Recent Blog Posts

Does It Matter Who Files For Divorce First?

Hannah Jannicelli — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:05:00 GMT

Does It Matter Who Files For Divorce First?

When speaking with new clients I am often asked: "Does it matter who files for divorce first?"- And my response is always: "absolutely not." This is because in divorce cases the Court treats both parties equally. Thus, neither party gets an upper-hand by simply filling out the paper work first.

Actually, depending on your case, it may be to your advantage to let your spouse file the Petition first. This is because the Petitioner usually ends up having to spend more money on filing fees and attorney fees. The reason the Petitioner generally ends up paying more is because the cost to file a petition is higher than the cost of a response, and the Court usually asks the Petitioner to be in charge of filing all mutual documents, and set hearing dates. These small costs can add up, and by being the Respondent you could avoid those additional small costs.

Living Together

Stephanie Fling — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:15:00 GMT

Living Together

Living together without marriage has long been accepted but, it may be coming the norm. More young women are living with romantic partners before marriage than those who are living alone or with a spouse, according to a recent report on marriage statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The figures, which were gathered during the CDC's National Survey of Family Growth, were compiled through interviews with more than 12,000 women between 15 and 44, according to an MSNBC report.

According to the survey, 48 percent of American women are currently living with a partner who is not a spouse, which is a significant jump from the 35 percent of women who cohabitated in 1995.

In addition, couples are now less enthusiastic about waiting until marriage to move in with their spouse. In recent years, only 23 percent of women say they were married before living under the same roof with their spouse. This figure was as high as 39 percent as recently as 1995.

Interestingly, though, the relative percentage of women who were living alone was pretty consistent over the past 20 years, ranging from 27 to 29 percent every year.

John Clark of the Divorce Blog

Men Don't Always Leave After Their Wives Affair

Jones Law Firm — Thu, 16 May 2013 21:05:00 GMT

Men Don't Always Leave After Their Wives Affair

"If my wife ever cheated, I'd leave." If you were to ask the hypothetical question to men, this may very well be their response. But what if you asked guys that had actually been in that position? Would it surprise you to know that most men didn't run to their nearest divorce attorney? Well they didn't. In fact in a poll of 1,500 men who had been cheated on, more than 71 percent of them said they still loved their wives.

In the poll conducted by the site Survive Her Affair, only 7.9 percent of the men said they didn't want to save their marriage. And while the other 92 percent includes the "undecided" vote, the lack of resolve still leaves hope for happily-ever-after. Of course the road to reconciliation will be long and bumpy. After all, the survey also found that 91.1 percent of the men said that their wives' affair was the hardest thing they ever went through. Only the occasional military duty or multiple family deaths ranked higher.

But the good news is that they went through it. That means they have moved on - whether they stayed together or parted ways. No matter who does the cheating, infidelity is an emotional trauma that will take time to heal. But even if it means the end of a relationship, it doesn't have to mean the end of everything. So before you see a good family law attorney, consider first seeing a good family counselor.

Making New Friends After A Divorce

Jones Law Firm — Thu, 16 May 2013 16:35:00 GMT

Making New Friends After A Divorce

When a marriage ends, there are often a lot of "I should have…" thoughts and conversations. "I should have seen it coming." "I should have been more attentive." And the list goes on. "Should" is a very dangerous word. You can't separate it from its close cousin - the feeling of regret. "Regret" then brings its partners, "blame" and "fault". These are friends you don't need during a divorce. There's enough regret, blame, and fault going around already. What you need are new friends. Empowering friends. Friends that will help you grow from past experiences – not rub your nose in them. Perhaps what you need are a few new words.

Before you roll your eyes at the simplicity of this suggestion, consider the force that we're talking about. What you say is very powerful. People believe more of what they hear themselves say than they believe what anyone else says. Sadly, people also have a tendency to say whatever thought pops into their head. And over time the uninspired words create an uninspired life. Instead of purposely saying positive things we consciously say negative ones. Let's see an example.

Let's say a man has been working extra hours and his wife has expressed feelings of neglect (or vice versa). Which sentence is more empowering: "I should spend more time with my wife" or "Because my wife and family are very important to me, I make time to spend with them"? Not only is the "Should" sentence more passive, it also places blame.

As you move forward with the next chapter in your life, you will likely do a lot of soul searching. Just be careful of what you say about yourself, your marriage, and your life. Ask your divorce attorney if he or she knows a good counselor that can help you with your new vocabulary and your paradigm shift.

Character and Credibility and Social Media.

Stephanie Fling — Tue, 14 May 2013 19:54:00 GMT

Whether or not you prevail on an issue at trial is in part dependent on your character and credibility to the Judge. You'll likely be dressed appropriately, I will advise you not to roll your eyes or heavy-sigh while listening to your exes' testimony. You will put on the best show you are capable of for the Court.

However, in this day and age, your credibility and character have already been documented—by you—long before trial.

Your emails, texts, tweets and facebook posts will likely be brought to Court for the Judge to see. Be careful what you type.

I think this Judge put it best.

"In recent years, the evidence in family trials typically includes reams of text messages between the parties, helpfully laying bare their true characters. Assessing credibility is not nearly as difficult as it was before the use of e-mails and text messages became prolific. Parties are not shy about splattering their spleens throughout cyberspace."

Ontario Superior Court Justice J.W. Quinn in a footnote to his decision in Bruni v. Bruni, 2010 ONSC 6568 (COURT FILE NO.: 384/07; November 29, 2010):

What to Tell the Judge at my Permanent Protection Order Hearing

Hannah Jannicelli — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:22:00 GMT

What to Tell the Judge at my Permanent Protection Order Hearing

Once you have a temporary protection order restrianing the defendant from you, the Court will set a date for you to come back and have a hearing on whether that protection order should be made permanent.

At that hearing you need to prove two things for the Court to find that the temporary protection order should be made permanent. Those two things are:

An act of violence or domestic violence has occurred, and;
That violence is likely to continue without further restraint.
Often when I see parties try to prevail on protection orders, and lose, it is because they were unable to prove the second part of their burden. Often I see individuals spend their whole hearing explaining to the Judge that the defendant was violent towards them on one particular day, and the petitioner fails to explain why they believe that the Defendant will continue to be a danger to them without the protection order being made permanent.
This is a completely understandable mistake. Often the Petitioner has just been through some sort of trauma perpetrated by the Defendant, and the Petitioner is unable to see the 'big picture.' As a result, the Petitioner is instead completely focused on the most recent event of violence, and that is all s/he tells the Judge.
So, instead of making the typical mistake, try telling the Judge some of the following information that may help you prove part two of the statute:
Has violence occurred before? How often? When was the first time?
Have you asked the defendant to stop? Did s/he stop?
Are you afraid if the protection order is not made permanent? Why?

Kim Kardashian Finally Gets Her Divorce

Jones Law Firm — Thu, 09 May 2013 20:05:00 GMT

Kim Kardashian Finally Gets Her Divorce

The lavish August 2011wedding and marriage of reality show star Kim Kardashian and NBA Brooklyn Nets power forward Kris Humphries is finally over. Kim decided to call it quits after the couple had been married only 72 days. Kris wanted out stating that Kim faked the marriage for the sake of her reality show "Keeping up with the Kardashians".

Humphries, 28, failed to appear at a mandatory hearing on April 12 to work out the terms of the divorce. He had previously stated in court that April and May would not be good times for him to appear in court because of the NBA playoffs and finals.

Since Humphries was a no-show in court, it gave Kim, 32, the upper hand in receiving a divorce approval from Superior Court Judge Hank Goldberg. The Judge asked Kim if the signature on the three page settlement was hers. She responded yes and she also said yes when asked if she had discussed the matter with her lawyer about not going to trial. She was asked if irreconcilable differences occurred during the marriage. She said yes.

The judge's final question was can this marriage be saved? Kim said no. The terms of the divorce settlement were not disclosed however, Judge Goldberg did congratulate Kris's attorney, Benjamin Johnson, and Kim's attorney Laura Wasser for reaching a settlement. Judge Goldberg informed both attorneys that the divorce would not be final until papers are drawn up and signed.

Longer Waiting Period for Divorce in North Carolina

Stephanie Fling — Thu, 09 May 2013 14:24:00 GMT

Longer Waiting Period for Divorce in North Carolina

Originally posted by John Clark/revised by Stephanie Fling

Let's be clear…making divorce more difficult does not make marriages happier.

I've never had a client ask to have to wait longer for a divorce. But it seems North Carolina believes it is best to make a stressful situation last as long as possible.

A bill circulating in the North Carolina Senate would force married couples to wait for two years before filing for divorce, according to a report this week from the Hickory Daily Record.

