As opposed to community property states, where all property acquired during marriage belongs equally to both spouses, equitable distribution views the property as belonging to the individual spouse who earned it.
How Is Debt Divided In Divorce In Oregon?
Oregon presumes both spouses contribute to the debt. It’s then subject to division in an equitable fashion. If you build up substantial liabilities during a marriage, the court views them as shared marital obligations.
5 Things Kids Can Learn From Fantasy Football
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, we don’t mean Christmas, Thanksgiving, or St. Patrick’s Day. No, we’re talking about football. The NFL season is right around the corner, and with it comes fantasy football. We’re all neck deep in statistics and metrics, reading articles, and keeping up …
Communicating During Divorce
UPDATED: Divorce often becomes a time of high conflict. That probably doesn’t startle anyone. Hurt feelings, raging emotions, and anger all come with the territory. They also have a huge impact on how warring spouses communicate during divorce. Communication is key during divorce. It’s central to working out the division …
Child Custody: The Best Interest Of The Child
UPDATED: When it comes to child custody, the courts follow one overriding principle: the best interest of the child. This phrase is used frequently when kids are involved. But what does it actually mean? While it may sound simple and obvious, like most things in the realm, it’s not always …
Step-Parents’ Rights in Oregon
As common as divorce and remarriage are, the topic of step-parents comes up often in cases that involve children. More specifically, questions about step-parents’ rights and responsibilities frequently come up. Divorce is never easy. Add children to the mix and it makes things even more complicated. You have custody, parenting …
The Lowest Divorce Rate in 40 Years
People talk a lot about the 50% divorce rate—the idea that half of all marriages ultimately end in divorce. While that’s not exactly a lie, it’s not exactly the whole truth. The divorce rate is in constant flux. In fact, it’s currently the lowest it’s been in 40 years. Approximately …
Cinematic Lessons In Fatherhood: Finding Nemo
The Father Even facing off against stiff competition, Pixar’s Finding Dory ruled the box office when it was released in 2016, winning plenty of critical acclaim in the process. As much love as the film received, it’s easy to forget the fact that it’s a long-gestating spin-off of 2003’s Finding …
How To File For Divorce In Oregon
Filing for divorce sounds like a harrowing, dramatic undertaking. Most people think of ending a marriage as a long, drawn-out process full of courtroom appearances and custody battles. Though it certainly can resemble a movie or TV show, that isn’t always the case. What Are The Steps to Filing For …
Cinematic Lessons in Fatherhood: Commando
The Movie A retired Delta Force operator, John Matrix frequently packs a rocket launcher, a tactical vest covered with grenades, and enough firepower to invade the small, fictional Latin American nation. He’s not necessarily the guy who first springs to mind when you think father-of-the-year. But this is precisely what …
Criminalizing Poverty: Unable To Pay Child Support
UPDATED: In the media, we hear a great deal about the problems dads who lose their jobs face. Many become stuck in situations where they can no longer afford to make child support payments. They’re often labeled “deadbeat dads.” After months of failing to pay, the courts may find these …
Divorce Capital Of Oregon
UPDATE: …and new champion in 2019… Okay, maybe being crowned the divorce capital of Oregon isn’t a feat to aspire to. And this year, that dubious honor goes to Umatilla. The town of just over 7000, located near the northeastern corner of the state, took over the top spot from …
What are Grounds for Divorce in Oregon?
UPDATED–When you read about recent divorces, you often see “irreconcilable differences” listed as the reason for the separation. The reason that you hear this phrase so frequently is that the term comes from the modern “no-fault” divorce code. Just like it sounds, no-fault divorce means that, legally speaking, neither party …
10 Steps To Creating a Divorce Strategy
This post has been updated. Divorce often looms on the horizon for quite some time before a couple finally pulls the trigger. In many cases, by the time they file the documents, people are emotionally prepared for the process. But being emotionally prepared and being ready in a practical sense …
Can Your Ex Stop Your Kids From Playing Sports?
You probably noticed, but kids today are busier than ever before. They’re more active and their time is far more regimented than most of us where when we were that age. Or even now, in some cases. Cluttered with extracurricular activities, social engagements, and more, it seems like they’re always …
How Long Does Divorce Take In Oregon?
