Blog Posts in 2021

7 Steps to Prepare for Divorce Before Filing

The decision to divorce is often a long time coming. You’ve been slowly drifting apart and have begun to view life differently. The process of a marriage unraveling can be quite protracted until one or both realize the relationship is over. Before you tell your spouse that you no longer want to remain in the marriage, you can act to better protect yourself during the inevitable divorce. Step 1: ...

Can Unsupervised Visitation Be Reinstated in Child Custody?

Can Unsupervised Visitation Be Reinstated in Child Custody? A parent granted supervised visitation looks forward to the day they can spend time with their child on their own. Until then, time with their child must be coordinated with the schedule of the supervisor. Meaningful bonding can be hampered by the limited time and the presence of someone else. Before regular parenting time can occur ...

Does Child Support Stop at the Age of 18?

Depending on the state in which you live, there are different laws that govern child support. All states want both parents to share in the financial obligation of raising a child. Generally, the non-custodial parent pays support to the custodial parent based on calculation guidelines in state law. How long the support lasts does vary depending on where you live. For example, the law in neighboring ...

Attorney Deborah Tate Quoted About COVID-19 Disputes in Divorce

Our very own attorney Deborah Tate was recently quoted in an article about the new issues facing families and divorce attorneys since the arrival of COVID-19. Rhode Island Lawyers Weekly highlighted Tate’s experience in helping clients whose views countered their exes about vaccines and safety. “It’s usually something along the lines of ‘I don’t want my kids in the house where there are ...

Cohabitation Agreements Protect Couples Who Choose Not to Marry

More couples in the U.S. are choosing to live together rather than marry. In a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the marriage rate of 6% in 2018 marks the lowest rate since 1900. Partners are delaying marriage in some cases while others are snubbing the traditional altogether. Either way, living with someone often means making purchases together, taking on ...

Cohabitation Agreements Protect Couples Who Choose Not to Marry

More couples in the U.S. are choosing to live together rather than marry. In a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the marriage rate of 6% in 2018 marks the lowest rate since 1900. Partners are delaying marriage in some cases while others are snubbing the traditional altogether. Either way, living with someone often means making purchases together, taking on ...

Cohabitation Agreements Protect Couples Who Choose Not to Marry

More couples in the U.S. are choosing to live together rather than marry. In a report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the marriage rate of 6% in 2018 marks the lowest rate since 1900. Partners are delaying marriage in some cases while others are snubbing the traditional altogether. Either way, living with someone often means making purchases together, taking on ...

How Adoption Works in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island and across the United States, there are several routes for adoption, and each has unique rules. Different types of adoption work in different ways, and every state has its own laws. For example, private adoption is illegal in Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, and Massachusetts but legal in Rhode Island and other states. Whether you choose to adopt through an adoption agency, ...

What Are the Requirements to Adopt a Child in Rhode Island?

To adopt in Rhode Island, you must be over 18 years old and a permanent resident of the state. Any adult can adopt a child, but the state requires a home residency (or home study ) before the adoption can be finalized. If you are married, you and your spouse must adopt together, but any person can adopt someone younger than them, regardless of race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, and ...

Is Your Spouse Hiding Money? Create a Fair Divorce Settlement

You aren’t asking for more than your fair share. But receiving what’s fair in a divorce is impossible if your spouse is concealing assets. The only way to have equitable asset division is to know all that is at stake. Our attorneys at McIntyre Tate LLP know the red flags to watch for in divorce. Hiding assets is not only found in high-net-worth divorces. We’ve seen the attempt to obscure property ...

Unwed Mothers Can Receive Child Support

Child support is a standard element in divorces that involve minor children. Custody and support negotiations can be among the most emotional aspects when spouses end their union. While media attention often focuses on support within the context of divorce, unwed parents have the same rights to child support as their married counterparts. Our highly accomplished attorneys at McIntyre Tate LLP can ...

Unwed Mothers Can Receive Child Support

Child support is a standard element in divorces that involve minor children. Custody and support negotiations can be among the most emotional aspects when spouses end their union. While media attention often focuses on support within the context of divorce, unwed parents have the same rights to child support as their married counterparts. Our highly accomplished attorneys at McIntyre Tate LLP can ...

Unwed Mothers Can Receive Child Support

Child support is a standard element in divorces that involve minor children. Custody and support negotiations can be among the most emotional aspects when spouses end their union. While media attention often focuses on support within the context of divorce, unwed parents have the same rights to child support as their married counterparts. Our highly accomplished attorneys at McIntyre Tate LLP can ...

