Divorce Rings: A Shiny Example of…?

It is not uncommon for divorcees to remake their bridal jewelry into a new ring or pendant better suited to their new, single status so it should be no great surprise that the jewelry industry is jumping onboard. But, to create a line of ‘divorce rings’? Isn’t that taking it a bit too far?

Not only can it appear callous to cash in on an emotionally trying and often devastating event but this also raises a whole slew of questions. What is the proper protocol? As Chiara Atik poses in her article, “Will ‘divorce rings’ catch on?”, does one spouse bend down on one knee, present the ring and ask his/her spouse to divorce them? Are both parties entitled to rings? Which party is required to pay for the ring/s? Can it/they be included in the settlement? The plaintiff requests alimony, child support and a 2 carat, princess cut, Cartier divorce ring.

And better yet, what does the ring indicate? Is it a celebration of newfound freedom or a warning beacon to indicate severe emotional baggage? Or just a new way for women (and men) to compete with one another? Suzie only got a 1 carat ring from Jeff but I made Bob buy me a 3 carat ring from Tiffany’s…

On the other hand, maybe the jewelry industry is on to something…I mean, wouldn’t the concept of impending jewelry help to take the sting out of a crumbling marriage? I can just hear it now, “he may have fathered a child with his secretary but he’s going to buy me one huge divorce ring”. In fact, jewelers should take it one step further and add it to the bridal set. No longer are the engagement ring and wedding band enough; the bridal set of the future has become a trio.

This post was prepared by Christina Glaser, a 1L at Rutgers Law School.

Divorce Insurance – Protection or Just Another Asset?

In the September 13, 2010 issue of Time magazine, there is an article by Belinda Luscombe which talks about a new form of insurance being offered by SafeGuard Marketing Management Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of SafeGuard Guaranty Corporation Operations Inc. called Wedlock Divorce Insurance. Just as life insurance is paid out in the event of the death of the insured, the proceeds from a Wedlock Divorce Insurance policy are paid in the event of the end of the insured’s marriage by divorce. Each policy can pay up to $250,000 to the insured in the event his or her marriage ends in divorce.

A Wife by Any Other Name

In a recent posting on the My Family Law Celebrity Blog discussed the finalization of Tiger Woods’ divorce. At the end of that posting, almost as an aside, is the single sentence, “Nordegren’s maiden name was legally restored to her.” It is not uncommon for a woman to want to retake her maiden name after a divorce decree is entered. Although she was always referred to as Elin Nordegren in the media after her marriage to Tiger Woods, she must have formally taken Tiger’s last name. She now can legally resume using Nordegren as her last name.

Some cases just don’t go away…

In family law, cases can come back, again and again. Child support and child custody cases can come back repeatedly as the children get older and the situation changes for all involved. What some people don’t realize is that prenuptial agreement cases can come back – and when they do, it is usually a bad situation for the attorney involved.

Heads you get the dishes, tails you get the silverware

Who would have thought that the divorce of actress Kate Walsh would provide the basis for a discussion about the division of personal property.

A Post Script to a Highly Publicized Divorce

If you were following the Jon and Kate divorce proceedings, you should know that their divorce decree was entered on December 17, 2009. However, there are two additional aspects of this case that may be of some interest. One issue arose before the entry of a final divorce decree and one issue arose after the decree.

Pennsylvania Superior Court exercises control over “Fast Track”

In January of this year, the Pennsylvania Superior Court adopted changes to some of their procedural rules which would allow for child custody cases and parental rights termination cases to proceed faster through the appellate system. These rule changes resulted in the development of the “Children’s Fast Track”. Cases that qualified for the Children’s Fast Track, which include all child custody cases and all parental rights termination cases which were appealed after March 16, 2009, had shortened time lines where certain documents needed to be filed. The theory being, if the documents were filed sooner, the cases would be proceeding through the system faster.

A New Way to Communicate?

I recently reviewed a press release for a new internet-based program called All About the Children.