Divorce rates appear to be on the decline due to wary millennials waiting longer to settle down and marry, yet divorce rates after the age of 50 have been steadily increasing in the U.S. since the early nineties. Gray divorce (known also as divorce after 50) has been found to be even more devastating for both parties than with other age groups. This isn’t only from a financial angle, but an emotional one as well. Research has shown that the older a couple is, the more difficult it can be to bounce back after experiencing a loss like a divorce. 

Marriage can be a roller coaster of good times as well as stressful ones for many couples, even when they are generally happy within their union. When you have a partner that is affected by something like a diagnosed mental illness, the marriage usually takes on an additional layer of stress if the other partner is not equipped to deal with this type of marital discord.

We at the White Oak Law often advocate for alternative dispute resolutions, or any other route that might avoid a hostile and contentious divorce. However, as years of experience have illustrated, a tough or rocky divorce isn’t always avoidable.

Dealing with child custody and support is never easy: after all, this often involves complex emotions and disputes where neither party is willing to budge. For example, one of the most common types of conflicts involves a parent who refuses to pay his or her court-mandated child support.

In the state of California, recreational marijuana was legalized in 2018 for adults aged 21 and up. This may seem like a victory to those who choose to partake in its usage on a regular basis, but for some, this recreational habit may not bode well when in the middle of a child custody battle with an ex-spouse or domestic partner.