So I messed Up — What do you do when you are the bad actor in a divorce?

From a recent discussion on the family law forum: Question to Hanover Law:

My husband was cheating on me for fifteen years before I found out. Then I left the home after he became abusive to me in front of our children. I was gone for a while, so when I returned he had divorce papers served on me. Only for the divorce and no money was involved; the papers said that they were for divorce only and no settlement was involved.

Legal Custody-A Quick Example

From a recent question/answer session on family law:

Question:

How does Legal Custody work? My sister is divorced, and she and her ex-husband have joint legal custody of their 7 year-old son. He has attended a blue-ribbon private school for the past two years, and he is thriving. He absolutely loves his school, which he attends with his cousin, who is his very best friend. His father wants to switch him over to public school, and has provided only a few (and in the mother's and my opinion, ridiculous) reasons to do so.

Home Equity Credit Lines And Divorce

At a recent discussion on family law matters, I answered the following question: Question:

HELOC Obtained without Joint Deed Holder Signature or Approval

My spouse obtained a $50K home equity loan behind my back, without me knowing about it, on our home in Virginia. We have since divorced, and now the bank is coming to me. Nothing was ever disclosed. I had no idea. What can I do?

Answer:

The abused spouse and the I-360 – VAWA

An interesting crossroads between Family Law and Immigration Law is the I-360 -- Petition for Special Immigrant Visa. While this form can be used for a couple of purposes, by and away the largest utilization is for VAWA purposes -- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Fortunately, this Act applies to both men and women, so do not be confused by the gender in the title. The I-360, in the Family Law context allows an abused immigrant to self-apply for a green card (LPR status) if the marriage that brought him/her to the US was broken due to violence, abuse, or fraud by the his/her partner.