Tag: divorce

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Divorce Mediation

A Boon For Sanborn’s Unhappy Couples

Welcome back, Sanbornians! It has been a long time since our last issue, and boy are we happy to be back!

Speaking of happiness, did you know that Sanborn County ranks among the top in the country for divorce statistics? Yes, in yet another instance of our citizens coming out on a list of dubious distinctions, we rank among the best in terms of both divorce rate and brevity of marriage. Congratulations!

There have been quite a few spectacular divorce meltdowns in our town, with many of the citizens regularly attending divorce court proceedings as a form of entertainment. Some describe these cases as ‘having more fireworks than the annual 4th of July celebrations, except without the resultant forest fires.’ High praise, considering the shows have been considered some of the most reckless and destructive north of the border!

Many such citizens may be disappointed to learn that the younger generations are moving away from messy court proceedings and pursuing other methods of legal separation from their spouses. One of the most common and effective alternatives to have gained popularity in the last few years has been mediation.

Mediation involves an independent third party to work with the couple to divvy up the shared assets and develop a plan for custody arrangements that both can agree to. Unfortunately for Sanbornian couples, they have typically needed to travel quite a distance to make use of these services, though that is set to change soon.

McNamee Mediations, a Newport Beach divorce mediation firm that has acted as one of the most successful in the industry, is opening up a branch office right here in Sanborn, drawn no doubt to our impressive statistics. McNamee has already been helping quite a few of our citizens, and the reviews for the firm could not be more sterling:

As much as I wish I didn’t have to write a review for these services… Colleen has been nothing short of a miracle worker.  I have been going through a painful and messy divorce but I am so thankful for Colleen’s understanding, kind nature and expertise to make a difficult situation at least tolerable.  She is completely fair and I appreciate that she will call me out when I’m being unreasonable and can get me to look at things from another perspective while also feeling like she’s on my side.  I had doubts that we could come to any agreement without having to go through lawyers and an ugly court battle but she was able to do just that.  I highly recommend her services – don’t go anywhere else!

– Christina C., Yelp Review
Read Sharie M.‘s review of McNamee Mediations on Yelp

I called Coleen McNamee because I needed info on mediating my separation/divorce. Sadly during our initial conversation we realized she was unable to help me because of the county my court is in. She doesn’t service that area. She was kind, considerate, understanding and an all around good human! I do wish I could have worked w her because of how knowledgeable and pleasant she was. She answered all my questions even after she knew she wouldn’t be able to get my business!

Even though I couldn’t work w her…I wanted to give a great review because I feel she’d be a great asset if you’re going through a miserable time & need support!

– Cathy R., Yelp Review

If you are a Sanbornian couple looking to add to our statistic – or a couple anywhere that is looking for an effective and less destructive method of ending your marriage, consider calling McNamee. An equitable ending to your relationship is far better for your health and future prospects than an entertaining, yet highly contentious, divorce proceedings.

McNamee Mediations

+19492233836

4590 MacArthur Blvd Suite 500, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Categories
Divorce Mediation

Local Entrepreneur And Socialite Divorce Amidst Corporate Bankruptcy

Jennifer Hall was thinking about Tyler Hall again. Tyler was a violent brute, unbeknownst to those who worshipped him as a successful entrepreneur.

Jennifer walked over to her window and reflected on her picturesque surroundings. She had always loved Sanborn County. It was a place that inspired her, yet it brought out her depression because she had moved so far away from her friends and family. Marrying Tyler a decade ago seemed like such a good idea, but little did she know that their marriage would leave her feeling alone and isolated.

Then, she saw something in the distance, or rather someone. It was the tall, looming figure of Tyler. He had just pulled into the driveway and began to walk inside.

Jennifer gulped. She could always tell by his stride if he was in a bad mood coming home from work. He was a controlling, mean alcoholic. His friends saw him as a narcissistic control freak. Once, he even made his lead engineer have a mental breakdown at the office because he had worked the team to the bone to meet an insane product launch deadline.

The rain came pouring down. Jennifer was stressed. As he stepped inside and slammed the front door behind him, Jennifer felt her back freeze.

