Honoring Families

Bob Emery is one of the preeminent national experts on issues related to children and divorce. In this video excerpt, he captures the essence of the problem: almost all of the systems that relate to divorce and separation are geared around the parents, lawyers, or judges. Very few systems are geared to the needs of the children. At the Resource Center for Separating and Divorcing Families, which will debut on campus at the University of Denver this fall, there is a specific role for the voice of the child.

While advancements in technology have made marrying over the internet a reality, they have made the divorce process easier as well. Technology-assisted divorce breaks the divorce process down into easily managed and discrete steps, designed to avoid messy court battles. For example, the service Wevorce walks a family through all the steps, including the legal, financial, and emotional components of the divorce process.

The New York Times has published a debate about prenups, with several commentators recommending prenuptial agreements for those “who have sizeable wealth, own a business or are entering into a second marriage with significant personal assets.” However, other commentators suggested different solutions for protecting personal wealth and, as a recent case in New York demonstrates, prenups are not fail-safe.

The New York Times reports more immigrant couples living in separate countries are now utilizing online video chat services to marry despite the distance. These internet marriages are a modern form of proxy marriages that date back centuries and allow a couple to wed even without the presence of one or both spouses.

In a recent article, The Huffington Post offers advice on how families with teens can better cope with divorce. Divorce can particularly stress family relationships involving teenagers; teens are already struggling to establish their identity, separate from each parent, and divorce compounds these issues.

The task force established to determine how to regulate marijuana in Colorado after the passage of Amendment 64 has no plans to create any laws dictating marijuana consumption in child custody cases. Use of marijuana is a factor that will be treated the same as any other kind of substance use, like alcohol and prescription drugs.

With marriages involving dual citizenship becoming increasingly common, Forbes contributor Jeff Landers has evaluated how the laws of different countries can compound the complications of divorce. The article warns that the disparity between the practices of divorce courts may have significant consequences on how someone will be treated.

New York Magazine has published an article discussing the intricate and often difficult path from gay marriage to divorce. The article interviews a recently divorced couple, who describe their relationship and how it ended, and give an intimate insight into the mechanics of “gay divorce.”

For children of divorcing parents, grandparents can provide the safety and security that is so vitally needed by them during this time of transition. Often, grandparents are caught in the middle of the high emotion and stress that accompanies divorce.