Technologically Advanced Planning: The Benefits of Addressing Digital Property in Estate Planning
In a time when even verifiable (albeit inconvenient) news is branded “fake”, it comes as reassuring that even fake news can carry value. In 2016, fake news circulated that actor Bruce Willis was suing Apple, Inc. for the right to bequest his iTunes library to his children. The story ignored the fact that most children […]
There No Such Thing as a “Secondary Parent”
A few years ago, Illinois made a change in terms used in family law cases involving children, replacing “custody” with “parenting time” to describe who the children will be with at any given time, and “parental responsibility” to describe who will have the authority to make major decisions like schooling, health care and religious education. […]
Family Mediation: Building on Common Ground
Family separation creates great emotional stress. Change – even the thought of change — naturally causes conflict. The way these conflicts get resolved can affect the entire family’s adjustment for years to come. As a mediator, I work with people who are often upset, angry, confused and fearful about the future. Mediation provides a safe, […]
The New Normal A Blessing or a Curse?
Recently, I had court appearances in Darlington at 9:30 AM, in Janesville at 10:30 AM, in Monroe at 2:00 PM, and a conference with individuals in Monroe and Madison at 3:00 PM. No, I did not get a speeding ticket or burn up a tank of gas. Instead, this was all possible from the comfort […]
Online Notary Services
Lance McNaughton recently completed the necessary training and certification to provide online notary services. The service is provided through Docverifiy.com and requires the person signing the document to have access to the internet and computer with webcam capabilities. The service is particularly helpful in our current environment, when face-to-face meetings are not always advisable. However, […]
Your Privacy During Divorce and Family Law Actions
Do You Get Any Privacy When You Go to Court or is Everything Fair Game? Everyone has an expectation of privacy in their lives. What we share, and with whom, is by design and at our comfort level. When information, of a private or proprietary nature, is shared with another the expectation is that it […]
Training for Virtual Hearings
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Wisconsin courts have begun using the Zoom video conference platform to conduct hearings. On June 4, D&B attorneys took in a presentation by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers entitled “Virtual Hearings – The New Normal”, covering tips on effective use of videoconferencing, as well as some of the […]
Looking for Certainty in Uncertain Times
It is an understatement to say that we live in uncertain times. As I write this, we are nearing the end-date of Governor Evers’ first Safer at Home Order and have just learned of his second which is set to run through May 26. So, you might be reading this at a time when businesses […]
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE COURTS — AND PARENTS – GET CREATIVE
In the legal world, things rarely happen quickly. But global pandemics don’t take their time, and so when the restrictions to address the spread of COVID-19 were put in place seemingly overnight, the legal system had no choice but to make changes as well. For lawyers handling family law cases, the changes came almost daily […]
We Are All Going To Have To Try A Bit Harder
Many parents are struggling to find answers on how to handle child placement during the COVID-19 crisis. We are sailing in uncharted waters, and the places we most often turn to for answers are not readily available. Recently, one Canadian judge, was assigned the difficult task of deciding which families should have access to the […]