Rhode Island Divorce Tips by Attorney Chris Pearsall

A Lawyer who Hates Lawyers? What is this RI Divorce Lawyer Really Saying?

Today, I am a Rhode Island lawyer focusing my practice on divorce and divorce coaching.  Looking back decades ago I remember another lawyer who had been practicing in another state for some 40+ years who said something that perplexed me.

* * * Remembering the Lawyer who Hated Lawyers! * * *

The lawyer was about as true, honorable, and generous a gentleman as I have ever met.  He had all the qualities I envisioned a good lawyer would have.  He truly cared about each of his clients.  He fought for each one within the bounds of the law, within his professional code of ethics, and with a high degree of morality. The lawyer knew that I greatly admired him as both a person and as a lawyer.

One extremely hot summer afternoon this lawyer returned to his office after losing a district court hearing.  He plopped himself down in the chair at the opposite end of the short conference room table I was sitting at in his office law library.  His secretary nervously brought him a lemonade and napkin then quickly skirted out of the room.  There was an endless silence.  

Finally, I spoke, 

Chris:  "I'm considering becoming a lawyer."

The lawyer lifted his head, wiped his brow with a napkin, grabbed a nearby law book and flung it across his law library breaking the law book's spine.

It was one of the first times I had ever seen this man so upset.

I was quiet until the lawyer spoke.

Lawyer:  I HATE LAWYERS!

This time the pause was endless yet I was just too puzzled not to speak.

Chris:  "I don't understand!?!  You ARE a lawyer."

The lawyer was quiet again, so I asked it as a question.

Chris:  "How can you hate lawyers when you ARE one? 

The lawyer waited quite awhile before speaking.

Lawyer:  Chris, if you're anything like me, you'll understand when you get there. 

The conversation ended.

* * * 20 Years Later We Agree * * *

I've been working in the legal field now for more than 20 years since that conversation.  

As a Rhode Island lawyer, I am bound by a Professional Code of Ethical Conduct among other things.  There are things that I shouldn't say or do and there are things that I can't say or do despite the right to Free Speech guaranteed to all of us by the United States Constitution.  The layperson would be amazed. 

* * * A Message for Roger * * *

For a point of reference only, the lawyer's name was Roger.

Hopefully he's still alive and hopefully he is in tune enough with today's "internet" that he reads this article.

First, to this great lawyer.

Roger, I was like you.  I understand!

* * * A Message for Readers * * *

Now, to my readers I offer this.

You may not understand this statement until you meet with me.

If you like lawyers, you probably won't like me.

With that said, I can tell you that as a Rhode Island Lawyer who has focused my practice exclusively in the area of divorce and family law, I cannot make your problems go away.  No lawyer can!  Yet some lawyers may tell you they can to get you as a client.

Lawyers can't make your problems go away because fundamentally they are your problems.  Only you can take responsibility for those challenges in your life.  Only you truly have the power to resolve those challenges by your decisions.

However, I can tell you that I can help you understand and get through your Rhode Island divorce or family law challenges by working with you either as your Coach or as your Representative.

* * *  Your Divorce Coaching Program * * *

Roger's words were invaluable.  Today, they are the powerful force motivating the continued growth of your Family Law Coaching program.  

I call it Your Program because it is designed specifically for you.  It is designed to teach you, train you, advise you, inform you, and save you time and money in the areas of divorce and family law.

As Your Coaching Program continues to evolve, it will continue to work faster for you, become more economical for you, and become more helpful for you.

Whatever you choose to believe, there is one thing you can know with certainty. I am one lawyer trying to make a difference for YOU with a new and innovative way of practice designed by hard work, my belief that you can do more than you believe you can at this moment, and your willingness to be open to something new that works. 

What can Your Coaching Program help you with?  Here is a brief list . . .

Rhode Island Divorces & Legal Separations, Rhode Island Child Support Establishment, Modifications, Collections and Terminations, Rhode Island Child Custody Matters and Child Custody Modifications, Rhode Island Petitions to Enforced Marital Settlement Agreements and Property Settlement Agreements, Preparing Pre-Nuptual Agreements and Ante-Nuptual Agreements in Rhode Island, RI Petitions to Move Out of State with Minor Children, Petitions to Establish Paternity in Rhode Island, Rhode Island Motions to Adjudge In Contempt and Defense of those Contempt Motions, Protection from Abuse Petitions and Defense Against Such Petitions, Rhode Island Motions and Petitions to Establish, Modify or Terminate Visitation, RI Common Law Divorces and their Defense, Rhode Island Legal Rights, Rhode Island Family Court Procedures, 2nd Opinions about your Attorney on Rhode Island Divorce Cases, Pro Se Representation (i.e. Representing Yourself Appropriately in Family Court), and many more . . . 

