Mississippi Family Law Blog

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Enjoy the music and light show from my favorite Christmas band, Trans Siberian Orchestra.

Madoff fraud victim sought to set aside divorce settlement A lawyer who divorced in 2006 and paid his ex-wife $2.7 million of value of his account with Bernard Madoff attempted to set aside the settlement after he realized he lost all the money in the Madoff Ponzi scheme. The attorney argued his ex-wife was unjustly enriched given he never had that money; however, the State Supreme Court in Mahattan disagreed. The article reported there were probably a number of divorces in New York where property settlements were made and the money actually did not exist. Reported by: Robert M. Kisselburgh, Mississippi Divorce Attorney

Text messages and e-mails leave a trail for divorce lawyers to follow It appears there are many lessons to learn from Tiger Woods recent publicized problems. One is the hazards of text messaging with a paramour while you are married. The New York Times recently published an article entitled, "Text messages: Digital lipstick on the collar." The article highlights the problem of texting if you are doing something you shouldn't be doing and how that evidence can and will be used against you in court. Several recent high-profile cases highlight the problems faced by spouses engaged in adultery in this digital world. The Kisselburgh Law Firm represents individuals in divorces in Mississippi. If you or a loved one is contemplating a divorce, contact us to further discuss your legal rights.

Alienation of affection in Mississippi With all the gossip, speculation, and rumors associated with Tiger Woods and his transgressions (a/k/a alleged affairs), the issue of alienation of affection is in the news. In fact, CNN published an article on alienation of affection and how Mississippi is one of seven states that still recognizes this tort. So what is alienation of affection? In Mississippi, if a person has an affair with a married person that causes the breakup of their marriage, the other spouse can sue the paramour (the person having the affair with the married spouse) and collect money damages from that person. Two years ago, the Mississippi Supreme Court upheld a jury verdict awarding a man $754,000.00 against his wife's lover. The Kisselburgh Law Firm represents Mississippi residents in divorce cases including those involving alienation of affection. If you or a loved one are contemplating a divorce, call now and schedule an appointment to discuss your legal rights.

Dad going to jail for having kids beat Mom with baseball bat A Kansas man was convicted of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and contributing to a child's misconduct. What did he do? He convinced his 12-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son to kill his ex-wife by beating her with a baseball bat. The kids attacked their Mom, Dad came over to help the kids finish Mom off, and luckily Mom got away. The daughter was granted immunity to testify against her father. The son will be tried as a juvenile, according to the article. While the article does not say how long he will spend in prison, it probably will not be enough time.