“Look Jennifer,” growled Tyler, with an arrogant glare. “It’s not that I don’t love you, but I want you to leave town for the weekend. I’m sick and tired of never being alone.”

Jennifer looked at him, shocked. “You want me to leave because you can’t stand me? Fine! You know what? Let me leave you for good! I want a divorce.”

Tyler was startled. His mind started to race. His company had not been performing well. He and Jennifer hadn’t signed a prenuptial agreement. They had been to marriage counseling for his alcoholism and violent behavior, but nothing had improved.

He took a deep breath. “Jennifer, I-.” Before he could say another word, she screamed back at him: “Tyler, I want a divorce! I hate you! I want a divorce NOW. We are ending this marriage and I am taking half of your money!”

“I’m afraid I declared my company bankrupt today,” explained Tyler.

“No!” objected Jennifer. “You liar! Do you think I’m stupid?!”

“I do not!” retorted Tyler. “If you want a divorce—fine. But there’s no point in hiring a lawyer and taking me to court, Jennifer. My company is dying and you aren’t going to walk away with anything from the business. That’s why I thought we needed to take a break. I needed time and space to process…how…stressful it’s been. Everything has gotten worse in the last year.”

Woman in White Dress Shirt Sitting Beside Woman in White Long Sleeve Shirt

What will happen next to Tyler and Jennifer Hall? We will be following this story closely and reporting back. For now, here is a bit of divorce advice.

For those who are in a financially strained, high-conflict marriage, we recommend avoiding litigation altogether. Couples who already have severe unresolved issues during the marriage will only find themselves more at odds with one another in court. Furthermore, traditional divorce can cost tends of thousands of dollars in legal fees per person.

Instead, consider mediation, a process facilitated by a neutral third party who will objectively act in the best interests of both parties to reach mutual terms of separation.

Read cindy c.‘s review of McNamee Mediations on Yelp

We highly recommend McNamee Mediations, one of the best mediators in the country. You can give them a call today!

McNamee Mediations
4590 MacArthur Blvd Suite 500, Newport Beach, CA 92660

Categories
Divorce Mediation

Sanborn Op-Ed: Divorce Shmimorse

Welcome once again to our humble county rag!

Today we’ll be featuring an op-ed by a local county man who has been wanting to express the recent successes he’s had with one of our newest local business partners, McNamee Mediations, who has been practicing family law in Irvine and the greater Orange County area for quite a few years. Given the recent spat of divorces and separations due to the rather strange effects of the 5G towers, this man wanted to provide readers with an alternative to the usual path of horrific divorce proceedings.

“Hello. My name is Andrew. I have been a Sanborn resident my entire life. I was raised here by my dear mother, I found a loving wife here, my relationship fell apart here, and now I’ve successfully separated from her here.

It is my opinion that my ex-wife is a terrible person who tricked me for many years in order to get access to the great family wealth my dear mother has always bragged about. Well, unfortunately for her and our relationship, it appears that my dear mother was a huge liar who never had a penny to her name.

My Dear Mother

When my wife discovered this, and discovered that my dear mother was dead and gone for many years without her knowing, she decided that she was going to leave. I did not allow this for a long time, despite her trying to leave on many occasions. Finally, I decided that enough was enough, and I allowed for the proceedings of separation could go through.

Like many of your readers, we have accepted that divorce lawyers are not to used because they will gauge out your eyes and steal your soul. Instead, I decided to use a mediator, so that we could go our separate ways without either of our lives being totally degraded. My ex wife eventually accepted despite initial reservations.

We heard about the recent move of McNamee mediations, who had been practicing family mediation for their Orange County law practice for many years and have helped many people like me and my wife for many years. We called them up and set up an initial meeting right away.

My ex-wife’s room

They were very nice and very friendly. After some coaching, my wife and I were prepared for the usual slippery trickster talk that comes with talking with lawyers, but we received none of it. I was very happy about that, and my wife probably was, too, because she couldn’t stop crying.

It only took a month for the mediation to go through. We really had no belongings to distribute, but McNamee was very helpful in making sure what we had was given out equally. My wife did not ask for much. Once the separation was finalized, she was gone within minutes, taking only a small suitcase.