Look for the Testimonials Section about Your Coaching Program which is coming soon.  Feel Free to Call Me for a low-cost Coaching Session!

Attorney Christopher A. Pearsall - Phone: (401) 632-6976

If Your Rhode Island Divorce is Uncontested, do you need a Divorce Lawyer?

As a lawyer who has focused my practice in the area of Rhode Island Divorce law for the past decade, one would think that my answer to this question would be "Yes."

However, in the world of law, divorce and courtrooms things are not always as clear cut as we would like them to be.

Consider this Rhode Island Divorce Example that I came up with as I write this article which will develop more as a stream of consciousness than a well planned out and upscale legal article.

* * * Divorce Example of Bristol, Rhode Island Couple Virginia and Aaron  * * *

Virginia and Aaron have been married for 7 years.  They have 3 minor children.  Virginia works part-time because they don't make enough income to afford full-time childcare costs for both of them to work full-time.  As a couple Virginia and Aaron merely get by from week to week, paycheck to paycheck.  Like many couples, financial struggles have torn them apart as husband and wife and Virginia now wants a divorce because she wanted more out of life and doesn't seem to be finding it with Aaron. 

Virginia has never filed for divorce before and doesn't know anything about Rhode Island law or Rhode Island Divorce procedure.  Virginia speaks with 7 lawyers who offer free consultations and after about 30 minutes of their time quote her between $1,500 and $3,500 for their retainers and hourly rates from $175 per hour to $300 per hour.

If Virginia and Aaron agree on their divorce issues, do they need a divorce lawyer?  Legally speaking, one or the other of them really should get some competent legal advice to get through their divorce in the easiest manner possible.

* * * Rhode Island Divorce Lessons * * *

So what is the greatest issue here?  It's the age old problem of MONEY!  Lawyers want and need to get paid for their services.  I can tell you that lawyers services are, in fact, valuable.  The depth of information that a lawyer is expected to know in any field of law requires life-long learning and exposes us to daily liability for every word the comes out of our mouths.  Sometimes I even regret telling people that I'm a lawyer at a social engagement because invariably someone wants to just "run something by me" to "get my thoughts".  It can be very difficult to avoid offending the person and avoid giving my "thoughts" which the person might consider as legal advice and act on.  The next thing you know, the person does something crazy with the tiny information I gave them and now I am called "their lawyer" and I gave them "legal advice".  This is precisely why few if any divorce lawyers in Rhode Island (other than my new Coaching Program) make it a practice to offer anything other than a "one size fits all" proposition to prospective new clients.

As Virginia learned, if you aren't prepared to come up with a decent lump sum of money that the attorney can bill against against at whatever rate the attorney feels he or she is worth then you are out of luck.  Attorneys doing piece meal work are hard to find and attorneys who are willing to take your case on a pro bono basis are even harder because of the huge demand and pressures already placed on attorneys to perform pro bono work each year regardless of whether their practice may be thriving or just treading water due to increased expenses or other economic factors.

So for Virginia and Aaron, do they absolutely NEED a divorce lawyer?  No, they don't.  Why, because practically speaking Virginia already knows that she and her husband can't afford the least expensive lawyer they could find and Virginia has already discovered that they waiting line for pro bono attorneys is exceptionally long. 

So what do you do if you are in Virginia and Aaron's position?  You do what you have to do, right?  Isn't that what we do when things get tough?  Don't most of us just get out there and do what needs to get done when we have to for our benefit and for major life decisions. Yes, that's exactly what we do.

So, Virginia and Aaron, could you do this on your own?  Yes, you could.  You could do your homework on the internet, at the nearest law library and even find time to go to court and watch a few cases to see how things work.  Will you be as prepared?  Maybe not. It may depend upon how much effort you put into finding out how to do things.

Will you get your divorce paperwork back from the Rhode Island Family court with it all filed correctly?  Maybe not the first time.  However, f it's rejected the family court clerks will usually give you some kind of indication of what didn't quite make the grade or what was missing. 

