Lexington Kentucky Family Law Blog

Britney Spears to be deposed in child support modifcation request

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Child Custody & Support on Wednesday, June 13, 2018.

When a Kentucky couple with children divorces, property division and custody issues are not the only ones decided. An amount of child support is ordinarily assessed against one parent. Since people's lives change over the years, the receiving parent may no longer believe the amount is adequate and may request a modification of the amount from the court. Kevin Federline has done this in connection with the amount of support he receives for the two children he has with Britney Spears.

He claims that he can no longer support the children with the $20,000 per month the court ordered Spears to pay in 2008. He says that based on Spears's publicly reported earnings, he should receive around three times that much, or $60,000. As part of his modification request, Spears must attend a deposition to testify about her finances on the record.

Keeping finances in check with divorce mediation

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Divorce Mediation on Tuesday, June 5, 2018.

Money is often a point of contention for married couples. At some point, most Kentucky couples disagree regarding finances, and some of those disagreements move into the courtroom during a divorce. One way to help keep finances in check when a marriage ends could be to use divorce mediation instead of battling it out in court.

As hard as it may be in the beginning, each party would probably benefit from considering the other when it comes to financial security post-divorce. Many people have the Hollywood version of a divorce stuck in their minds in which one party "takes the other to the cleaners," essentially leaving one person with nothing while the supposed "winner" takes all. In reality, a Kentucky court would more than likely ensure an equitable division of the parties' marital assets. Knowing this, couples may fare better by creating their own agreement, in which they retain more control over the outcome.

Property division didn't go well for Kurt Cobain's daughter

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Property Division on Wednesday, May 30, 2018.

Many Kentucky residents remember Kurt Cobain who was the front man for "Nirvana," a grunge band in the late 1980s and early 1990s. If they do not remember him for his music, then they may remember him for his infamous suicide and marriage to Courtney Love. The pair's daughter used to have possession of her father's guitar, but a property division decision in her divorce meant that ownership of that piece of property officially went to her ex-husband.

Francis Bean Cobain's divorce was reportedly finalized in Dec. 2017, but there remained property division issues that the couple still needed to resolve. One such issue involved her father's 1959 Martin D-18E guitar. Cobain gifted the guitar to her husband as a wedding gift, but wanted it back as part of the divorce settlement. Her ex-husband did not want to part with it.

A child support modification may be within reach

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law on Thursday, May 24, 2018.

Child support will impact your finances in a number of ways, so it's important to always have a clear idea of what you're paying and where the money is going.

At some point, your financial situation may change. For example, if you lose your job, you won't have the income you've come to expect. This can make it more difficult to make your child support payments in full and on time.

How can an attorney help with your child custody issues?

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Child Custody & Support on Wednesday, May 23, 2018.

Ending a marriage or long-term relationship is fraught with financial, logistical and emotional challenges. These challenges are only compounded when children are involved. Protecting your parental rights and making the best decisions possible for your children's futures may require enlisting some guidance and help in getting through your child custody issues, especially if you end up in a Kentucky court.

More than likely, you want to reach an arrangement that suits the best interests of your children, but knowing where to start and understanding how to protect your rights could present a problem. This is where a family law attorney can prove invaluable. He or she can explain Kentucky's child custody laws and provide you with information regarding how they may apply to your situation.

Property division issues: The marital home and its mortgage loan

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Property Division on Tuesday, May 15, 2018.

If you are getting a divorce, you may already know that you have several tasks ahead of you that must be dealt with before your settlement becomes final. One of the largest and challenging assets to deal with when it comes to property division is the marital home. Deciding what happens to it often presents enough of a challenge, but if you are like other Kentucky couples, this task is complicated by the fact that you have a mortgage loan to contend with as well.

Most Kentucky couples have three primary ways to deal with the home and a mortgage attached to it. One party may refinance the mortgage loan in his or her name alone if it is possible to qualify for financing. One of you may sign a quitclaim deed giving up your rights to the home, but you remain responsible for the mortgage loan with the other party. The final option, which is often the best one for most people, is to sell the home, pay off the mortgage and divide any remaining funds.

Kentucky grandparents' rights of kids with divorced parents

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Grandparents' Rights on Tuesday, May 8, 2018.

Divorce affects nearly everyone in the couple's lives. If there are children involved, then the chances are strong that there are also grandparents going through an emotional time as well. Kentucky grandparents should know that when it comes to their grandchildren, they do have grandparents' rights. Grandparents -- both maternal and paternal -- can ask for and get reasonable visitation rights to their grandkids should doing so become necessary.

In fact, grandparents can sue to get visitation rights to their grandchildren, even if the parents are together. Grandparents rights, in many instances, even survive the rights of a parent. The courts in Kentucky will always consider what is in the best interests of the children first and foremost. In doing so, they will look closely at the relationship between grandparents and grandchildren and if being involved with the grandparents is a positive for children's emotional health.

What drives the divorce rate in 2018?

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in High Asset Divorce on Wednesday, May 2, 2018.

It used to be said that as much as 50 percent of all marriages would end. That percentage is no longer quite so high. Some sources say that the drop in the divorce rate occurred due to the fact that not as many college students are getting married. For many Kentucky readers, the question may then become what drives the divorce rate.

For many years now, research has shown that the number of baby boomers (those ranging in age from 51 to 69) ending their marriages has increased significantly. Out of every 50 marriages of people age 50 and older, 10 ended in divorce as of 2015. According to information gathered in 2015, the divorce rate for couples over the age of 65 has nearly tripled since 1990. Some would think this means that the divorce rate would be even higher than 50 percent overall, but that would be wrong.

Don’t let child custody get in the way of your summer trip

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in blog on Friday, April 27, 2018.

Are you in the process of planning a summer trip for you and your child? Are you worried that doing so could lead to a child custody dispute? Do you know which steps you can take to prevent trouble, both now and in the future?

There is nothing more exciting than taking a summer vacation with your child or children. However, if you're divorced and have a parenting agreement in place, you'll want to learn more about what you can and can't do in regard to planning your trip.

As divorce mediation gains popularity, you may have questions

On behalf of Lisa L. Johnson, Attorney at Law posted in Divorce Mediation on Monday, April 23, 2018.

When the rate of couples ending their marriages hit its peak, many of them decided that the traditional, adversarial system no longer served their purposes. They began to look for and utilize less contentious methods that provided them with the opportunity to not only avoid costly courtroom battles, but also to create their own settlements that better fit their needs. One of these methods is divorce mediation, and if you face divorce here in Kentucky, you may need some questions answered before you agree to participate.

One of the primary differences between using mediation and going to court is that the mediator does not make your decisions for you. He or she provides you with alternatives for resolving your issues and helps keep you on track. The emotions involved in a divorce can easily get in the way of productive negotiations, so the mediator helps diffuse any confrontations, sometimes before they have a chance to begin.