The "Healthy Marriage Act," would extend the state's mandatory waiting period before a divorce from one to two years, but it also adds several other layers including mandatory counseling designed to make divorce more difficult.

In addition to the potential to reduce the state's divorce rate, supporters of the bill also claim that it would help children, and it would also reduce the costs to the state that are often incurred as a result of divorce.

But opponents of the bill claim the proposal would set divorce laws back several decades, and note that such measures would be counterproductive at best.

Millionaires Clash Over Socialite's Child Support Claims

Raeanne — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:15:00 GMT

Millionaires Clash Over Socialite's Child Support Claims

As an accomplished mountaineer who has scaled many of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest, Annabelle Bond has found herself in some dicey situations.

Now she finds herself in a very different sort of predicament — a nasty legal fight between a former lover and her current one.

Her boyfriend, Andrew Cader, a former Goldman Sachs executive and part owner of the Tampa Bay Rays baseball franchise, is accused of conspiring with Ms. Bond to hide her true financial condition so that she could secure more than $50,000 a month in child support payments last December from the Wall Street financier Warren G. Lichtenstein, who has a 5-year-old daughter with the British socialite.

Ms. Bond deviously obtained the outsize child support from a Hong Kong court to "improve upon her already extraordinary life of luxury, privilege and modest fame," contends the lawsuit, which was filed by Mr. Lichtenstein in Federal District Court in Manhattan.

That Ms. Bond lives an extraordinary life of luxury and privilege is not in dispute. The daughter of Sir John R. H. Bond, the former chairman of the global banking giant HSBC, Ms. Bond, 43, has traveled the world as a mountain climber and extreme athlete. (The lawsuit derisively calls her a "self-described 'activist and adventurer.' ") Her family has homes in London, Hong Kong, Florida and Aspen, Colo.

Mr. Lichtenstein said that in order to help Ms. Bond conceal her actual economic condition and obtain inflated child support payments, Mr. Cader disguised as loans millions of dollars in cash gifts he had given her.

Mr. Cader also characterized the disbursements as loans to avoid paying gift tax in the United States, according to the complaint.

"The case was brought to prevent an injustice and reflects Warren's deep concern for the welfare of his child," said Stanley Arkin, the lawyer for Mr. Lichtenstein.

Mr. Cader and Ms. Bond did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Though Mr. Lichtenstein's lawsuit was filed in New York and raises questions about a Hong Kong court ruling, the origins of the case trace to Aspen, the ski-resort town and favorite second or third home for the Wall Street elite.

Mr. Lichtenstein, Mr. Cader and Ms. Bond all have homes in Aspen, which is where Ms. Bond met Mr. Lichtenstein, who has one child from a previous marriage. The two were once engaged but never married; their relationship ended amicably in 2007, just months before their daughter's birth.

"He is an amazing guy, but I think that sometimes it's better to have one happy parent than two unhappy ones," Ms. Bond told The Evening Standard newspaper in London at the time.

Mr. Lichtenstein, 47, made his fortune through his New York-based hedge fund, Steel Partners, which he started in 1992 and last year became a publicly traded company. Known in financial circles as combative and litigious, Mr. Lichtenstein buys large stakes in underperforming companies and agitates for change. Among his holdings are WebBank, a Utah-based financial company, and the industrial business Handy & Harman.

This is the second time this year that Mr. Lichtenstein, a native of Great Neck, N.Y., on Long Island, has appeared in the press because of his personal life. The gossip papers were recently filled with rumors that he was dating the reality television personality and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel, who is in the middle of a messy public divorce. The two are old friends and not romantically involved, a person briefed on with the matter said.

Mr. Lichtenstein's courtroom adversary, Mr. Cader, 54, started his career as a floor broker on the New York Stock Exchange for Spear, Leeds & Kellogg. In 1997, he took over as co-chief executive of the firm and earned hundreds of millions of dollars when Goldman Sachs acquired Spear Leeds for about $6.5 billion in 2000.

(A skilled musician, Mr. Cader moonlighted as a percussionist while trading, and has a credit for playing rub-board on the 1985 Talking Heads album, "Little Creatures.")

He and several of his former Spear Leeds colleagues bought the Rays in 2004. Though some of them play an active role in the team's management, Mr. Cader has a small, passive stake. Mr. Cader, who has a child from a previous marriage, owns a jet, a Dassault Falcon 50, which he uses to travel among homes in Hong Kong, Aspen and Mount Kisco, N.Y. He, too, knows Ms. Bond from Aspen.