However, If the Rhode Island Family Court clerks don't tell you how to fill out the forms, how to correct them, or why they need to be filled out in a certain way, it's simply because they are prevented from doing so.  They are not your attorney and they are not allowed to advise you because the vast majority of them are not attorneys and since they work for the State of Rhode Island it may expose them and the State of Rhode Island to liability if you misunderstand what they tell you or if they leave out something without knowing that it applies to your situation. 

So if you are going to execute your constitutional right to represent yourself and handle your divorce on your own, you take the risk as well and you should plan on some bumps in the road.  You're on your own unless you get some legal advice or coaching to help you through this process. There may be only minor bumps in your divorce proceeding if you get lucky.  There may be bumps in the road that are so large that you can't even get through a successful hearing because you don't understand what is required by law or by the court's procedure.

So the question is better phrased like this, Am I required to have a lawyer represent me in my Rhode Island Divorce?  NO!  I've seen plenty of people represent themselves in divorces.  They've gone from A to Z and received their divorce decree without a lawyer preparing their forms or showing up in court with them. 

Now, if one couple can make it through an uncomplicated and straightforward divorce between two amicable and agreeable spouses, then, the question is... Can you do it?  It is certainly possible. I know that with my assistance and coaching I've been able to coach as many as 100 couples in a single year to go through their own divorces successfully and spend only a fraction of what it costs to hire even the least expensive lawyer such as the one Virginia came across.

In most Rhode Island divorce situations that are uncontested about the majority of Rhode Island divorce issues, do you need a representational lawyer who does everything for you and goes to court with you?  In my opinion, people who fall into this category don't need it. 

If you fall into that category it is best if you approach your divorce as a learning experience.  Your strength will be found in realizing that there are certain procedures and issues under Rhode Island law that must be addressed.  Once you identify the Rhode Island procedures and legal issues and you represent yourself, you need to take personal responsibility for everything that goes along with representing yourself, that includes your outcome, any setbacks and any problems you encounter. 

Remember that representing yourself means that you are the boss.  You call the shots.  You are responsible for everything you say and do and the end result that your actions produce.  If you do happen to get help in the form of coaching, the coach doesn't call the shots, the coach isn't standing in the courtroom and the coach has merely provided you with guidance based upon his or her experience.  Judgment calls and execution of either legal advice from an attorney you have formally retained in the courtroom are the attorney's discretion and he or she takes responsibility for that and for any glaring mistakes he or she makes in your representation.  Keep in mind that this is why attorneys are paid for their experience and expertise to prepare documents, give you direct advice on what to do and also represent you in court.  The same is not true when you represent yourself.  In that case, you are your own attorney and you are expected to know the ins and outs of things as if you were an attorney licensed to practice divorce law in Rhode Island.

Even an experienced Rhode Island Divorce lawyer who is helping you in the manner of a "coach" by instructing you and teaching you in a general fashion can't anticipate everything you will encounter.  If you don't handle documents or issues properly then it is entirely possible that your divorce might plummet to the ground like a flaming plane crashing before it reaches the end of the runway when a person represents him or herself and does so in such a poor manner that the judge dismisses your divorce case. 

So, what does that mean for you because you didn't seek professional help from anyone?  Let's see . . you have (1) paid a wasted filing fee of $120 that is paid to the Rhode Island Family Courts, (2) you have paid a constable's fee of $55 or so; (3) you have created an angry family court judge, (4) you have experienced personal frustration and possible embarrassment, and (5) worse yet you may have to spend the time and money going through the process all over again from the start.

Do you need a Rhode Island Divorce lawyer?  "NEED" is a subjective term.  Ideally we should all have a divorce attorney to protect our interests in a Rhode Island divorce proceeding if we can afford one.  Practically speaking, not everyone has the money to hire an attorney.

Ultimately, you are not required to have an attorney.  You have the right to represent yourself and you can do it if you have to.... and successfully too.  Do I advocate that you do it without ANY professional help?  NO, not unless you are going to take the amount of time that many of us have taken as lawyers to study the law for years, keep up on case law and appear before the family court judges on a regular basis.  

Keep in mind that as Rhode Island lawyers focusing a practice in divorce, you earn the ins and outs of the court system that aren't found in any book, law, order, procedure or in anything other than experience.  That's something that a coach might impart in a coaching session, but it's not something you will get unless you hire the attorney outright or hire a coach to help you based upon what you can afford. 