We call it the “divorce process” for good reason. You may be ready to end your marriage right this minute, but it’s a journey, one that takes time. How much time, however, varies. No two marriages are identical, thus no two divorces unfold the same way. In some cases, it …
How Legal Marijuana Impacts Child Custody: UPDATED
UPDATE: What About Vaping? More and more, instead of smoking marijuana, people choose to vape. This option has ballooned in popularity. As opposed to burning marijuana and inhaling the smoke, a device heats the cannabis until it releases the active ingredients, which are then inhaled. There’s a debate about the …
New Tax Plan, Divorce & Spousal Support: UPDATED
“In this world nothing is certain, except death and taxes.” So goes the familiar saying often attributed to Benjamin Franklin. With that in mind, we want to remind you of the tax changes that arrived with the new year and their potential to impact divorce, specifically spousal support. While we …
My Ex Convinced The Court I Can’t Be Found
Divorce is often a long process full of ups and downs. It can be incredibly complex or it may play out in a straightforward fashion. You may only be able to communicate through lawyers or other third parties, but at least there’s a flow of information. Divorce is difficult enough …
Grandparents And Child Custody Cases
Most of the time, we think about custody and visitation issues as only involving parents. That’s how it goes most of the time. But grandparents also often play an integral part in raising children. A parenting plan lays out the custody arrangement after a divorce or split. This document details …
My Ex Refuses to Pay Her Share
After divorce, child support is often one of the biggest continuing expenses many fathers face. These court-ordered payments provide for the needs of your kids. In many cases, one parent pays a certain percentage, while the other covers the rest. But what if your ex won’t pay her share? Rick …
Can My Ex Come After My New Spouse’s Income?
Child support tends to get tricky. There’s a formula involved, but it accounts for many factors. Of course, the income of both parents, as well as level of need, figure prominently into the final amount. Like most court orders, once in place, child support is difficult to modify, though it …
Who Gets The Engagement Ring?
The old saying goes, possession is nine-tenths of the law. That’s not exactly a legally binding statue, but the underlying idea often plays a role. One situation we see frequently involves engagement rings. One of our founding partners, Rick Jones, makes regular appearances on the Danny Bonaduce and Sarah Morning …
Can I Kick Him Out And Change The Locks?
If you’re having marital problems, you’ve probably had at least one moment where you want to throw your spouse’s possessions on the front lawn, change the locks, and never look back. Few times are as trying and frustrating as divorce. But when you have this impulse, can you? Legally speaking? …
How Political Differences Are Causing Divorce
The old maxim goes: never talk politics or religion in polite company. It’s taken numerous forms over the years, but that’s the general gist. And it’s solid advice. People feel passionate about these topics and conversations often become heated. Friendships have ended for less. It’s one thing if friends or …
Are You Responsible For Your Ex’s Debt In Divorce?
When you marry someone, you share your life with that person, for good and ill. Every facet of your lives weave together—you create a home, have kids, mingle finances, and build a life. After a while, it’s tough to tell where one life begins and the other ends. That’s part …
Do I Need A Divorce Lawyer? 11 Questions To Ask
When it comes to the process of ending your marriage, one of the biggest questions you need to answer is whether or not to hire a divorce lawyer. Thanks to various online tools and how-to guides, it’s now easier than ever to take a do-it-yourself approach. Sure, this strategy can …
Unmarried Fathers’ Rights [Infographic]
Child custody is a big part of what we do here at Goldberg Jones. As divorce lawyers, custody plays a huge role in the process. Many of our clients are married, but a significant portion aren’t. This leads to a question we hear all the time: what parental rights do …
How Student Loan Debt Impacts Divorce
Money problems ruin at least as many marriages as infidelity, probably more. Financial strain is a huge source of stress for many people, both individuals, and couples. One major area where we feel the pinch is with student loan debt. One recent study uncovers the major impact it has on …
Cohabitation And Divorce [Infographic]
The number of non-married couples living together has risen steadily over the course of decades. Many people use this as a kind of practice run for marriage. It makes a great deal of sense in that regard. You learn ahead of time whether or not you and your partner are …
6 Unexpected Divorce Assets
People fight over just about everything in a divorce, from houses and cars down to boxes full of cookie cutters. Everyone thinks of bank accounts, vacation homes, stocks, bonds, retirement annuities, and the like. These are the common and obvious assets. But they’re not the only ones. Divorce settlements have …
Can Both Spouses Use The Same Divorce Lawyer?
