Tag: Shelby County court
I had a client tell me once that she wanted a divorce because her husband chewed too loud. She was not joking. Or rather, she was joking about the chewing, but she was not joking about wanting out.
What she was really saying was what most people mean when they say irreconcilable differences:...
Divorce and Taxes: The Questions Nobody Thinks to Ask
Posted in Big Latin Words.
I am going to be upfront about something. In law school, I avoided the building where they taught tax law. I have made peace with that decision. I still do not sleep particularly well in April, but that is another matter.
I am not a tax expert. I am a family law attorney. But every spring, the...
Put the Phone Down. They Are Watching.
Posted in Big Latin Words.
I’ll confess something. I, Bill Jones, guy who should absolutely know better, was sitting at a red light on Poplar last Tuesday and caught myself reaching for my phone. Just instinct. Somebody texted me and my hand went for it like a reflex.
Everybody feels the pull.
That’s the...
The Best-Interest Factors Just Changed. Here’s What That Means.
Posted in Big Latin Words.
I had a client once who did not want a divorce. He did not understand why his wife wanted one. What he kept saying, every time we talked, was that he wanted everyone to have a soft landing.
So when it came time to work out a parenting plan, he agreed to a step-up arrangement. Supervised...
Doing Nothing Is Still a Decision
Posted in Big Latin Words.
One of the most misunderstood parts of divorce court is what happens when someone simply does nothing.
People assume that if they ignore paperwork, miss a hearing, or just wait it out, things will stay neutral. They think the court will pause, someone will call them, or the case will sit...
Contempt of Court. What It Is and Why Judges Take It Personally
Posted in Big Latin Words.
If you want to see a judge lose their patience in real time, ignore a court order.
Not misunderstand it.
Not struggle with it.
Ignore it.
Courts expect mistakes.
They do not tolerate defiance.
And that is the difference between being corrected and being punished.
What “Contempt” Actually Means...