How Does Divorce Affect Adult Children?

From high-profile celebrities to next-door neighbors, more couples are splitting up later in life. For some, these breakups are from second or third marriages, while others have been married 25 years or longer. According to the Pew Research Center, the divorce rate has tripled among those 65 and older over the last 20 years. The number of so-called gray divorces has remained high ever since. ...

How Do the Courts Handle Animal Cruelty and Neglect Cases?

Animal cruelty and neglect are illegal, but courts across the nation see animals as property. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), this can make protecting animals extremely difficult. Even if someone is charged with the crime of animal cruelty or neglect, the person’s rights are still prioritized over the animal’s rights. According to the Fourteenth ...

Forcing Your Ex to Obey the Divorce Decree

Going through a divorce can be a traumatic process, highlighted by a mix of intense emotions while fighting for what you believe you deserve. The process can be particularly adversarial in litigated divorces with a judge making the final determination of what is fair and in the best interests of any children involved. When the court makes its ruling, the relief you feel when it is over could be ...

Laura Ruzzo Reale Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2022

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch released its 2022 edition on August 19, 2021, continuing a 30-year tradition and highlighting outstanding attorneys who are earlier in their careers. The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch awards are based on peer review. Lawyers must be nominated, and along with attorneys recognized in the traditional Best Lawyers publication, all nominated lawyers provide feedback on ...

Laura Ruzzo Reale Recognized by Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2022

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch released its 2022 edition on August 19, 2021, continuing a 30-year tradition and highlighting outstanding attorneys who are earlier in their careers. The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch awards are based on peer review. Lawyers must be nominated, and along with attorneys recognized in the traditional Best Lawyers publication, all nominated lawyers provide feedback on ...

Where to Find Hidden Assets in Divorce

Finding Hidden Assets in Divorce Rhode Island is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital assets and debts will be divided fairly. “Fair” in this context does not always mean 50/50, therefore, one spouse could come out of their divorce with more assets or debts than the other. The thought of this tends to discourage spouses from disclosing all of their assets during their divorce, but ...

Where to Find Hidden Assets in Divorce

Finding Hidden Assets in Divorce Rhode Island is an equitable distribution state, meaning marital assets and debts will be divided fairly. “Fair” in this context does not always mean 50/50, therefore, one spouse could come out of their divorce with more assets or debts than the other. The thought of this tends to discourage spouses from disclosing all of their assets during their divorce, but ...

U.S. Divorce Rate Hits 50-Year Low

U.S. Divorce Rate Hits 50-Year Low Marriage and divorce are common experiences in the Western world. According to the American Psychological Association, more than 90% of people in Western cultures marry by age 50. Nevertheless, both marriage and divorce rates are declining. In 2020, the U.S. divorce rate hit a 50-year low. Although many people expected divorce rates to skyrocket due to the ...

How to Uncover Hidden Assets in a Divorce

How to Uncover Hidden Assets in a Divorce It is never easy to come to terms with the fact that your spouse may be hiding assets from you during a divorce. The divorce process itself is difficult to process, so needing to deal with how to uncover hidden assets as well can add even more stress to your plate during this time. Fortunately, you can hire an attorney as well as seasoned professionals to ...

Factors Impacting Spousal Support in Rhode Island

How Spousal Support Is Determined in Rhode Island There are many different variables that could impact an alimony or spousal support order. In a Rhode Island divorce, some individuals may qualify for spousal support and others may not according to the circumstances at hand and the type of spousal support requested. As spousal support is a rehabilitative tool intended to provide temporary support ...

Attorney Deborah Tate Quoted in The Providence Journal Article on COVID-19 & Divorce

Our very own attorney Deborah Tate was recently featured in an article by The Providence Journal discussing the pandemic’s effect on Rhode Island divorces. In the article, a chief judge stated that co-parents often filed emergency visitation motions at the start of the pandemic when travel restrictions and guidelines were beginning to form. However, Deb stated that she continues to see these ...

Attorney Deborah Tate Quoted in The Providence Journal Article on COVID-19 & Divorce

Our very own attorney Deborah Tate was recently featured in an article by The Providence Journal discussing the pandemic’s effect on Rhode Island divorces. In the article, a chief judge stated that co-parents often filed emergency visitation motions at the start of the pandemic when travel restrictions and guidelines were beginning to form. However, Deb stated that she continues to see these ...