You have many decisions to make when ending your marriage. One of the biggest is hiring a divorce lawyer. Finding the right attorney to represent you has a huge impact on your case and, subsequently, your future. One question that comes up more than you might think is whether or …
Men’s Health Month: How to Celebrate
Did you know June is Men’s Health Month? As you might imagine, the goal is to raise awareness about common health issues men face and to spread knowledge about how to prevent, treat, and detect these problems. It’s important to take care of yourself and look after your health and …
Should You Move Out During Divorce?
By the time you finally arrive at the decision to divorce, most couples live apart. That’s just how it usually goes. Especially in high-conflict situations, it seems like a natural choice. After all, if all you do is bicker, this eliminates strife, stress, and frustration. How Can Moving Out Negatively …
Special Needs, Divorce, And Child Custody
Raising kids is tough, even in the best of circumstances. Raising a child with special needs only increases the challenges of parenthood. Throw divorce into the mix and it becomes a whole other world. Parents face a variety of legal and practical concerns. Best Interests of Special Needs Children You …
Story-time: How Not To Handle Divorce
Divorce often turn crazy and twisted, but hopefully, yours doesn’t get this nuts. In Port Orchard, Washington, a man recently pleaded guilty to perjury and forgery in one of the most bizarre divorce stories we’ve heard in a while. And it just keeps getting weirder as it develops. It’s like …
How Major Purchases Impact Divorce
Divorce comes with any number of expenses. You have court costs, filing fees, an attorney to pay, and even a change in tax status. Those are the obvious ones, but there are others. In many cases, you need to find a new place to live. Perhaps your custody arrangement necessitates …
Can Smoking Cause Divorce? [Infographic]
By now we’re all aware that cigarette smoking carries certain potential health hazards. That’s not news to anyone. You can’t even watch prime time TV without constant reminders. But it may also carry one unexpected danger, it may lead you down the road to divorce. As it turns out, quitting …
Goldberg Jones Bracket Challenge
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, we’re not talking about Christmas or New Year’s. We’re talking about March Madness. Once again, the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is HERE! And once again, Goldberg Jones is running our annual March Madness Bracket Challenge. This year, the champ walks away …
5 Ways to Move on After Divorce
People move on after divorce in all kinds of ways. Ending a marriage is a big deal and a major milestone. It’s a time to examine what you have and where you are. Perhaps even more important, it’s a time to look at what you want and where you want …
Unmarried Parents’ Rights
We talk a lot about divorce and child custody cases. The two often go hand in hand. But not always. Many couples have children without a wedding first. For some, it’s a choice. For others, it just happens. Whatever the situation, the question arises: Do Unmarried Parents Have The Same …
UPDATED: Spousal Support Modification: New Changes
This post has been updated. In the wake of divorce, you face many expenses. Ending your marriage may be the absolute right choice, but it rarely comes easy or cheap. One of the biggest continuing costs many men encounter is spousal support. Like many court orders, once in place, these …
7 Ways To Help Your Custody Case
In the wake of divorce, custody disputes often become the most harrowing part of the process. You love your kids and want the best for them, and the thought of not being around for them is terrifying. Countless factors play into the court’s ultimate decision about parenting plans and visitation …
Does Oregon Have Common-Law Marriage?
A lot goes into a relationship between two people. Navigating interpersonal affairs often resembles a high-wire act. At a basic level, however, marriage is relatively simple. You either are or you aren’t, right? You may try to block it out, but no one forgets their wedding day. But what if …
What State Has The Highest Divorce Rate?
Many factors contribute to the end of a marriage. Age, job, income, education, children, family history, and more. Just about any element you care to look at can be shown to impact divorce statistically. This includes where you live. Laws governing divorce vary a great deal from one state to …
Is Divorce Genetic?
Couples divorce for an endless number of reasons. People cheat, lie, and change over time. The reasons are as different and wide-reaching as the reasons people fall in love and get married in the first place. But are certain people biologically predisposed to divorce? Is divorce genetic? Do parents hand …
Protect Your Business During Divorce
Whatever your business, you pour your heart and hard work into these ventures. They not only represent your passions and drives, but they’re also practical concerns. The process of ending a marriage is already a snarl of shared assets, parenting plans, and more. When there’s a business during divorce, it …
How To Ask For A Divorce
Marriage isn’t always sunshine and puppy dogs. It takes a lot of work, time, effort, and often struggle. And still, it doesn’t always work out. Try with all your might, sometimes you just can’t make a marriage work. But when it’s time to pull the plug, you face one massive …
My Spouse Doesn’t Love Me Anymore, What Next?