Are there complex issues in your divorce? If there are, you should know about it by seeking the advice of a divorce lawyer and/or Rhode Island Divorce Coach to identify those issues.  Then you can consider whether the issues are beyond what you feel what you are capable of addressing and go from there. 

When could more complex issues Rhode Island arise?  That's a question for another day.

* * * A Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer / Coach Suggestion * * *

My suggestion . . . get some type of legal advice in the form of a Rhode Island Divorce Coaching Session or an advice session before you decide that you are going to handle your own divorce.  Why?  Well, frankly, sometimes you just can't afford not to be without a lawyer if there is more at stake regarding your rights, your assets, your debts and especially any children you may have as in the case of Virginia and Aaron.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Visit the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2007 to Present.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.  The court does not license or certify any lawyer as an expert or specialist in any particular field of practice.

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The Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer discusses divorce increases, today's surge in bankruptcy filings and an approach that may help you to cope!

It's no secret that the national economy is hurting and so are many marriages.  I have no doubt that the only thing that is stopping the divorce rate from escalating out of control is the lack of funds to file for bankruptcy.  The other factor that seems prevalent from is the tenacity of many Americans to characterize themselves as "deadbeats" when they find themselves in a financial predictament that calls for a bankruptcy filing.  The resistance of the individual to see himself or herself as a "deadbeat" for not living up to his or her obligations and the stigma that today's credit reporting attaches to it are probably the sole limiting factors which slow the acceleration of the rapidly advancing divorce rate.

Financial difficulties are no doubt a huge contributor to pressures within the family unit and result in considerable dissention within the family unit.  It is unfortunate that rather than bring the typiclal family unit together in a unified bond, financial lack almost invariably causes disruption, stress and pressure that tear the family apart.

The fact is, divorce filings have consistently been  rising while the economy and jobless rate has increased together with the bankruptcy filings throughout the country.

Is there a particular answer to save the American Family?  

No answer, suggestion, or proposal that is likely to work for every family, every marriage or every financial predictament.  To think otherwise is utopian and unrealistic at best.  However, an understanding the perspective of divorce and financial situations leading to bankruptcies may help readers to deal with the their unique situations by gleaning a new insight.

The breakdown of any marriage leading to divorce is, generally speaking, a breakdown in the components that came together to comprise that family unit to begin with.  For some couples, a marriage is built upon idealistic notions of change in their partner and hopes that their partner would change for them or would "grow" with them as I have heard too often.  Most of these unspoken expectations may be unrealistic and unspoken.   Keeping such a marriage together may require a party to simply enter counseling and return to a path in which they each have a realistic view of the relationship as it exists and as it may move forward.

For other couples, a marriage may be based upon financial securities perceived by the parties.  To the extent that either party diverges from the financial expectations of the other so that they no longer feel financially insecure, one party may believe that the underlying financial structure that formed the marital union has broken down.  This could be the result from one partner losing his or her job in a declining economy and being unable to obtain work despite efforts to do so.  In such a "financially based" marital relationship, the downfall of the marriage almost certainly lies in the failure of one party to hold up his or her financial end of what is perceived as the marital obligation to provide the trust and security that the financial illusion provides in the marriage.

It is disappointing that in the foregoing type of scenario, that the financial loss that takes place is seen more of a destroyer in the relationship and a breakdown of trust rather than the powerful factor that it could be for the unification of the couple.

Ultimately, in almost every relationship financial struggles place stresses on the parties.  Today, those stresses have led to increased bankruptcy filings and "for better or for worse" relegates itself to nothing more than "for better or until finances become too much for us."

It is in today's economy that financial woes are forcing couples to a financial shortage that pushes people to their emotional brink in their personal relationships and warrants the filing of bankruptcy.  It is in this light that I offer perspectives that I hope people will take to heart to save their marriage and to file for bankruptcy if necessary.

Family is more than finances.  Family is relationships, closeness, trust, reliance, love and an abundance of other factors that are so remote from finances that it is amazing that tough financial situations bring families to divorce.  

When you marry someone, hopefully you consider marrying him or her for the right reasons.  Marriage is a union of people, as they are and who they are.  It is not, nor was it ever intended to be a union of unexpressed expectations that neither party knows about and neither party knows how to achieve.  Marriage should not be the union of one person to another based upon the expectations of what you hope or expect the other spouse to become.  Marriage is in the "now" and each day is a new "now" that the parties should endeavor to deal with as a couple.

