NAVIGATING A DIFFICULT DIVORCE
Navigating a Difficult Divorce
Legal Advice from an Experienced Rhode Island Divorce Attorney:
While no divorce is easy, some divorces are more difficult than others, such as those involving:
- A partner who won't negotiate, who lies or hides assets, who plays games with children, who refuses to respond, and even refuses to win!
- Opposing legal counsel who blusters, demands, and stands in the way of a resolution
- Family, friends and in-laws who continually offer bad advice
- Bad circumstances, such as a job loss, an underwater mortgage, title problems, and debts
Warwick divorce attorney Kerry I. Rafanelli has been helping clients arrive safely on the other side of a divorce for more than 30 years. In that time he’s seen every kind of complication. While there is no magic wand to make every problem go away there is a way to get through to the other side.
Regardless of the difficulties you face, Attorney Rafanelli will be there for you, standing by your side and fighting to protect your rights. Call his East Greenwich law office at 401-398-8388 to talk about the divorce challenges you may soon be facing.
Divorce difficulties
The most common areas of divorce difficulty are, not surprisingly, difficult personalities, money and children.
Child Custody
One of the worst child custody situations is when one parent pits the child against the other parent or brings false charges of child abuse. There are several things we can do in such cases:
- The first is to ask for the child to be examined – alone and with both parents – by an independent child psychologist. A good child psychologist will be able to identify improper parental control and this information will make it into the court record. We can also talk to teachers, daycare providers and others who may have seen the bad effects of the manipulative behavior.
- The court can also appoint a guardian ad litem (GAL) to investigate and represent the interests of the child in court. As an impartial adult, there is much less chance that the parent will be able to improperly influence the GAL.
- We can also ask the judge to have an in camera interview with the child, talking to the child alone in his/her chambers, away from the influence of the parents.
Money and Marital Assets
People show their true colors when money is at stake. Lying about income, hiding assets, refusing to fill out divorce forms correctly, these are just some of the ways a dishonest spouse can try to gain the upper hand. But there are a several tools that can help the court arrive at the truth:
- Your lawyer can subpoena tax records and business documents
- We can depose business partners, tax accountants and others who may know the real financial picture
- We can hire a forensic accountant to review business records to see if everything adds up
- We can hire someone to do surveillance if you think assets are being squirreled away in another location
We’ll do what we need to do to turn up missing assets. And when we do, the party who tried to lie and hide those assets could end up losing much more.
Difficult Personalities – It’s an unfortunate truth that the people who can hurt us most are the people we’ve loved the most. It may be your former partner’s strategy to get under your skin with unreasonable demands for more than his/her share of the assets, or even physical threats.
Do not engage in game playing. Trust your lawyer to run interference with a demanding ex-spouse. Your lawyer will make sure all the evidence gets heard in court so the judge can weigh the relevant facts, without the attitude.
Learn more about divorce in Rhode Island
No matter how many barriers and roadblocks your former partner throws up, there is an end in sight and attorney Rafanelli will get you there. Call Kerry Rafanelli at 401-398-8388, or contact us online to schedule a consultation at our North Kingston law office.
Providence family law attorney
Kerry I. Rafanelli
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Kerry Rafanelli,
Attorney At Law
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Kerry I Rafanelli, Attorney at Law
670 Main Street, Suite C-4
East Greenwich, RI 02818
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Frequently
Asked Questions
Consult an experienced Rhode Island divorce attorney for answers to your questions. Call Kerry I. Rafanelli, Attorney at Law, at 401-398-8388 or contact us online to schedule your consultation at our East Greenwich law office.
Should I retain a lawyer if my fiancé's attorney has already drawn up a prenuptial agreement?
Both parties to a prenuptial agreement should be represented so that you can feel confident that the contract is fair to you.
Am I considered the parent once my adoption of a child is finalized?
At the completion of your adoption, you acquire all the rights and responsibilities of a parent–including making important childrearing decisions and providing your child with financial support. Your child gains all the rights as your natural children would have involving inheritance, immigration, government benefits and healthcare coverage.
Am I entitled to visitation rights as soon as I affirm my paternity of my child?
In most cases, you are entitled to visitation with your child, but you must file a petition with the court requesting visitation.
Am I entitled to child support as soon as the father's paternity is positively affirmed?
You are entitled to financial support from the father, but you must file a petition with the court requesting child support. You may be entitled to support from previous years as well.
What is the difference between guardianship and adoption?
Adoptive parents acquire all the rights of natural parents. Guardians have legal and physical custody, but are not considered the parents of the child and must periodically appear before the court to give updates on the child’s status. In some cases, the birth parents may retain their parental rights.
Is my former spouse permitted to move my child to another state?
A custodial parent must petition the court to relocate with your child to another state. You can object to the move and present evidence at a court hearing.
What does the court consider in relocation cases?
The court considers what is in the best interest of your child — including financial advantages of the move, educational opportunities, the existence of extended family in both locations, the nature of the child’s relationship with each parent, and the logistics of visitation with the noncustodial parent.
How can I learn more about family law?
Call Kerry I. Rafanelli, Attorney at Law or contact us online to schedule your no-obligation, free consultation and get the answers to all of your family law questions.