Around the time they met, Ms. Bond became locked in a legal dispute with Mr. Lichtenstein over the support of their daughter. The dispute took an ugly turn, according to the lawsuit, when Ms. Bond moved with their daughter to Hong Kong — "a jurisdiction that was half a world away," according to the complaint.

Mr. Lichtenstein says he then learned that Ms. Bond and their daughter had moved into a home in Hong Kong's upscale Strawberry Hill neighborhood. Mr. Cader was renting the home for $26,000 a month and structured it as a loan to Ms. Bond, she told Mr. Lichtenstein — and more than $3.5 million in cash was also described as a loan, according to the complaint.

"These representations are false," the complaint says. "The cash gifts and lease payments from Mr. Cader — who on information and belief has a net worth of hundreds of millions of dollars — were gifts to his longtime paramour, Ms. Bond."

Mr. Lichtenstein argues that the Hong Kong court relied on Ms. Bond's lies in awarding her $41,800 a month in child support, plus school, tutoring, medical, travel and other substantial expenses. That amount, Mr. Lichtenstein claims, "is one of the largest — if not the largest — child support ever issued by a Hong Kong court."

He did not name Ms. Bond, a resident of Hong Kong, as a defendant, but took aim at her dating history. "Ms. Bond has gone from one millionaire lover to another," the complaint says, "spending millions of dollars of their money to support her lavish lifestyle, and has then moved on to her next wealthy lover or lovers to support her and finance her litigation efforts."

According to her Web site, in 2005 Ms. Bond became the fastest woman and the fourth-fastest person ever to reach all "seven summits," the highest peaks on each continent, having accomplished the feat in less than a year.

She has given talks at numerous Wall Street firms about her climbing exploits, including Morgan Stanley, Blackstone Group and Credit Suisse. On her Twitter feed on Thursday, she made no mention of the lawsuit, but posted a photo of herself at the top of Mount Everest.

"Nearly my summit of Everest anniversary," she wrote. "My respects to the mother goddess."

Lattman, Peter. "Millionaires Clash Over Socialite's Child Support Claims." Yahoo! Finance. The New York Times, 26 Apr. 2013. Web. 26 Apr. 2013.

How to make yourself a divorce care package

Hannah Jannicelli — Tue, 07 May 2013 16:40:00 GMT

How to make yourself a divorce care package:

Divorce is difficult, and it is easy to forget to take care of yourself while trying to navigate your new separation. However, it is important to take care of yourself. Here are several 'items' I suggest you have on hand to help take care of yourself during the divorce process:

An inspirational quote: for example, the cliché "what does not kill you makes you stronger" often offers my client's a little emotional relief while weathering the storm of their divorce.
A song: My personal favorite is Since you've been gone by Kelly Clarkson. But you should pick one that suits your musical taste as well as your feeling at the time.
A TV show: I think everyone has a show that they love, but their spouse can't stand. Now that you're separated, it is time for you to rent or buy every season of that show and watch it from start to finish. My personal guilty pleasure is the Biggest Loser because I find the contestants truly inspiring. But really any guilty pleasure will do the trick.
A distraction: This could truly be anything (although I would refrain from booze). I find developing a new hobby can be great distraction. For example, Denver has every type of sports league under the sun, from golf, to tennis, or even adult kickball; I urge you to join a league. It's a great way to meet new people who will distract you from your pending divorce.
A friend: Don't be afraid to reach out to people. Remember almost half the population has gone through a divorce. Reach out to your friends, and tell them that you're going through a rough time. Explain to them that you need their support, and don't be surprised when they are the ones that truly helped you survive your divor

Online Dating-There's a site just for you.

Stephanie Fling — Thu, 02 May 2013 20:05:00 GMT

Online dating is the hush-hush way of meeting people anymore. It's well accepted. So well accepted that many niche dating sites are flourishing.

Here's are few of them:

1. FindyourFaceMate.com

This dating site finds you a mate with similar facial features—and it's not just for narcissists.

2. HotEnough.org and DarwinDating.com

For the beautiful only!

3. theUglyBugBall.com

For the not-so-beautiful.

4. Cougarlife.com

Ladies seeking younger men

5. Pounced.org

Furry aficionados only

6. NoLongerLonely.com

For people with mental illnesses.

7. Gothicmatch.com

Goths Unite!

