have done better if he hadn't hired a Rhode Island family lawyer to help him?  Or would Myron have been told he had a fool for a client and lost the hearing just the same?

I've seen a scenario similar to this on more than one occasion.  Ultimately it seems as though having a lawyer in most cases was used by the Rhode Island Family Court Judge as a basis for denying the parent's Motion to Modify.  In the vast majority of cases, that parent was a man.

In one case, a man's mother, who was in her 80's was able to get enough money together to pay for an attorney to go to one hearing for her son.  Remarkably, the result was almost identical to Myron's case.  The man was faulted for having an attorney but not having a job.

When Rhode Island child support is an issue and a spouse has lost a job that has very specialized knowledge and despite substantial effort the income the spouse was making has not been able to be replaced by a new job making the same or a similar amount of money, it may be best to go into family court on your Motion to Modify without an attorney.  It is indeed sad that the court might use the presence of an attorney as a stated reason to deny such a motion when at other times the court will turn around and fault a parent for not having an attorney and tell him (or her) that they have a fool for a client.

Rhode Island Child Support modification is the one area where it may sometimes be better to represent yourself rather than to hire a lawyer or even get a lawyer to help you "pro bono" (without a fee).

Remember, the court has no idea if you, or your mother paid for the lawyer or if the lawyer is representing you out of the kindness of his or her heart.  Yet the Rhode Island Family Court Judge may use it as a basis to put you in a no win situation.

Authored By:

  Christopher A. Pearsall
Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce & Family Law* Attorney

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall, New Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers for a New Millenium

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.
Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall
| Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys
| Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers |

Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer's Tip on Gifts

Gifts from third parties to either of the parties in a Rhode Island Marriage during a divorce are normally not considered marital assets unless they are given to both the husband and the wife equally.

However, gifts between spouses are marital assets and are subject to the court's power of equitable division between the parties.

Therefore, if a husband gives his wife diamond earrings valued at $10,000 at Christmas time then at the time of the divorce the wife should expect that the earrings will be considered a marital asset subject to division by the court.  Thus the court will determine who should get the earrings or what should be done with them (i.e. such as sale of the earrings and a division of the proceeds).

Rule of Thumb: 

Gifts from third parties are usually outside the scope of the court's power of equitable distribution.  Gifts between spouses are usually marital assets and subject to the court's power of equitable distribution.

Authored by:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law
PEARSALL LAW ASSOCIATES
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI  02893

Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce and Family Law Lawyer

Call Chris at (401) 632-6976 for Your Low-Cost Consultation

© 2008 Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall, Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce Lawyer

Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers - Young Children and Evidence!

Imagine that you have a divorce that is pending before the Rhode Island family courts.  Your children are visiting with their father and you find out from the children that your children have been in the presence of a third-party female that you aren't familiar with.  You don't know anything else other than what your children have told you that a woman has been around with their father from time to time.  There is no indication that this woman is over frequently but the children seem to like her and you are concerned that the children are being exposed to an improper influence.

You contact your lawyer and want to go before the family court to stop the exposure of your children to this woman because you think that it is a new girlfriend that your husband has.  Your lawyer is hesitant but files a motion to restrain and enjoin your husband from having the children in the presence of any woman who is not related to either of the parties.

Your attorney goes into court and the judge asks your attorney what evidence, if any, that has been obtained in support of the motion to restrain this father from having the children around ANY third-party female.  Your attorney mentions that he minor children have been telling their mother that this woman is around them when they have visitation with their father.  The judge asks if their is anything else.  The attorney answers "No".   The judge denies the motion.  The mother of the children is furious that the judge denied the motion when he or she was given the information.

The mother's attorney tries to explain the technicalities regarding the rules of evidence but she doesn't want to hear it.  The mother believes her children are telling her the truth and they have no reason to lie.  The attorney explains that minor children are not allowed to testify before the court due to their age and because they may be counseled by one or the other parent to provide an altered representation of the events.  The attorney also explains that children are not considered a reasonably reliable source of information before the court, especially when it comes to restraining an adult from his right to be around other people.  The mother is not happy and doesn't understand.

Evidence must be relevant to the subject matter of the case.  Evidence also must be presented under oath by a person capable of understanding the court's oath and the consequences of disobedience of that oath.  Evidence also must be reliable and cannot be hearsay or must be an exception to the hearsay rules of evidence.  Children do not fall within the standard of reliability necessary to satisfy a court proceeding in order to make a valid decision.  Children also do not have sufficient appreciation of what it means to take an oath and what the consequences may be if they do not tell the truth.

At best, the information from a child is very often only information that a parent can used to follow up on in order to verify or disprove what the child has said.

Young children and their statements are not normally considered evidence before the court, though the court has discretion to consider whether the child may be considered reliable and whether the child is old enough to appreciate the significance of the oath he or she must take.

In the end, it is best not to rely upon statements of minor children to win any hearing in family court.  Develop the information and be able to testify to it personally yourself and your are in a better position to prove your case.

Authored By:

  Christopher A. Pearsall
Money Making Entrepreneur and Attorney-at-Law
70 Dogwood Drive, Suite 304
West Warwick, RI 02893

Call (401) 632-6976 Now for your low-cost consultation.
from
Rhode Island's Most Affordable Divorce & Family Law* Attorney
now
100% Digital and Virtual!

Copyright 2008.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Internet Entrepreneur and Attorney-at-Law

*The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.
Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | Chris Pearsall
| Legal Scholar | Pearsall Law Associates | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys |
Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers