Anchorage Family Law Blog

Managing a co-parenting dynamic after divorce

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Wednesday, September 19, 2018.

Parenting after a divorce can be a challenging task for former spouses to handle in a successful and productive manner. Despite any personal issue between the two of you, the most important part of your shared lives is your children. Even for divorced couples without major tensions, co-parenting can present a set of unique challenges.

Balancing schedules, maintaining communication and remaining cooperative are all important elements of co-parenting after a divorce. Consider some of the resources and advise for former spouses as you navigate the new parenting dynamics and determine what works best for the entire family.

My spouse is hiding from me: Can I still get a divorce?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Thursday, August 23, 2018.

A hidden spouse is a rare situation but sometimes -- if two Alaska spouses haven't been in contact for some time -- one spouse might have trouble locating the other. Whether this inability to find the other spouse happened because the other spouse is "hiding" or simply due to the accidental loss of contact, this brings up an interesting question: Can you still get a divorce in Alaska if you can't find your spouse?

Fortunately, you can still receive a divorce, even when you can't seem to locate your husband or wife. Here's how:

3 types of divorce mediation

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Tuesday, July 24, 2018.

When two spouses decide to mediate their divorce, they've usually made the right decision. When mediation works for two spouses who are willing to communicate, cooperate and compromise, the process will save them time, money and stress.

There are, however, an array of mediation solutions that the couple will have to choose from. Here are three of the most common types of divorce mediation that might apply to a couple depending on their circumstances and needs.

Issues you should understand when considering Alaskan adoption

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Friday, June 22, 2018.

There are dozens of reasons why a family or even a single person may decide to adopt a child. Sometimes, the child involved has a biological relationship to the person considering adoption. It's common to adopt nieces, nephews and even grandchildren if your siblings or children cannot handle the pressures of parenting. Other times, someone who can't have children for one reason or another decides that adoption is a great choice for building a family.

Regardless of why you're seeking to adopt a child, you should expect a relatively complex legal process. The state carefully vets people considering adoption, and there is a lot of paperwork that you will need to execute to complete the process.

Divorce mediation: What to expect from the process

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Tuesday, June 12, 2018.

Many divorcing couples assume that they will head to court in order to put their marriages in the past. While litigation is necessary at times, you shouldn't assume this is the only way to finalize your divorce.

Mediation is a good method to consider, as this puts you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse in full control over the process.

Why do some couples break up in their 50s?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. on Wednesday, May 23, 2018.

In the not-too-distant the past -- when people viewed marriage and long-term romantic commitments differently -- elderly spouses tended to stick together until the end. These days, divorce is becoming more common for spouses who are over the age of 50, perhaps due to a mix of changing perceptions about marriage and love, and the fact we live much longer and enjoy better health in old age than we did several decades ago.

Still, when two long-term spouses, who have survived so much life experience together, decide to call it quits, it certainly makes you wonder why. In fact, it's not easy to pinpoint the reasons for any marital break up, but here are three common reasons that 50-plus spouses cite for their divorces:

Will child custody get in the way of your summer vacation?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. posted in Injuries on Thursday, April 26, 2018.

Are you looking forward to taking a vacation with your child this summer? Do you have all the details in order? Are you beginning to wonder if your child custody arrangement and parenting agreement will stand in your way?

It goes without saying that you need to review your parenting agreement before you make any travel arrangements. This will go a long way in ensuring that you know what you can and can't do.

Do you have the ability to visit with your children virtually?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. posted in family law on Tuesday, March 27, 2018.

Noncustodial parents will usually have the right to visit with their children multiple days per month. In the digital age, though, these visitation rights do not only cover the right to visit with children in person. They also cover the right to visit with children virtually.

Virtual visitation includes visiting children via Skype, telephone calls, WhatsApp, email, FaceTime, text message and other forms of digital communication.

Do I have the right to visit my children "virtually?"

Could a mental illness diagnosis affect your custody case?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. posted in Injuries on Wednesday, March 14, 2018.

If you are an Alaska parent living with a mental illness, you may have the very real fear that your diagnosis could lead to your losing custody of your children to their other parent, a family member or even the state.

In the past, it was fairly common for some courts to routinely remove children from the care of a mentally ill parent, or to severely restrict that parent's rights to visitation with their children. Because of this, many parents resisted medical treatment to diagnose and treat their conditions, which only made their mental health status even more precarious.

Are you experiencing parenting-time interference?

On behalf of Dorothea G. Aguero, Attorney at Law, P.C. posted in Injuries on Monday, February 26, 2018.

It can be difficult to get used to sharing custody of your child with their other parent. This applies even for parents who work hard to be fair with each other and the child they both love. Sadly, many parents deal with ongoing frustrations over custody, and may even face parenting time interference from the other party.

Parenting time interference takes many forms, but they all boil down to the same basic principle. If one parent acts in a way that obstructs the other parent's physical time, ability to communicate or to build and maintain a relationship with the child, these actions could qualify as parenting-time interference.