I am thankful for McNamee, because I have already moved on and have found a new very pretty lady. I am very hopeful for our future together.”

Thank you, Andrew! We’re happy you and your wife were able to find some solace in your separation, and I wish you luck in your new relationship! If you are interested in finding an alternative to a messy divorce, give our new neighbors at McNamee a call; you won’t regret it!

McNamee Mediations

(949) 223-3836

4590 MacArthur Blvd Ste 500 Irvine, CA 92612

Categories
Divorce

Choose Happiness Over Heartbreak

The memoir “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert begins as the author realizes that she is unhappy in her seemingly perfect life. She finds that choosing happiness would mean making an extremely difficult decision, which is to leave her husband and the life they have created together. She begins to experience heartbreak and the disillusion of a marriage and a life she no longer wants to lead

“The only thing more unthinkable than leaving was staying; the only thing more impossible than staying was leaving. I didn’t want to destroy anything or anybody. I just wanted to slip quietly out the back door, without causing any fuss or consequences, and then not stop running until I reached Greenland.” 

Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

As it becomes clear that the author and her husband want to separately lead very different lives, the story reveals the painful process of walking away from a relationship, despite it being in search of a more fulfilling life. Gilbert chronicles her lengthy difficult divorce and how it causes immense grief, loneliness, and depression. Her ex-husband is angry at what feels like betrayal to him, and expresses his angst through the entire process.

As we learn throughout the book, change is inevitable, and we are not in control of everything that happens in life. Even when we achieve happiness and success at some point in our lives, we may later find that we have changed and that what we’ve always known is no longer what is best for us. Nothing is certain when it comes to our careers, health, and relationships.

Drastic life changes are often regarded as a “leap of faith”; a risk that requires a tremendous amount of courage to act on. However, as Gilbert shows us, taking control of one’s destiny is merely a willingness to experience all parts of life’s journey. It takes willingness to have difficult conversations with your life partner, someone you’ve devoted yourself entirely to. It takes willingness to endure their backlash, shock, and anger. It takes willingness to be patient throughout the process. It takes willingness to accept the imperfections of the journey. The key takeaway of this chapter in Gilbert’s story is to illustrate that real life is not a Disney fairytale or a glamorous Hollywood movie – life has incredibly painful moments that we must all endure and challenges we must all learn to face.

Despite criticisms of her story being sensationalized and somewhat lacking in terms of fully exploring the emotional toll divorce takes on women in our society today, Gilbert has become a modern cultural source of inspiration for people to choose happiness after a difficult life transition. Women around the world have derived meaning from her story as a sign of strength and assurance that it is never too late or too difficult to embark on a self-discovery journey alone. Gilbert’s vulnerability and frankness offers refreshing honesty on the topic of heartbreak, divorce, and life after the fact.

Gilbert proves is that divorce is not merely an ending of a relationship; it is an important choice between two people that allows for beautiful new beginnings.

If you are considering filing for divorce, it is important that you consult with an experienced family attorney who will represent you with genuine care and professionalism. Divorce can be a very difficult moment in time, but the right legal representation will take care of you and make the entire process more efficient.

Shuff Law Firm exclusively practices family law and may be of service to those in need of divorce representation. Find them at:

Shuff Law Firm
2107 N Broadway, Santa Ana, CA 92706, USA
(714) 834-0175

Categories
Divorce Mediation

Avoid the Heartache and Mediate

Divorce is expensive. It hurts. It’s the end of a union that at once was thought to be for forever. Not only is it an entire change of life for the people that are involved, but it’s also only made worse when other people become involved. First, it’s close family and friends. Then, extended family. And, when you’re in a small town, everyone knows. Not only do they know, but they have an opinion. That’s where rumors and drama come in. 

I’ve once heard of a young couple who were seeking a divorce in the early 1990s. They made a mistake getting married and they knew it. The young woman didn’t want anything. Just a simple, clean divorce. The young man listened to his family and friends, and hired an expensive lawyer in a silk suit, refusing to even speak to his soon-to-be ex-wife. Only to walk into the courtroom to find that his ex-wife had indeed not hired an Orange County family law lawyer, and instead just stood there plain-clothed and honest. “I don’t want your money. I just want to be free.”

