Stamford Divorce Law Blog

A new group of legal service professionals are specializing in pet mediation, a practice that helps resolve disputes related to man's best friends.

Many people in Connecticut and across the country who are going through a divorce worry about whether they will be able to see their pet after they separate from their spouse. This presents a difficult situation in courtrooms, however, because pets are legally considered property. That is, your dog, your sofa and your car are all placed in the same category. For this reason, the emotional needs of the divorcing parties are often ignored, especially when it comes to pet visitation rights.

Some women who are in the midst of a divorce fail to recognize the surreptitious tactics employed by their husbands to prevent them from receiving their fair compensation. This is particularly true in high-asset divorce situations, where the men generally have access to well-trained attorneys who are accustomed to securing divorce decrees that are most advantageous to their clients. Advocates say that women should not despair, though. A variety of options are available to make sure they get a fair share during the divorce proceedings.

One tactic that is often employed by soon-to-be ex-husbands is called "conflicting out" the top lawyers within a jurisdiction. The man will set up short appointments with each high-powered lawyer in the nearby region. During the meeting, he will share enough information to create an attorney-client relationship, which will then prohibit that lawyer from representing the woman. Even if the man does not choose to employ the services of that attorney, fewer options exist for the woman in the case. Celebrities such as Heidi Klum and Seal have squared off in a similar fashion. Klum reportedly went "attorney shopping" before their split.

A recent segment on "Good Morning America" described the experiences of some drivers who had blindly followed their computer navigation systems. One man drove from a gravel road into a thick, muddy area. The GPS had ignored the nine-mile stretch of water between an island and the main land mass. The man was forced to abandon his car as the tide rolled in.

Although this may not seem to have much relevance to divorce, experts say that many people allow others to guide them through their own divorce proceedings instead of taking control themselves. Mediation is an increasingly popular option that can allow both members of a couple to feel more empowered and satisfied with divorce proceedings. Instead of blindly following the GPS, each party can collaborate to find a path that won't sink both travelers.

Connecticut readers may be interested in hearing about a property division battle that really tops the chart of high-asset divorces. A man who purchased the most expensive piece of real estate in New York is facing accusations that he fraudulently sold and purchased property to protect his assets during his divorce. The man, who spent more than $88 million on a New York City penthouse, is embroiled in a battle with his divorcing wife, who claims that the division of real property has been unfair. The initial divorce papers were filed in 2008.

On March 14, the woman filed a suit against her husband, saying that he secretly transferred property during their marriage, violating an order from a Swiss court. She alleges that he used the property transfer to purchase the high-end New York apartment at 15 Central Park West for his own personal use.