California Divorce Blawg

Las Vegas ends late-night wedding-license service

The county's marriage-license office in Las Vegas will no longer be open all night.

"It's one of the things Vegas is known for -- you can gamble, get drunk and get married all in the middle of the night," said Jay DeLeon, manager of the Graceland Wedding Chapel -- where Elvis impersonators make special nuptial appearances.  Low volume in the wee hours though required a revaluation of the need for the late night service.  Click here for more.

The question must then be asked, will the weddings that do occur be more likely to last?  Divorce lawyers want to know....

Undue Influence and Duress as Elements of Pre-Nuptial Agreement Enforcement

A couple had executed a premarital agreement giving Husband all his business property.  Eleven years later Husband executed a document transferring to Wife as her separate property 20% of the stock in his business and the family home.  The couple separated a few months later and Husband soon thereafter filed for divorce.  The trial court found that this document was unenforceable due to undue influence and duress, as Husband had provided evidence that he had signed the transfer document after Wife had screamed at him, struck him, and threatened to divorce him and alienate him from their children if he did not provide her with this security.  The transfer of the property was set aside by the court on the grounds that the transfer was the product of wife's undue influence over husband, and while he was under duress.  Click here to read the opinion.

Don't Blame the Ex In Front of the Children

When people are in conflict, it is easy to get into the blame game, to feel superior, and see oneself as a victim.  Unfortunately, far too many parents lack boundary control. They share their feelings of misery and anger with their children. But when one parent speaks poorly about the other to their child and encourages the child to believe that the target parent is less worthy and less important, parental alienation syndrome (PAS) can occur. For your children, the results can be tragic.  Click here for more.

Carmen Electra and Dave Navarro To Divorce

MTV reality marriages are looking more and more like "Divorce Court."  The latest celebrity schism moved further toward official kaputness Thursday when Carmen Electra filed for divorce from rocker Dave Navarro, according to Superior Court documents.  Click here for more.

Leader of SoCal marriage fraud scheme pleads guilty

A woman accused of running a sophisticated marriage scam that charged foreigners seeking citizenship up to $60,000 for a mate has pleaded guilty on conspiracy and visa fraud charges.  Click here for more.

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts: A History of Innovation and Positive Change.

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts.  A History of Innovation and Positive Change.

For more than 40 years, AFCC and its members have served as a catalyst for generating major reforms.  Dispute resolution processes such as child custody mediation, parenting coordination, and divorce education are just a few of the innovative ideas developed by AFCC members. AFCC developed Models Standards of Practice for Family and Divorce Mediators, Child Custody Evaluators and Parenting Coordinators.  Task forces and special projects address the ongoing challenges faced by AFCC members and the families they serve.  AFCC actively disseminates to its members new innovations and ideas.  The ripple effect can be seen in courts and communities throughout the world.  Click here for more information.