Archives: Property Division

Large cases are generally easier to settle than smaller ones. For one, both sides have a lot to lose. Fear can do wonders to promote compromise.

“Getting it right” meant ruling that only gifts and inheritances, whenever received, are exempt.

Too often, white collar criminals get off with probation and restitution under the theory that if they go to jail, the victims will not be recompensed.

My friend Sandy Swartzberg and I thought it might be interesting to co-write an article on the business divorce.

Valuing a marital estate and determining property division and spousal support in a divorce requires extra care when one of the spouses owns a business. Extra care is needed to protect the livelihood of the business owner and to ensure the non-business-owning spouse receives a fair share.

Does federal law preempt state law when the state revokes a life insurance policy designation upon divorce? SCOTUS says yes.

It is rare that the U.S. Supreme Court rules on issues in family law, but one exception is for employment benefits. On Monday, the high court heard oral arguments in Hillman v. Maretta, Case No. 11-1221.  According to the court’s summary, the husband died before changing beneficiaries on a life insurance policy from his first […]

At first blush, a recent Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision in Montalvo v. U.S. Title and Closing Services doesn’t appear to affect family law cases at all, but it does.

On January 11, 2013, I will be speaking with CPA Al Dassow of Clifton Gunderson LLP, Middleton on “Tax and Tax Fraud Issues in Family Law.”

Some times the lessons from caselaw could not be more obvious. A recent decision from the Wisconsin Court of Appeals provides such a teachable moment.