"Family Law" encompasses many, many important issues.  Some are related to marriage.  Some are not.  Likewise, some deal with children; others do not.  This area of practice used to be commonly referred to as "Domestic Relations", but it has evolved into so much more.

Click on the links below for additional information on each of these important subjects:

•  Resolution Options:
  • Mediation
  • Collaboration
  • Litigation
• Divorce:
  •  Divorce
  • Military Divorces
  • International Divorces
  • Uncontested Divorces
  • Same-Sex Marriage & Divorce
  • High-Conflict Divorces
  • Legal Separation instead of Divorce
  • Grounds for Divorce
  • Jurisdiction and Venue
  • Vital Personal Information
  • Restoration of Non-Marital Property
  • Division of Marital Property
  • Division of Debts
  • Maintenance (formerly known as "alimony")
    •  Impact of New U.S. Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) on payment and receipt of periodic maintenance payments
    • Types of Maintenance:
      • Temporary Maintenance
      • Rehabilitative Maintenance
      • Permanent (or Long-Term) Maintenance
      • Open-Ended v. Close-Ended Maintenance
      • Lump-Sum Maintenance
    • Fault 
    • Special Needs
    • Medical Records Supporting Maintenance Claims
    • Reasons to Demand Maintenance
  • Other Financial Issues:
    • Income of the Parties
    • Division of Marital Portions of Retirement Plans
    • Valuation of Marital Assets (businesses, medical practices, stock, investment property, etc.)
    • Discovery, Documentation and Proof
    • Bank and Investment Accounts
    • Tax Liability
    • Attorney Fees
    • Dissipation of Marital Assets
  • Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling and Other Addictions
  • What about the Pets?
  • Controlling Your Legal Costs in a Divorce
• Children:
  • Custody & Visitation
    • Sole, Joint & Shared Custody Explained
    • Effect of Domestic Violence on Custody
    • Families in Transition (Divorce Education Program)
    • Tips for Better Parenting
    • Parenting Coordinator Program
    • Stepping Back from Anger 
    • Parenting Plans
    • Parenting Agreements
    • Building New Holiday Traditions
    • Post-Divorce Modification of Child Custody
  • Primary Residential Custodian
  • Child Support
    • Calculating Child Support Obligations in Kentucky
    • Enforcement of Child Support Obligations
  • Protecting Children from Abuse and Neglect
  • Resources for Dealing with Drugs, Alcohol, Gambling and Other Addictions
•  Same Sex Marriage and LGBTQ Family Law Issues:
  • Same-sex marriage and divorce
  • Issues affecting children within the LGBTQ community
    • Custody
    • Parenting rights
    • DNA cases (Dependency, Abuse & Neglect)
    • Social Services ("CPS")
    • Adoption
    • Surrogacy
  • Property and real estate rights of unmarried couples versus married couples
  • Elder law and estate planning for the LGBTQ community
  • Employment discrimination and equal rights
  • Domestic violence in the LGBTQ community
  • Drug, alcohol and substance abuse in the LGBTQ community
  • Mental Health Issues
• Post-Divorce:
  • What Happens After My Divorce?
  • Post-Divorce Modification of Child Custody
  • Post-Divorce Modification of Child Support
  • Post-Divorce Relocation Issues
  • Child Support Arrearages
  • Enforcement of Settlement Agreement
• Pre-Nuptial Agreements:
  • What's in a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?
  • Who Needs a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?
  • Should We Make a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?
  • The Uniform Pre-Marital Agreement Act
  • Will a Pre-Nup Take the Romance Out of Our Engagement?
  • Will Our Pre-Nup be "Airtight"?
  • Advice from the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers on Prenuptial Agreements
• Domestic Violence:
  • What is "Domestic Violence"?
  • What is the Law in Kentucky on Domestic Violence?
  • How do I take out an EPO ("Emergency Protective Order")?
  • How Can I Prepare for Another Episode of Domestic Violence?
  • Metropolitan Louisville, KY Resources for Help
  • Should I be worried my abuser may learn about my Internet activities?
  • Disturbing Facts About Domestic Violence
  • Effect of Domestic Violence on Custody
• Unmarried Couples:
  • Cohabitation Agreements and other legal instruments
    • Oral Agreements are not recommended
    • Domestic_Partnership_Agreements
    • Durable Powers of Attorney for Adults who live together
    • Health Care Directives and Living Wills for adults who cohabitate
    • What happens if your partner dies?
  • Children of Unmarried Couples
    • Custody and Visitation
    • Child support for children of unmarried parents
  • Gay & Lesbian Couples
  • Common Law Marriage -- NOTE:  There is no such thing as a "common law marriage" in Kentucky
  • Pre-Nuptial Agreements
• Estate Planning
• Living Wills & Healthcare Directives