Unfortunately, it happens, but love doesn’t always last. When you got married, you probably meant every word of “’til death do us part.” However, it doesn’t always work out like that. People grow apart for countless reasons. But when your spouse says she doesn’t love you anymore, what do you …
Do I Need A Divorce Lawyer If My Spouse Has One?
One of the biggest questions you’ll ask yourself while ending a marriage is whether or not you need a divorce lawyer. No two divorces are ever the same, so there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. It all depends on the specific circumstances of your case. But what if your spouse hires one? …
Should You File For Divorce First?
People often look for any advantage they can find when it comes to divorce. For a process known to be contentious and full of conflict, this makes sense. In some cases, ending a marriage resembles open warfare. Many maneuvers and strategies can do provide an edge. Does Who Files First …
5 Common Ways People Damage Their Own Divorce Cases
Over the course of the process, divorce tends to get messy and complicated. In straightforward, low-conflict cases, things may progress smoothly. But with forms to fill out, appointments to appear at, and many other moving parts, it doesn’t take much for problems to arise. And that doesn’t even take flaring …
Graduation Season: Dos And Don’ts For Divorced Parents
As the school year winds down, graduation takes center stage for many families. Finishing high school represents a significant milestone. It often signifies the end of one chapter in a young person’s life and the beginning of the next. For this, among other reasons, it’s important to celebrate. But like …
Should I Hire A Divorce Lawyer?
These days, it’s easier than ever to get divorced. You can find the forms online, fill them out yourself, and if you follow the proper procedure, end your marriage. This do-it-yourself approach works like gangbusters in some situations, but not for others. At some point in the process, you need …
8 Common Mistakes Men Make In Divorce
Divorce is often a long, complicated process. Between warring spouses, opposing counsel, judges, negotiations, and a nearly endless parade of paperwork, there are a lot of moving parts to contend with. With so much to juggle, it’s easy to get tripped up. Common Mistakes Some are practical in nature. Others …
Breaking Down Divorce By Generation
The common refrain is that the divorce rate in the United States hovers around the 50% mark, except it doesn’t, and never has. In reality, the divorce rate is lower than it’s been in years and has been on a steady if gradual decline. An interesting exercise is to look …
Whether To Sell Your Home During Divorce: 5 Questions To Answer
For most of us, a house is the biggest purchase we’ll ever make. It’s a huge commitment in money, time, resources, emotions, and more. Because it’s the most valuable thing we own, it often becomes a big issue in ending a marriage. The question often comes up of whether or …
Establishing Paternity: What You Need To Know
Our worlds often revolve around our children. We love our kids, which is why child custody cases can grow so heated, raw, and emotional. It’s also why establishing paternity and paternity fraud are such big issues when it comes to family law. Child custody cases are complicated and contentious. There …
Dating During Divorce?
Divorce signals the end of a relationship. Whatever the reasons, it just didn’t work out, and divorce makes that final and official. For all intents and purposes, your marriage may have been over for a long time and the divorce process often feels like a waiting period. By this point, …
Long-Term Marriages And Divorce
Over the course of a marriage, two lives become intertwined. The longer the marriage, the more interwoven they become. When it comes to divorce, shorter marriages are understandably usually much more straightforward. In the case of ending long-term marriages, however, it’s much more complex as there’s often a great deal …
Is Summary Dissolution Your Quick Divorce Answer?
This post has been updated. Divorce is a long, drawn-out process. It involves countless court dates, meetings with lawyers, and an endless back and forth as the two spouses bicker over every last detail. At least that’s what many people expect. But that’s not always how it goes. In certain …
Jurisdiction: Where You File For Divorce Impacts Your Case
Making the choice to file for divorce is one of the biggest decisions you’ll ever make. It’s up there with getting married in the first place, having kids, and buying a house in the life-changing department. Once you head down that path, you also have a ton of subsequent important …
Split Custody: Will Courts Separate Siblings?