Judge Fines Himself for Breaking No-Cellphone Rule

Raeanne — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:20:00 GMT

Judge Fines Himself for Breaking No-Cellphone Rule

This story comes from an ABC New s Blog, I couldn't help but read the article based on the title. I must say this is rather comical and ironic for this poor judge. However, I do commend him for paying the fine on his own rule!. Rules are rules, I admire people who follow their own, even in the face of embarrassment. See the original story below…

Fair is fair, even if you're the one enforcing the rules, according to a Michigan judge who fined himself $25 after his smartphone interrupted a prosecutor's closing argument.

Judge Raymond Voet has posted his policy in Ionia County District Court, letting all who enter his courtroom know that if their phones go off during proceedings, they'll be confiscated and returned only after a $25 fine has been paid.

Voet told ABCNews.com today that he has taken phones from prosecutors, defendants and police officers, but he never expected he'd ever have to enforce the policy on himself.

"I detest the distraction in the courtroom, and here it happened to me," he said.

The judge said he had his new Windows smartphone in his pocket during court on Friday but forgot to lock the touch screen, setting off the voice command function.

"The phone is saying, 'Say a command,'" Voet said.

"The prosecutor was in the middle of his closing arguments. … He lost his train of thought and looked at me. I felt my face starting to burn red," the judge said.

Voet said he turned off his phone, allowed the prosecutor to finish, and at the next recess, went and paid a $25 fine.

"I like my phones just like anyone else," he said. "But it's very distracting when a phone goes off."

Newcomb, Alyssa. "Judge Fines Himself for Breaking No-Cellphone Rule." Yahoo! ABC News Blogs, 15 Apr. 2013. Web. 16 Apr. 2013. <http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/judge-fines-himself-breaking-no-cellphone-rule-150401505--abc-news-topstories.html>.

10 Things NOT to Say to Your Children During a Divorce

Stephanie Fling — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 20:00:00 GMT

10 Things NOT to Say to Your Children During a Divorce

October 28, 2009 by Wolfgang Gruener

One of the most critical things to remember are phrases you should say to them and things you can think of but definitely can't say. Here are ten things you should never say to your children during a divorce.

1. Nothing will change. Everything will be the same.

Be realistic. A divorce is a separation and that will bring two different households to your children, if both you and your (ex-) spouse decide to remain in the children's lives. Often, your kids will realize what a separation means much sooner than you think. Instead of trying to calm the situation by claiming everything will be the same, you can carefully introduce certain changes, but always make sure that they know that you are in control of the situation and they do not have to worry.

2. Your dad is a … / Your mom is a …

As much as you would want to, you need to bite your tongue on this one. Do not speak negatively about the other parent and refrain from name calling! Even if there have been hurtful things, such as adultery, a divorce is not the time to be verbally mean to your ex-partner. Remember, in the end, it will not hit your ex-spouse, but it will hurt the children and it may hurt you. Children watch closely and as they grow older, they become much more aware of what is going on. And if your partner really cheated, they will find out one day anyway. Many psychologists, by the way, suggests that an appropriate age of revealing difficult reasons for divorces is about 16.

3. It's all your mom's/dad's fault.

It is easy to shift the fault for the divorce on someone during the divorce. And it may take time for you to realize what really caused your divorce. But that is not a discussion that should be held with your children and such alienation will deepen the wounds that are being caused by the separation. No matter how you feel who has caused the divorce, make sure that you always let your children know that both mom and dad love them very much.

4. Because of what you did, we have to divorce

We come across this one quite often and it is the worst you can say to your children. The simple fact is: Your children are not responsible for the divorce. Never blame them for the problems between you and your (ex-) spouse. The reasons for a divorce are beyond a child's reach and usually relate to individual actions, bad choices and different parenting approaches.

5. I am busy.

Spending quality time with your children is essential. You should want your child to feel wanted, not abandoned. When you can spend time with your children, especially it is scheduled parenting time, be available and do not make your child feel like she/he is a burden.

6. Your dad does not pay child support.

There are certain topics that are inappropriate to be shared with your children. Examples are especially child support or relationships with significant others. There may not be a single case your children will bring up these topics and if they do, stay positive and let them know that there are or will be two different homes and you and your ex-spouse are working together as a team.

7. Do not yell!

Simple. If you are talking with your ex-spouse, on the phone or in the same room, and your children are near, be cordial and polite. Aside from a possible alienation issue, a divorce can also teach your children a lesson for life and they will always remember how you treated each other. As nasty as a divorce may be, treating each other respectfully will show your children that not only are you two working things out, but you can also resolve a conflict without yelling.

