Book Opener

CHAPTERASSESSMENTInterpreting and CommunicatingInformationInterview a local divorce attorney, mediator,family court advocate, or someone else whoworks with the divorce laws in your state.11. Ask questions regarding the specifics ofthe law such as annulment, legal separation,grounds for divorce, adultery, alimony,and custody issues.12. Prepare an oral presentation of yourfindings.13. Share your report with the class.14. As a class, discuss any surprising ordisturbing information.Choosing Between ParentsAfter 15 years of marriage, your aunt and unclehave decided to divorce. They have asked theirtwo children to decide with whom they want tolive. Your cousins don’t want to choose becausethey don’t want to hurt either parent’s feelings.They ask you for help in deciding what theyshould do.Debate15. What would you ask your cousins to thinkabout when making their decision?16. What would you advise them to do andupon what grounds would you base yourrecommendation?17. What would you do if you were in yourcousins’ shoes?For the following cases, give your decision andstate a legal principle that applies.18. Roger Bates believes that his divorce fromhis wife, Lisa, will not affect his ownershipof the house because the title is in his nameonly. Is he correct? Why or why not?19. Mike Trudeau divorces his wife, Eileen,on grounds of her adultery. Eileen seeksalimony from Mike. Is the court likely toaward it to her? Explain your answer.20. Henry and Gloria O’Brien divorce. Henryis ordered to pay $200 a week towardsupport of their children. He moves toanother state and stops making payments.Can Gloria enforce the court order? Whyor why not?21. Jean Darnelle, whose domicile is inMichigan, wants to divorce her husband,Philip. She is planning to spend a monthvacationing in Florida and thinks it wouldbe a good idea to get the divorce while she isthere. Can she do so? Explain your answer.22. Marta Pastore believes that her husband,Vicente, has committed adultery. Sheknows he often goes to a bar and leaveswith a woman, and that they often go to thewoman’s apartment. When Marta threatensto divorce Vicente on grounds of adultery,he claims she can’t prove it and thereforecan’t divorce him on those grounds. Doyou agree? Why or why not?23. To convince Jennifer Lind to marry him,Robert Crane informs Lind that he is amultimillionaire. During the couple’s courtship,Crane showers Lind with expensivegifts and promises to pay off all of her debts.However, after marrying Crane, Lind discoversthat he is destitute. On what grounds,if any, may Lind seek an annulment of themarriage?708 Unit 7: Planning for the Future