McGill Law Blog
I recently ran across a funny quote on Facebook, “When life gets stressful, do something to lift your spirits … go for a drive, go two or three thousand miles away. Or… maybe change your name.” Now, there’s a thought! It’s such a simple suggestion and in practice, it can be. It actually depends on whose name you want to change, the individual facts of your case, when and how you go about doing it.
The concept of ‘nesting’ during and after divorce, also referred to as ‘bird nesting” has been around for years but has recently taken new interest by families in the current pandemic. Nesting is a concept to refer to a situation whereby the kids stay in the family home and the parents alternate staying at the family home with the children during their respective parenting times.
Working from home, avoiding public outings and limiting contact at school and work are all important to reduce the spread of COVID-19. But these actions may not be the safest for domestic violence victims. Since the pandemic hit, there has been a global increase in the reported numbers of domestic violence incidents and that number is likely just a fraction of the actual occurrence.
The global pandemic that we are all still experiencing has presented and continues to present a new set of challenges for all of us. Some of us are dealing with reduction of income or loss of a job; some are assisting a sick family member; some are still reeling from the sudden halt to life as we knew it. Regardless of your specific additional challenges brought about by pandemic, know that you are not alone! These additional challenges have also brought additional conflict for many couples.
In mediation, the parties who need guidance in resolving their disputes are able to sit together at the same table to have informal conversations with a skilled and trained professional. The mediator will facilitate the discussions by helping to keep the parties on track and gravitating toward a complete agreement.
Going through a divorce or custody dispute is frequently one of the most stressful points in a person’s life. In fact, many mental health practitioners compare the divorce process to the grieving process after a loved one dies. At McGill Law, we pride ourselves in connecting our client’s with other professionals who can provide a sense of calm, educate you, and lead you down a path of empowerment.
A common question people who have a child support order ask is when and how do I modify my child support amount?
The Nebraska Child Support Guidelines spell out that child support qualifies for a modification when using the guidelines would result in, “a variation of 10 percent or more, but not less than $25, upward or downward, of the current child support obligation, child care obligation, or health care obligation, due to the financial circumstances which have lasted 3 months and can reasonably be expected to last for an additional 6 months.”
As you’ve read by now, lawmakers have struck a $2 trillion (yes, trillion with a T) deal very early yesterday morning that includes sending checks directly to individuals. All of the news sources have shared that single Americans would receive $1,200, married couples would receive $2,400, and parents would receive an additional $500 for every child under age 17.
Coronavirus is indeed upending life for more and more people. Most of us are feeling uncertainty, fear and anxiety about what the future holds. Not to mention the drastic drop in social contact we are all experiencing – whether we are quarantined, working in our homes or following local/national mandates to minimize exposure to crowds. This feeling of uncertainty is only heightened and may in fact be overwhelming if you are facing the possibility of a divorce or separation from your partner.
Meditation can seem like a New Age-y concept, or a possibly daunting task to learn, but once you incorporate this practice into your lifestyle, you will reap the many benefits meditation can offer! Successful meditation may actually not be as far out of reach as it may seem, and it can be a useful tool while going through times of stress and change.