8. What does your mom/dad say about me?

Do not put your children in the awkward position to be a middleman or a messenger between you and your spouse. If you are interested in what is going on at the other home, you can always ask you (ex-) spouse. Do not expect your child to relay messages. Even more important: Do not fish for information about your (ex-) spouse.

9. I do not want the divorce. Your mom does.

This is a borderline case, but I recommend staying away from this one as well. There are some counselors who say that you can tell your child that you have done everything to save the marriage. Which, of course, implies that your partner has not. There are countless ways to give the same message to your children – without the blaming. Simply explain that you both have tried to work out your differences, but sometimes that does not happen. To be a good mom and dad, parents sometimes have to separate to overcome their differences.

10. I don't care about your dad's rules.

This is a tricky one. When there are two homes, it is impossible that mom and dad will have the exact same rules for every eventuality. However, the two of you need to set a baseline of rules relating to topics such as bedtime, homework, etc. Kids have a tendency to play parents against each other to achieve certain goals, such as playing with a certain toy or manipulate ground rules such as bedtimes. You will often hear "But mom/dad said that …." Make sure that you have basic rules in place that are the same in both homes and make sure that your children know that you will enforce those rules. If you (ex-) spouse creates new rules without telling you, then you need to discuss those with your (ex-) spouse, but don't wipe them off the table, just because you do not agree in the first place.

Kevin Hart and the Happy Ending Divorce

Jones Law Firm — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 18:25:00 GMT

Kevin Hart and the Happy Ending Divorce

In the hit comedy "THINK LIKE A MAN," actor / comedian, Kevin Hart played a man going through a divorce. In real life, the plot was the same – up to a point. In the movie (Spoiler alert) his character wound up reconciling with his on-screen wife, played by daytime talk show host Wendy Williams. In real life, his story had a different kind of happy ending – he got to keep his money.

While many celebrity ex-husbands complain about the thousands they pay in monthly spousal support, Kevin Hart is expected to pay a whopping zero dollars and zero cents. The famed comedian, said to be worth approximately 9 million dollars, settled with his ex-wife for a lump sum of $175,000. Torrei Hart also gets to keep the Escalade and jewelry. She will likewise collect a monthly sum of $19,785 in child support for their 8-year-old daughter and their 5-year-old son.

Does Kevin have a pre-nuptial agreement to thank for the millions that are still in his bank account? It has been speculated, but not confirmed. If you are interested in getting a pre- or postnuptial agreement, contact a good family law attorney. For details on what led to the divorce or how he has grown since, watch any Kevin Hart stand-up comedy show. You will laugh through his pain.

Destination Divorce

Hannah Jannicelli — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:45:00 GMT

New Trend: Destination Divorces

Destination Divorce, LLC is a new company in Fort Wayne, Indiana that is capitalizing on a new trend that originated in Europe. The concept is that the parties pick a relaxing destination, and spend a long weekend negotiating their divorce case with the aid of a mediator until they hopefully reach a full resolution.

As explained on the company's website, the parties stay in separate hotel rooms, and the process generally begins on Friday and ends on Sunday. On Friday the parties begin mediating their divorce, and then the process continues until a full agreement is reached or the three day weekend is over. Once an agreement is reached, then an attorney drafts up the agreement prior to the parties leaving their destination. Then, once the Destination Divorce staff returns to their office, they file all the necessary paperwork with the Court to complete the parties' divorce.

Destination divorce seems to have offer several perks in comparison to a traditional contested divorce.

Each party has control. Each get to pick the weekend, pick the mediator, and once at your destination they have the mediator's undivided attention while the two parties hash every contested issue out.
It's quick. While a contested divorce can drag out for months to years. A destination divorce provides a good incentive to come to a resolution while you have Destination Divorce's undivided attention.
It's cheaper. While you might think flying to an exotic location to settle your divorce is not the best way to use your money. However, I think you're wrong. Litigating a divorce is very expensive. And as the process drags out, parties tend to stress about the billable hours adding up month after month. If they are able to come to a resolution at their destination, I am almost positive you will be saving thousands of dollars in the long run.
Life won't get in the way. Living through a contested divorce can be exhausting. And when parties try to make decisions about their case, parties often are also juggling the stress of becoming a single parent, or missing work to meet with their lawyer or go to work. While at your destination divorce, you can clear your head of those worries, and focus solely on your divorce, without the rest of your life getting in the way.