Though there are certainly divorce lawyers, marriage counselors and relationship therapists who I am quite sure would disagree with me, a divorce is not necessarily a failure.  This is a perception that I urge others to consider.  Practically speaking, in our lives we are required to make countless decisions.  Some of these decisions are more important than others and have a greater impact in our life.  Of these decisions, marriage is most assuredly one of the more significant.  Yet this decision may be made amidst underlying religious beliefs, family expectations, financial considerations and especially emotional feelings.  To expect that an individual of any age can make such a decision to be kept as a happy and healthy contract for life with dedication to one person as his or her soulmate, without the chance of mistake is to some extent unrealistic.

To my thinking, divorce is not a failure.  Rather, it is an understanding of a decision to marry that only time and experience could reveal was not optimal for one or both of the parties involved in the marriage.  I offer for your consideration, that divorce is merely the legal process by which a person who having the fortitude, understanding and wisdom to realize that the union of the two individuals as soulmates forever results in two unhappy individuals if the marriage is not dissolved. 

Divorce, then, is only a mistake when parties cease to ignore the practicalities and recognition that the separation of the union of marriage is not a matter of blame as to either party or a failure of the marital relationship, but simply a realization that the relationship does not work properly because it does not work for one of the other of the parties.  Divorce, truly is only a failure when a party takes it personally, allows himself or herself to be consumed by emotional controversy and fails to learn from the experience so that he or she can benefit from this relationship experience in their continuing life.

Recently I was listening to a divorce podcast in which a divorcing woman was talking with another woman who asked her how she viewed her divorce.  I found it quite enlightening from the perspective of a divorce lawyer.  It went something like this.  One woman said to the other "The divorce was difficult."  The other woman paused, and said to the first woman " Yeah, I mean but are we as women spoked to do.  We just have to cope.  Your marriage was broken.  What did you do?"  The first woman paused and said, "Yes, my marriage was broken.  So I did the only thing I could do to move on.  I fixed it!  I got divorced!"  

This is perhaps one of the best expressions of divorce I have heard.  Another woman said, " I don't think of it as a divorce, I think of it as a really good house cleaning."  It is this type of positive response thinking that makes for better decisions in the future, better relationships for the person making the statement and a better life if a soulmate decision is made again.

Another change in perspective is that of bankruptcy as a "deadbeat" situation in which we duck out on our obligations.  Truly, much of everything we accept in our life is a matter of perspective which is merely looking at the situation from another side.

Bankruptcy laws were created to give people a "new start", if and when they every got so far in debt that it was not reasonably possible to make good on all financial obligations and continue to achieve a reasonable standard of living.  The question is one of whether you and your spouse deserve a new start.  Those who are too critical of themselves may say so.  Yet with couples, it is the couple that needs to access their needs in life and each spouse may not be in agreement.  Stresses rise and the family unit may crumble from family dissention rather than a unification caused by the lack of financial capital needed to meet all your obligations.

We all have good intentions but it is important in our perceptions to understand that life is often outside of our control.  When you have a good job and you are downsized by your company during an economic downturn, this is not in your control and it is counter to your intentions and it is, for all purposes, outside your control.  All it takes is one difficult and unexpected change in your family's financial situation to cause marital stress, family disharmony, and bankruptcy type qualifications.

The increases in divorce filings is due in no small part to the directly proportional financial drains and stresses caused by the economic drains throughout the country, many of which lead to bankruptcy.   

Perspective is everything.  Marriage is a huge decision and one that can rarely be made with certainty in knowing your spouse is your soulmate.  Divorce merely provides a legal means of a margin of error.  To provide that we make no errors in such decisions would be farsical.  Only a divorce without learning something from the relationship to better your life truly leads us to failure.  If we learn nothing from an experience, then that experience was a wasted endeavor.

As to bankruptcy, there comes a time when we all must realize that there are things outside our control and those things affect our lives, our dreams, our goals and our expectations for the future, when these uncontrollable items affect our lives the law has provided a means by which we learn more about our finances and are given a fresh start.  This fresh start is not without its penalties by reports to credit bureaus to rebuild once again, but it is far from the deadbeat's escape that many believe it to be.  

