We recommend that couples have the agreements they reach in mediation reviewed by attorneys and written into a contract called a separation and property settlement agreement. Most mediators will provide a written summary of agreements. But a summary is not a contract and may not be enforceable if one side doesn’t live up to her or his end of the bargain and…
Recently, we have seen an increase in parents willing to try an arrangement called "nesting." This is a joint physical custody arrangement. The parents rotate in and out of the children's home according to a schedule rather than shuffling the children between homes. In the most common variant, the parents take turns residing in the former marital residence with the…
In North Carolina, parties who sue for equitable distribution of property, post-separation support, and alimony are ordered by the court to participate in mediation. Court-ordered mediation is different than the mediation that we provide. You and your spouse will sit in separate rooms with your lawyers, and the mediator will go back and forth. You'll spend a lot of time…
Robert E. Emery, Ph.D., Two Homes, One Childhood: A Parenting Plan to Last a Lifetime The sequel to Bob Emery's groundbreaking book, The Truth About Children and Divorce, Two Homes takes a deeper dive into parenting plans based on children's needs. In his words, "the only parenting plan that will last a lifetime is one that grows and changes right along with your children's…