What is a Guardian ad Litem?

What is a Guardian ad Litem?

If you are a parent going through a divorce or child custody case, you may have heard the term “Guardian ad Litem,” or “GAL” for short. While there are many applications for a GAL, I am going to talk about how GALs work specifically in a divorce/custody setting, with...
Alimony Basics

Alimony Basics

Alimony is the common name for what is termed as “maintenance” in Montana, or you can just think of it as “Montana alimony.” Or, some call it “ali-moan-y” because they do not want to pay it! Whatever you call it, and I will call it maintenance, it is something that...
How to Handle Problems With a Difficult Judge

How to Handle Problems With a Difficult Judge

One question I get a lot is if a party can change their judge. The answer is generally no. However, I will explain this answer more in depth. When I was in law school, Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia came to speak to us.  He referred to district court judges...
DIY Divorce

DIY Divorce

Updated June 2022. One thing I usually tell potential clients in an initial consultation is this: you do not NEED a lawyer to get divorced. Many are surprised to hear this come out of a lawyer’s mouth. However, I think it is better to give people information and let...
A Guide to Representing Yourself in Court in Montana

A Guide to Representing Yourself in Court in Montana

Updated June 2022. There is a middle ground between representing yourself in Court (which is referred to as being “Pro Se”) and hiring an attorney to fully represent you in Court (which is referred to as “full representation”). This post is intended to act as a guide...
Things You Should Know About Family Law in Montana

Things You Should Know About Family Law in Montana

Family law in Montana is a diverse and expansive area of law.  In general, family law is an area of the law where the law and family matters intersect.  I do not really think that the law is the best place to deal with family matters, but it is what we have right now...