Adultery

March 17, 2010

Florida Couples Try to Sway Divorce Proceedings with Evidence from Facebook

What eHarmony is to dating and marriage, Facebook is becoming for divorce. According to a recent article on Florida divorces, Facebook provides Florida spouses with fertile ground for rekindling old flames and posting all sorts of self-incriminating evidence for the rest of the world to see. It also provides a public soapbox for couples to air their dirty laundry.

Once one partner posts something nasty, the other can’t help but respond and then a tiff turns into all out war. Experts predict that the public meltdown of marriage and relationships will only increase as the YouTube generation starts to marry – and divorce.

A survey by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers showed that more than 80% of divorce attorneys have dealt with a divorce that involved Facebook. MySpace and Twitter were also mentioned. The social media phenomenon is actually helping divorce attorneys gather evidence for their clients. Now instead of hiring private investigators, they can simply log on and capture screen images of the other spouse’s social media accounts.

March 5, 2010

Florida Divorce Attorneys Find that Facebook Revolutionizes Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Social networking has become a popular form of interaction and expression for people of all ages. It is no wonder that Facebook has started to get mixed up with divorces.

For example, a Tampa, Florida woman videotaped many of her fights with her soon to be ex-husband and then posted the screaming matches on Facebook. Another Florida man used his Facebook page to document his frustrations with parenting, only to have his journal entries used against him in court by his soon to be ex-wife.

Of course, there are also plenty of stories about old flames rekindling on Facebook as well as inappropriate flirting and texting with new found friends that can lead to divorce. There is an upside to Facebook and divorce, though. Parents report that they can use Facebook updates to keep in touch with their kids better when they are with the other parent.

February 10, 2010

Despite Media Attention on Divorce, US Divorce Rate Actually Dropping

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

If you pay attention to the media these days, you will no doubt be bombarded by messages that marriages in the US are not working out. News of celebrity divorces, reality shows designed to catch people cheating and websites promoting dating outside of marriage seem to be everywhere. The conventional wisdom is that half of all marriages end in divorce. That’s actually not true; sixty-five percent of first marriages make it ten years or more, and in recent years that number has jumped to eighty percent. The fact is that the divorce rate has actually been dropping for the last thirty years.

During the divorce boom of the 1970s, many longed for the “simpler times” of the 1950s. Currently the number of children of divorce has now dropped to near 1950 numbers, and the divorce rate is the lowest it has been since 1970. Experts point to the fact that the unexpected increase in women working outside the home combined with a proliferation of no-fault divorce laws helped bump the divorce rate to all time highs in the 1970s, but the population has adjusted to those societal changes. Also, couples are now waiting longer to get married, meaning they are more mature and realistic when making a lifetime commitment to another person. Read more about the dropping US divorce rate at U.S. divorce rates returning to idyllic 1950s levels.

If you are considering divorce, please contact our Jacksonville, Florida area law firm for family law counsel.

February 8, 2010

Snow Days Linked to Increased Infidelity – Couples in Sunny Florida Can Breathe Easier

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

AshleyMadison.com is an unusual dating site; they cater to married people looking to date outside of their relationships. The site usually draws around eight to ten thousand visitors a day, but a recent nationwide cold snap pushed the number of visitors up to twenty five thousand. That’s not terrible news for couples living in Florida – also known as the “sunshine state.”

According to company founder Noel Biderman, he was not surprised by the spike in visitors during the recent cold snap, saying that when people are trapped indoors they tend to explore the internet more. He reports that January is typically a strong month for sign-ups (perhaps coincidentally, January is also a strong month for divorce filings). The day after Valentine’s Day is also quite popular.

Biderman has come under intense criticism for condoning and even encouraging people to be unfaithful to their spouses. But Biderman defends his business, saying that his members are at least being honest about their marital status, unlike on other dating sites. He also believes that if infidelity were condoned, there would be fewer divorces. The “happily married” father of two says that he is not anti-marriage; he just believes that sexual monogamy destroys loving relationships.

February 3, 2010

Affair of Oracle President, Charles Phillips, Revealed by Strange Birthday Present from Mistress

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Oracle President Charles Phillips was involved with a woman named YaVaughnie Wilkins for eight and a half years during his marriage to his wife, Karen Phillips. Ms. Wilkins reports that she believed Phillips was separated and then divorced from his wife during their relationship, until she received an anonymous email tip telling her that Phillips was still married. She then decided to hire a private investigator, who confirmed that Phillips was indeed married. She then ended the relationship.

But in an unusual move, she presented Phillips with a 50th birthday present; enormous billboards of the couple plastered in Times Square, San Francisco and Atlanta. The billboards featured a large picture of the couple with their arms around each other, and direct viewers to a website documenting the couple’s eight year relationship in pictures. Ms. Wilkins claims that the billboards were a sincere gift, and not an act of revenge.

Phillips and his wife remain married and have a son together. See the billboards and read more details of the story at Outed by billboards, Oracle prez admits affair.