If it is necessary to help you move on and preserve your divorce, consider the "new start" offered by federal bankruptcy law.  If this provides no consolation, consider that divorce is likewise an opportunity to realize that when you have not picked the right spouse that matches your life as your "soulmate" out of the millions of people in the world, that divorce affords your a legal "fix-it" that allows you a "new start".

Neither divorce nor bankruptcy is bad.  It is merely our perspective that makes it such.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Consider using the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2009.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Rhode Island Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.  There is no recognition for specialization of attorneys in any area of law.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com | Rhode Island Home Buying Tips | Attorney Chris Pearsall at LawGuru.com

An Apology to My Readers

I apologize to my readers.

I created this website with the purpose of providing articles that assist the people who come before the Rhode Island Family Court with their family law matters.

Regrettably I diverged from this purpose and spent time and energy voicing my personal opposition to Judge Laureen D'Ambra for the open seat on our Rhode Island Supreme Court.

While I do not waiver from my opposition, this is not the forum within which to address it.

Therefore, I have removed the most recent articles.

Today I shall return to the purpose for which this website was created . . . namely, to benefit people in their Rhode Island Family Law matters.

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Discover the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participating in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Consider using the RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
to
Schedule Your Low-Cost Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session!

Experience the Difference!

Copyright 2009.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* Rhode Island licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.

- - Recommended Websites - -

Pearsall.net | AttorneyPearsall.com | Rhode Island Divorce Tips | ChristopherPearsall.com | GuaranteedWealth.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorney | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer | ChrisPearsall.com | LegalScholar.com | Pearsall-Law-Associates.com | Rhode Island Divorce Attorneys | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyers | Rhode Island Divorce Coach  |  RI Divorce Coach | RI Divorce Lawyer on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Coach on Twitter | Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer on Facebook.com | Rhode Island Home Buying Tips | 

The Rhode Island Divorce Coach Clears Up Two RI Common Law Marriage Myths!

Too many good Rhode Island people are still under two myths about Rhode Island Common Law Marriages.  As a Rhode Island Divorce Lawyer and to my knowledge Rhode Island's Only Divorce and Family Law Coach I'd like to do my part to clear up the myth and set the record straight for everyone who may go before the RI Family Courts.

First, Common Law Marriage is still recognized in the State of Rhode Island. Strangely, I've heard several Rhode Island lawyers misinform people that there is no such thing as common law marriage under Rhode Island law.  

If my fellow practitioners who are not aware of it happen to stumble on this article I hope they chisel this in stone in their minds.  The answer is . . . "Yes Virginia . . . there is common law marriage under Rhode Island law.  For RI Citizens and for those who are interested, here you have it straight from the Rhode Island Divorce Coach . . . . common law marriage remains alive and well under Rhode Island law as of the date this article is published.

Second, I have also heard fellow practitioners who have appeared beside me in the four family courts in Rhode Island try to tell me that they knew that common law marriage still existed but that they weren't sure whether the two people had to be living together for ten (10) years or if it had been reduced to seven (7) years by the RI General Assembly.

I am happy to reveal that the answer is ZERO!  A common law marriage does not require any particular number of years at all.  In fact, it is entirely possible that you be together with a person for only eleven months and a RI Family Court Judge could still find that there is a common law marriage between you and your significant other (i.e. your spouse if the RI Family Court judge were to make that ruling).

In my other Rhode Island Divorce Coaching articles and blogs you are likely to find even more information about common law marriages in Rhode Island.  Feel free to read my other websites and articles to understand more about Rhode Island Divorce and Family Law.

To all my Readers  . . . 

Have a Fantastic Day and Design a Fantastic Life for Yourself!

Authored By:

Christopher A. Pearsall, Attorney-at-Law

Rhode Island's Full-Time Divorce* Lawyer is Now
Rhode Island's Only Full-Time Divorce and Family Law Coach!!

Find out the Tremendous Benefits You Receive by 

Participate in Family Law Coaching Sessions!

Go to RhodeIslandDivorceCoach.com

Call (401) 632-6976 Now
and
Schedule Your Rhode Island Divorce* or Family Law* Coaching Session Now!

Copyright 2009.  Christopher A. Pearsall, Esquire
 Offering Divorce and Family Law Coaching for a New Millenium!

* Rhode Island licenses all attorneys in the general practice of law.

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