Happy New Year

Hi Everyone-- Today I don't have any particularly profound comments about divorce in Minnesota.  I want to wish my friends, followers and clients a Happy New Year.  If you are one of my clients, you need to know that no matter how difficult your personal situation is at the moment, things do get better.  I've [...]

By |2009-12-31T09:34:22-06:00December 31st, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

MN Legal Separation and MN Divorce

Occasionally I am asked about the difference between a legal separation and a divorce.  As always, my comments on this blog pertain to Minnesota law only.  Though Minnesota family law is often similar to family law in other states, as often it is not.  There is no federal "family law," and there very few federal [...]

By |2009-12-30T09:56:45-06:00December 30th, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

MN Divorce and Child Alienation

As a divorce attorney, one of the things that I find most troubling is a parent who alienates the children from the other parent as a form of retaliation.  Sometimes this alienation is deliberate.  A parent wants to get even with the other parent so they tell the children bad things about that parent.  Sometimes [...]

By |2009-12-27T08:10:23-06:00December 27th, 2009|MN Divorce - Child Issues|0 Comments

What Is Discovery In Minnesota Divorce?

In Minnesota, a divorce proceeding is a lawsuit, similar to just about any other district court proceeding.  Minnesota divorce procedures are governed by the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure, which are court rules that regulate all legal proceedings in Minnesota courts.  Additionally, there are other, more specific rules pertaining to divorce proceedings that are set forth [...]

By |2009-12-22T13:40:48-06:00December 22nd, 2009|Minnesota Divorce Procedure|0 Comments

The So-Called $99 Divorce is Probably a Scam

Its no secret that the government is running low on money these days.  The court system (which is one of the three branches of government) is running low on money too.  Recently, Minnesota Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson gave an interivew that was published in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune, in which he commented openly on [...]

By |2015-01-07T15:49:43-06:00December 16th, 2009|Minnesota Divorce Procedure, MN Divorce Court Fees|0 Comments

What is Early Neutral Evaluation?

Early Neutral Evaluations occur mostly in Hennepin County, Minnesota.  Many people do not know that the procedure for getting divorced in Minnesota varies from county to county.  In Minnesota, the court system is organized into "districts."  There are 10 judicial  districts in Minnesota.  Some judicial districts are comprised of several individual county courts.  Other judicial districts are [...]

What If You Do Not Serve An Answer?

In Minnesota, a divorce Summons contains a formal notice that the person being served with the Summons and Petition has thirty (30) days in which to serve an Answer.  What happens if you do not serve an Answer?  The answer is simple: you lose.  An "Answer" is a formal pleading that is similar to the [...]

By |2009-12-13T08:18:25-06:00December 11th, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

What is “No Fault” Divorce in Minnesota

Minnesota is a "no fault" divorce state.  To the best of my knowledge, most, if not all states in the United States are no fault divorce states. What this means is that in a Minnesota divorce proceeding, one does not have to prove that the other spouse is at fault before a divorce can be granted.  [...]

By |2009-12-09T07:48:18-06:00December 9th, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

How Long Does It Take To Get Divorced in MN?

I am occasionally asked how long it takes to get divorced in Minnesota.  The answer is "It depends."  It can take anywhere from about 6 weeks to a year and a half or more, depending upon whether the parties can cooperate, and depending upon the issues involved. First, in order to begin a divorce proceeding in [...]

By |2009-12-07T07:50:43-06:00December 7th, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Modifying Divorce Decrees in Minnesota

In Minnesota, it is possible to modify certain parts of a divorce decree after the divorce is final.  A Minnesota divorce becomes "final" when the judge has signed the divorce Judgment and Decree (the full title of the document is "Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, Order for Judgment and Judgment and Decree) and the [...]

By |2009-12-04T08:41:09-06:00December 4th, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

Child Support in Minnesota

People frequently ask me how the Minnesota child support laws work.  There is a new Minnesota child support law, because the old law was modified significantly in 2007.  Now, child support is calculated using the gross incomes of both parents.  But, that's not the most significant change.  The most significant change is that the amount of child [...]

By |2009-12-03T10:09:59-06:00December 3rd, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments

How Do I Find Assets In Minnesota Divorce Proceedings?

When you get divorced in Minnesota, the Court will divide marital assets and debts.  The statute requires that this be done "equitably."  Equitably usually means "equally," but not necessarily.  As long as the asset division is fairly equal, Court consider that to be close enough.  Many people ask about how they can find assets that [...]

By |2009-12-02T11:12:48-06:00December 2nd, 2009|Uncategorized|0 Comments
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