Minneapolis Business & Real Estate Law Blog

How does divorce mediation help when dissolving a marriage?

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Monday, August 6, 2018.

Divorce mediation involves the use of a third-party mediator who is neutral to both sides. During mediation proceedings, the spouses and their respective attorneys will work with the neutral mediator over the course of several meetings to settle different aspects of their divorce.

During all the mediation meetings, the mediator will facilitate peaceful communications and help the spouses see the benefit of various solutions to different areas of disagreement. When successful, the spouses will conclude the process with a divorce settlement that resolves asset division, child custody, child support and spousal support.

Custody concerns: Keeping your healthy parent-child relationship

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Monday, July 16, 2018.

For many parents, there is a concern that divorce will change the way their relationship is with their children. Of course, there is some amount of change that is going to happen regardless of anything you try to do to stop it, because your family dynamic is changing. However, that doesn't mean your relationship with your child has to deteriorate.

Instead, there are ways to help your relationship grow. Use child custody to your benefit during this time, so you can forge a strong relationship with your child in the future. Here are three things you can do to maintain your relationship.

Dealing with contentious matters in child custody

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Tuesday, July 10, 2018.

Some parents have co-parenting situations that are stress free. Others have to deal with contentious issues that cause a lot of anxiety and stress. When you are in the latter group, finding ways to work through the problems can be a challenge.

Child custody is one area where both adults likely have very strong feelings. This can make negotiating difficult because it is easy to think that it is your way or no way at all. Instead of stalling and being unable to figure out a solution, try using these tips:

Child visitation doesn't have to be mystifying

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Monday, June 11, 2018.

The visitation schedule that children follow after their parents divorce can make life easier, but it can sometimes make it much harder. Making the most of visitation is very important because this is the time that you have to build a relationship with your child and make memories.

When you are first embarking on the visitation journey, you need to find ways to make it work. Being upset about the terms can put a damper on the visits with your children, but you shouldn't allow this to happen. Instead, consider these tips:

These steps will help you financially prepare for divorce

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Wednesday, June 6, 2018.

Once you decide to divorce, you don't want to wait a single day to review your finances with the idea of making the right decisions at the right time.

There are many steps you can take to help you financially prepare for divorce, including but not limited to the following:

Long-distance parenting is difficult but not impossible

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. on Monday, May 14, 2018.

Not being able to see your children on a regular basis is a hard situation for a parent to be placed in. For those who don't live near their children, this is a harsh reality. As difficult as this type of situation is, there are some things that you can do to ease the strain.

It is important for you to have your child custody plan address the issues that come with being a father who lives away from your child. These can include everything from how in-person visits will be planned and how communication between visits should occur. This gives you a place to turn if there are ever questions about what should happen.

Plan for addressing negative comments about you by your ex

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. posted in blog on Tuesday, April 24, 2018.

Having to deal with your ex on child custody matters usually isn't an easy feat. The issue is made even more complex when your ex decides that he is going to speak ill of you to your children and others. When this happens, you will have to decide how you will handle the matter.

One thing is for certain — it is better to keep your emotions out of the situation when you respond to the other parent badmouthing you. By keeping your emotions out of the mix, you can focus on how your replies will impact you and your children. Consider putting these points into your plan:

Hoping to keep the house in your Minnesota divorce?

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. posted in blog on Monday, April 9, 2018.

When couples divorce, there are many issues that they have to address. If there are minor children, they need to reach agreeable terms for child support, custody and visitation. In some families, those arrangements may be the primary source of divorce conflict.

Another common source of disagreements is the process of asset division. Both of you likely have your own strong feelings about what would be a fair way to divide your assets. If you can't agree, the Minnesota family courts will make these decisions on your behalf.

Shared parenting will require you to put forth an effort

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. posted in blog on Tuesday, March 13, 2018.

Shared parenting puts your children first, but it might prove to be challenging for both parents. This can make it difficult for the adults. There are ways to make the situation a little easier for everyone involved.

You and your children can benefit from a less stressful situation. You won't have to dread dealing with custody matters and your children might not cringe when they know you will have to deal with your ex. Consider these ways of making the whole situation more cordial.

Fighting for joint custody during a high-asset divorce

On behalf of Patrick Burns of Burns & Hansen, P.A. posted in blog on Monday, March 12, 2018.

Going through a divorce can be especially difficult when the stakes are high. But everyone's most important asset is their children, and after working to divide the material things, many high-asset couples worry about how much they will have to fight in order to maintain custody of their kids.

In the state of Minnesota, the Uniform Child Custody Act (UCCA) has been adopted. This means that many changes in the laws between states are mitigated, so issues such as interstate custody cases and relocation disputes tend to cause less conflict.