That could have all been avoided if there were more communication. The young man could have saved possibly hundreds of dollars and just consulted a divorce mediator. A divorce mediator is someone who acts as a moderator for discussion between the couple about the division of assets and marriage. A much cheaper option, the couple usually saves money and heartache from having a long and drawn-out legal battle. 

McNamee Mediations could have saved this couple. The thing is they, save couples like this all the time from the difficult divorce battles that we hear about so often. Just a few months ago, Beth B. writes, “Colleen is seriously a miracle worker!  Our divorce had been dragging on for nearly four years, and we had made very little headway using other mediation and divorce professionals without success.”

Another client, Craig G. says, “Colleen was great to work with and made a very difficult and emotional situation manageable. … The cost was very reasonable and a fraction of what it could have been taking other legal options.” This is just another example of where McNamee Mediations have stepped in, saving another family from the long, costly, drawn-out process of divorce. 

Because of the high divorce rates they grew up with, millennial couples are getting married later and later. Millennials are lowering the divorce rate nationally. An article by the USA Today says, “University of Maryland professor Philip Cohen found that from 2008 to 2016, the U.S. divorce rate dropped by 18 percent. … To measure the divorce rate, Cohen compared the number of divorces to married women. When controlling for other factors like an aging population, the results show only an 8 percent drop, “but the pattern is the same,” Cohen notes.” The article by the USA Today summarizes it to say that it’s likely the divorce rate will continue to drop because people are waiting until they’re older, more financially secure, and better educated.

So, it looks like millennials are paving a new path to marriage. It makes sense that they’re taking the less traditional path to a more amicable, communicative divorce as well. For instance, in high-cost of living areas like Irvine, divorce mediation may seem impossible, but with a great mediator like McNamee, it’s certainly possible in even the most complicated of cases.

If you are in need of a mediator, please reach out to:

McNamee Mediations

4590 MacArthur Blvd Suite 500, Newport Beach, CA 92660

(949) 223-3836

Categories
Divorce Mediation

In a Small Town, Mediation Always Trumps Litigation

As our little town continues to grow, so do the businesses moving in. As we continue to highlight the new businesses that are setting up shop, we like to explain our reasoning for featuring them here on our website. This next business that has moved in is clearly a wonderful fit for our little slice of heaven in the big vast world.

In a small town, words gets around. When there is drama with two people, the town has a tendency to learn about it faster than you would think. Some people in the town like to gossip about it, others like to feed the drama with more fuel so things can be exciting for a little longer, and others try their best to help. The biggest thing to remember here is that small towns never forget. Whatever happens between people stays in the memory of everyone that was involved or heard about it. That’s how small town works. There isn’t enough stimulus and input that you would get in a big city to push out even the most trivial memory filled with drama.

So what happens when a family or a couple decides they want to end it? What happens when the drama gets so out of control, divorce is the answer? This is what we would call a big freaken deal in a small town. Divorces can be so ugly and all that ugly normally ends up on all parties involved inside and outside the marriage. Unless the one the divorcee’s plans to leave our lovely little town, things are awkward for quite some time. We haven’t figured out a way around this aside from our local bartender playing therapists with both his words and his drinks… until now.

In comes our newest business, a divorce mediator! Back in Irvine, this group cut their teeth on some of the nastiest Orange County divorces out there. If you don’t understand this different between a divorce attorney and a divorce mediator, we will shed some light. For one, it is way cheaper and normally takes way less time to do. It also helps to facilitate and mutual understanding and agreement between the two parties so that no one walks away feeling beat up and bruised after a long ugly and expensive divorce. These mutual resolutions provide the biggest benefit to our little town. The two people often come out of a divorce mediation on good terms. They can continue living in the community in relative harmony without getting their ugly divorce all over the town. We can very excited to have such a business moving into out lovely town to keep the peace and help those that need it, find a resolution to a major problem.

We are very excited to make what was once a major problem, now one that can go under the radar in our town. It’s also equally exciting that this isn’t some new business that is moving in here. This is a tried and tested business that everyone seems to love. Check them out here!

Welcome! We are so happy you a here to keep our town as happy as it can be! Look for out next feature soon!