Four Reasons Why Las Vegas is the Divorce Capital of the World
Las Vegas has certainly earned its reputation as the divorce capital of the world. Some of the reasons are more obvious than others:
- Short residency requirements. While some states have residency requirements of up to six months, only six-week residence is required in Nevada and there is no waiting period. In general, divorces may be obtained much faster in Nevada than most states. This is the primary reason how Nevada earned its reputation. Moreover, whether contested or uncontested, one may generally obtain a divorce faster in Nevada than other states.
- The ease of getting married. It’s not necessarily too easy to get divorced in Las Vegas, it’s too easy to get married. You obtain a marriage license and then get married virtually next door within an hour. The easier and faster it is to get married without giving it much thought certainly creates more divorces.
- Lifestyle and Vices. While gambling, alcohol, drugs and strip clubs are available in many cities, few are each as readily accessible as in Las Vegas. Las Vegas is a 24-hour town with many people working many different types of shifts with establishments to satisfy vices always available.
- No Fault Divorce. Unlike some states, Nevada has no fault divorce. In other words, if one party wants a divorce, they are entitled to a divorce and do not have to show fault or establish any other basis for wanting the divorce.
Five Indications That Your Spouse May Be Preparing For Divorce
Although it happens in rare cases, a divorce rarely comes without warning. It’s important to look for the warning signs so that you are not prepared in the event your spouse is considering a divorce. Here are five things to be aware:
- If you have been out of the workforce and your spouse suddenly suggests that you need to get a job. This is a sure sign that your spouse has consulted with a lawyer and learned about Nevada alimony law. Your spouse was likely advised to hold off filing the divorce as long as possible until you become employed in order to mitigate his or her alimony exposure.
- Your spouse suddenly becomes parent of the year. If your spouse had little time or interest in parenting before and is now interested in meeting the children’s teachers, going to school activities and doctors’ appointments, this is a good sign that your spouse has consulted with a lawyer and is attempting to make a case for joint custody of the children. In many cases, the motivation for joint custody is to decrease a child support obligation.
- Joint credit cards are cancelled. If your spouse starts closing joint credit card accounts, it could be a sign that your spouse is trying to limit your spending and decrease your potential need for alimony.
- Significant cash withdrawals. If you start noticing unusual activity at the ATM, this could be a sign that your spouse is attempting to “siphon” off money to obtain a divorce lawyer, or is attempting to put aside cash that he or she may not account for during the divorce. Retirement liquidation. If your spouse liquidates a retirement account without consulting or notifying you, this is a clear red flag. Not only does a withdrawal from a retirement account create tax liability, but it may be the only asset you will obtain upon a divorce and you must preserve this asset.
- Personality changes. If your spouse is suddenly going to the gym (without you), is losing weight, purchasing new stylish clothes, or staying out late at night, this could be the sign that your spouse is having an affair and may be preparing for a divorce. You know your spouse better than anyway and if you have a gut feeling that something is going on, the chances are, something is going on.
If you feel that your spouse is considering divorce and may be filing for divorce, the best thing you can do is to have a consultation with a family law attorney who can explain your rights and help take preventive actions to protect yourself in the event of a divorce.
Mandatory Mediation in Clark County, Nevada
Mediation is a process by which a professionally trained person helps to guide parents to reach an agreement regarding the physical custody of their children. Mediation seeks an agreement that focuses on each parent’s rights and responsibilities regarding the children, and more important, on the children’s needs. It is important to approach mediation with an open mind and focus on the best future needs of your children.
Under the Clark County Family Court Rules, mediation is mandatory in virtually every case. The mediation process is private and all communications are confidential and may not be disclosed to the court, absent issues of domestic violence or child abuse. The mediator cannot be called as a witness and the mediator does not have any authority to make any decisions.
Mediation should be utilized to make an arrangement that you believe is in your children’s best interest. An agreement, versus a contested custody battle, will save you time, money and most important, will serve the best interests of your client.
Four Ways How To Spend Less Money On Your Las Vegas Divorce
To hire a Las Vegas divorce lawyer is a major financial commitment. A Las Vegas family law can cost you anywhere from $250.00 an hour to $750.00 an hour. Although more money does not necessarily mean you will have the best divorce lawyer, to a large extent, you get what you pay for. While not every divorce action necessitates extensive discovery, expert witnesses and depositions, minimal investigation is required in virtually every action.
Some costs, like filing fees, are fixed no matter which lawyer you use. Additionally, some fees may be out of your attorney’s control. Each judge has his or her own set of rules which may also increase the cost of your litigation.
One of the biggest complaints levied at attorneys is that we do not return telephone calls. While it is our practice to return telephone calls the same day, or at latest, within 24 hours of receiving any message, it must be understood that if we were to take every call from every client every day, we would never have time to do the work you hired us for. In order to minimize your frustration, let me offer some suggestions:
- Consolidate your calls. Rather than call your attorney every time you have a question, write down your questions and unless it is an emergency, consolidate your questions into one call, rather than three or four. Most lawyers will charge you a minimum fee for any telephone conversation so you can save money by calling few times. Most attorneys do not mind taking your telephone calls whenever you have a question, but you may not like it much when you get your bill at the end of the month.
- Whenever possible, speak with staff. They can generally answer most nonlegal questions and you are billed less for their time than you are for a lawyer.
- Use email. Rather than call your attorney and not having completely thought out your question, write your question out and email it. Many lawyers charge less for an emails than telephone conversations. More important, if your lawyer doesn’t know the answer off the top of his head and have to charge you for a second call, he or she can research and email you with an appropriate answer. More important, you don’t have to try to remember what your lawyer told you or misunderstand what you were told, you have a written record.
- Organize your documents, thoughts and promptly provide your attorney with any information or answers he or she requests. Every time an attorney has to follow up or request information a second time, it costs you money.