Family law related news included a look at the rise of “bird nesting” in England and “silver splitting” in the United States, and a call to action to the Family and Matrimonial Courts to fully understand the devastating effect of domestic violence on children. The news also included a deep dive into divorce statistics of 2023 and an exploration of the myriad of ways to “untangle” in Australia.
Gareth Rubin, The Guardian, Saturday, July 15, 2023
Divorcing couples with children are increasingly turning to an unconventional living arrangement known as “birdnesting” or “nesting” in order to save money and to reduce stress on the children. Under the agreement, both parents take turns living in the family home, often on a week-by-week basis, with the rest of the time spent in a rented flat nearby. The name comes from the similarity to birds taking turns to leave the chicks while they search for food.
Katie Cunningham, The Guardian, August 4, 2023
As the cost-of-living crisis bites, family lawyers and financial planners in Australia are seeing more couples attempting to divorce on the cheap (“cheap” being a relative term there, as even a fairly standard divorce can cost between $10k and $20k). Kitchen table resolutions, mediation, collaborative divorce, pre-nup and post-nup agreements are discussed as a way of saving on high litigation bills.
Catherine E. Shoichet and Parker Leipzig, CNN, Saturday August 5, 2023
One factor fueling the rising number of seniors in solo households is a rise in divorce rates among adults over 50. Rather than “gray divorce,” Susan Myres, a divorce attorney in Houston, says she prefers the term “silver splitters,” because it also alludes to the silver lining of starting fresh, no matter how old you are.
Christy Bieber, J.D.,Contributor & Reviewed by Adam Ramirez, J.D.Editor, Forbes Advisor, Updated: Aug 8, 2023
This article fully explores a panoply of divorce statistics, including but not limited to: rate of divorce analyzed state by state and by country; biggest reasons for divorce; what happens to couples post divorce and the average age of people when they divorce.
Patricia Fersch, Forbes, August 16, 2023
New York State Justice Judith Gische suggested in 2000 that domestic violence must be defined by the legislature so that courts can make an appropriate parenting determination. The author stresses that the Courts must find a method to study the outcomes of its cases and the impact on children each year after its initial determinations as to custody and visitation (parenting time), especially those involving allegations of domestic violence.