January 8, 2010

Tiger Woods’ Marital Problems Bring Up Issues of Florida Rules Governing Premarital Agreements and Child Custody

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

In the wake of nearly a dozen women claiming to have engaged in extra-marital affairs with golfer Tiger Woods, his wife, Elin Nordegren Woods has reportedly moved out of the couple’s mansion and moved back to Sweden, her home country. The couple does have a prenuptial agreement, but the contents of the agreements are not open to the public. The Woods’ prenuptial agreement is a premarital contract, and theirs will be governed by the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act of section 61.079 of the Florida Statutes. Their prenuptial agreement likely spells out how much alimony Ms. Woods is entitled to receive, if any, the distribution of property and other assets, and any other miscellaneous arrangements that were contemplated by the parties at the time they made the agreement . The right of a child to support may not be adversely affected by a premarital agreement. Premarital agreements, like other contracts, usually hold up in court as long as they are legally executed and do not contain unconscionable clauses. To create a premarital agreement that is legally sufficient to protect your interests you should seek the assistance and expertise of a licensed Florida Family Law attorney.

As for the children, Sam and Charlie, Florida has no presumption of marital custody, meaning that the father and the mother have an equal chance of gaining time-sharing depending on what is in the child’s best interest. Florida rules governing child custody changed substantially in 2008. The terms custody, custodial parent, non-custodial parent, visitation, primary residential parent, and secondary resident parent were eliminated from the statute. The disposition of children after a marriage is now determined by parenting plans and time-sharing schedules. These arrangements are governed by Florida Statutes chapter 61.

In light of the alleged extramarital indiscretions by Tiger Woods it is likely that Ms. Woods may have strong arguments for her to be the parent with more timesharing with the children and be entitled to receive substantial child support. In order for her to be able to move the children to Sweden with her she will have to petition the court and show why it is in the childrens’ best interests. Tiger would be entitled to object to moving the children so far from the marital home. Find out more details about the prenuptial agreement at

January 6, 2010

Understanding Different Types of Florida Alimony

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Florida law recognizes several types of alimony. Which type or types of alimony are awarded depends on the individual characteristics of the marriage. Some factors a judge may consider are adultery, the length of the marriage, and the employment prospects of both partners. In Florida, the alimony payments must be decided on before the court awards child support.

Temporary alimony: This type of alimony is awarded to maintain a person’s lifestyle while the divorce case is pending. As an example, a husband who worked and paid the household bills while his wife stayed home to raise the kids could be required to continue paying the bills until the divorce agreement is finalized.

Bridge-the-gap alimony: This type of alimony is designed to help one of the parties get back on their feet and start supporting themselves after the divorce. It is generally awarded for a period of two years.

January 5, 2010

Great Britain Divorce Lawyers: Facebook Flirting Cited in Twenty Percent of Divorce Cases

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Around fourteen million Brits use Facebook and other social networking sites to keep up with old friends or make new ones. A group of British divorce lawyers are claiming that social networking sites like Facebook are tempting people to cheat on their spouses – and the website has been cited in 20% of recent divorce cases. According to the attorneys, people are being caught having inappropriate sexual chats with people who are not their spouse, and in the electronic age it is just too easy for their spouse to catch them at it. Flirty emails and messages have been reported, as well as evidence of actual affairs.

In one case a woman discovered that her husband was planning to divorce her when she read his public status update on Facebook. In another case, a woman divorced her husband after learning he was carrying on a virtual affair with a woman he met on Second Life, a virtual world where people are able to reinvent themselves.

Some software companies are cashing in on the trend by developing applications that let suspicious spouses spy on their partner’s online activities. Read more about how social networking can ruin a marriage at Facebook fuelling divorce, research claims.

December 31, 2009

New Year’s Resolution: File for Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

The holidays are supposed to be the happiest time of the year. But sometimes this joyous season can make people realize that they are not happy with their spouse. The holiday affect is presumed to be the culprit behind the fact that January is often the busiest month of the year for divorce attorneys. But what is it exactly that pushes marriages over the edge in December?

The coming New Year often brings a period of appraisal and reflection on one’s life. Those who have been struggling in a bad marriage may make a New Year’s resolution to give themselves a fresh start. There are also financial issues to be considered; there are tax advantages to finishing out the fiscal year with an unwanted spouse. It may also make it easier to sort out finances with all of the fresh information that becomes available at the start of tax season.

The stress of the holidays may also be to blame. Shopping, running up credit card bills and spending time with extended family can create additional stress on relationships. And of course there is always the office Christmas party, with alcohol increasing the chances for inappropriate behavior that may lead to infidelity.

December 24, 2009

South Carolina First Lady, Jenny Sanford, Files for Divorce

By Wood, Atter & Wolf, P.A.

Last June, South Carolina Governor Jim Sanford made national headlines when he took off for a secret rendezvous with his Argentinean mistress while telling staff he was hiking in the Appalachian Mountains. His wife of twenty years, Jenny Sanford, reports that she has actually been aware of the affair since last January, when she discovered a letter her husband had written to his mistress. Sanford then repeatedly asked his wife for permission to visit the other woman in Argentina.

After many attempts at reconciliation, Ms. Sanford finally filed for divorce. Her decision came just days after the state senate nearly recommended the removal of her husband from office for the clandestine trip, and just one day after Sanford told reporters he hoped they could reconcile. Ms. Sanford has said that she will work hard to keep the divorce civil for their entire family, which includes four school age sons.

When a partner cheats, it can be absolutely devastating to a marriage, especially when the indiscretion is so public. For the wronged partner, the decision is complicated by feelings of not wanting to look like a fool in front of the public. For Ms. Sanford’s part, she has said that her husband’s actions reflect poorly on him and that they have not damaged her self esteem. Sanford will be the first South Carolina governor to divorce while in office. Find out more about the Sanfords’ divorce and the events leading up to it at SC first lady wants divorce in wake of affair.