As traumatic and painful as divorce is for the adults involved when a couple has kids, it’s often even more intense for them. A parental split drastically alters a child’s entire world. Divorce often arrives with changing living situations, new schools, and uncertainty. Siblings often lean on each other to …
What Is A Status Quo Order?
During divorce and breakups, child custody battles often become heated and contentious affairs. In some situations in Oregon, the court may issue temporary orders lasting the duration of a case. This may include temporary custody arrangements or even implement temporary child support. If a child is in immediate danger, emergency …
Pro Se Divorce: When Is DIY The Best Choice?
With the spread of online guides and resources, do-it-yourself divorce has never been more accessible. What is “Pro Se Divorce”? From a legal perspective, the term for representing yourself is pro se. It comes from Latin and means “for oneself.” While not exclusive to divorce, a pro se approach is …
How Substance Abuse Impacts Divorce
Countless factors contribute to the end of a marriage. Every situation unfolds differently, but one element that too often plays into divorce is substance abuse. Often hugely detrimental to relationships, the question remains of how substance abuse impacts divorce. Addiction to alcohol, prescription drugs, illegal drugs, and more affects millions …
Divorce Or Separation? How to Make The Right Choice
Ending a marriage is a huge decision. It’s a choice that impacts every facet of your life. Divorce is the most obvious option when a relationship is over, but in some cases, it’s not the best one. There are situations where staying married, but separating might work. It begs the …
Do Criminal Charges Impact Child Custody?
When it comes to disputes over custody, the court places the best interests of the children above almost all other concerns. This includes parental preference and convenience. Given this stance, it’s easy to imagine how criminal charges impact child custody battles. If they come into play, they often have a …
Divorce Statistics: Interesting & Surprising
Looking at divorce statistics often gets overwhelming. It’s harrowing to hear that oft-repeated statement that 50% of marriages end in divorce. The 50% figure is not accurate and has never reached that level. Sometimes it’s tough to interpret the raw numbers and determine what they really mean. With that in …
Prepare For Your Initial Divorce Consultation
Getting divorced is a daunting task and an intimidating proposition. In many, if not most cases, hiring an experienced attorney to help you through the process is a sound strategy. That in itself can be an overwhelming experience. Finding the right lawyer—more specifically, the right lawyer for you and your …
10 Truly Scary Divorce Facts
Divorce is usually a time of great upheaval. It may absolutely be the right decision, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In a relatively short span, your entire life changes, and it can be a frightening, uncertain experience. There’s a great deal to consider about marriage and divorce. And not …
How To Divorce When You Can’t Find Your Spouse
All divorces are different. While they can progress in a smooth, amicable fashion, they also tend to devolve into contentious, bitter courtroom slugfests. How it goes depends entirely on the specifics of your marriage and relationship. All of this, however, presumes that you can find your spouse in the first …
Is Oregon A Community Property State?
Oregon practices equitable distribution. As opposed to community property states, equitable distribution views the property as belonging to the individual spouse who earned it.
5 Common Ways To Celebrate Divorce
People love to celebrate. We’ll take any excuse to throw a party, whether it’s a holiday, a promotion at work, or the Trailblazers making a playoff run. While we usually think of ending a marriage as a serious, somber affair, that’s not always the case. Increasingly, many people take the …
Keys To Finding A Child Custody Lawyer
Few things get us as riled up as our kids. That’s a big reason why child custody cases so often become intense and antagonistic. We want to fight for what’s best for our children. To ensure this, it’s usually to our benefit enlisting the help of an attorney. Ideal Qualities …
The 50% Divorce Rate Is A Lie
One statistic tossed around frequently is that 50% of all marriages end in divorce. The number varies a bit, but the gist is that roughly half of weddings have a corresponding divorce waiting. As ubiquitous as this figure is, many just accept it as fact. Has the divorce rate ever …
UPDATED: Spousal Support In Oregon: What You Should Know
UPDATE: The sweeping new tax plan Congress passed at the end of 2017 will impact almost everyone. This includes changes to divorce settlements, specifically those involving spousal support. Beginning January 1, 2019, on new court orders that include spousal support provisions, the party paying spousal support will no longer be …
Fathers’ Rights & Child Custody: What You Need To Know
The common perception, whether it’s right or wrong, is that wives, mothers, and women have the upper hand when it comes to divorce and child custody. It’s possible to throw around all manner of statistics and cite various expert opinions on the subject, but the fact of the matter is …