Author: Leigh Daniel, Attorney at Law

I cannot tell you the number of times I have been asked this question in some iteration; “He moved out of the house, that means I can get him for abandonment, right?” or “I can’t move out because that would be abandonment.” Somehow, some way, this idea has entered the…

At Leigh Daniel Family Law in Huntsville, Alabama, if it’s a simple short-term marriage with no kids and no assets, the cost starts at $1,500.00 plus court costs. Court costs vary depending on the court. This is what I consider a cheap divorce. When I was divorced in 1991, it…

If you’ve heard this term lately it’s because getting divorced after many years of marriage is no longer the exception. More and more often people who have long-term marriages are coming in and saying, “I’m done”. Marriages for more than 20 years and even more than 30 years aren’t uncommon….

Popular conversation starters with me tend to lean towards, “Why do people get divorced?” I’ve been asked this question dozens of times over the course of my career. The reasons are varied. And in Alabama, you don’t have to espouse a reason. We are a no-fault state, meaning in simple…

I meet with clients who want to “win” custody. If you have read any of my other blogs on custody, you will already know that custody isn’t as clear-cut as it used to be. I mediated a couple of cases recently and custody was at issue in both cases. But…

If you haven’t read the other blogs on custody, read those first. We are going to talk about educational decision-making. This is one of those categories in the legal custody arena that is highly sought after. Most people want this category so they can choose the school district their child…

In order to answer this question in full, you are going to have to read the entire series on alimony. I’ve realized how many ways the alimony question can go and to spare you from reading a book rather than a blog, I’ve decided to write a number of articles…

Supporting Yourself After Divorce I have been juggling numbers and expenses for so many years, I can produce a budget for a client much faster than they can. I know the approximate cost of utilities, insurance, rentals, misc, groceries, etc., etc. With each case that involves alimony, I go through…

I used to practice with an attorney who has since retired, and he called it the “Alimony Trifecta”. A high- income producer, a long-term marriage, and a fault. If you have been reading along with me and my series of articles on alimony, you will be picking up on some…

When people contemplate divorce they often want their family to involved in the initial consultation. Many times, the family members are assisting in the financial aspect and they want to know the logistics of the case. Great. I have always encouraged clients to have their family ask questions if they didn’t understand…