Ashley Madison-A Story that Won't Go Away

So, it has been about a month since the Ashley Madison password leak debacle first unfolded. Being a divorce and family law attorney, I thought I would see an immediate spike in business. After all, there were 37 million users, and, as we all know, when anything weird is happening in the world, South Florida always makes the news. In case anyone reading this was tucked away on an ice breaker in Antarctica during the past 30 days, Ashley Madison was a “secret” website where married (or those with allegedly “significant” others) could go to cheat on their spouses/significant others. The site’s slogan? “Life is short…have an affair.” Now, I have to admit, before the news broke, I had only heard the name Ashley Madison one time, and when I first heard it, I thought it was either: a) A baked snack (guess Dolly Madison was on my mind), or b) An on-line trendy women’s clothing and accessory site Although I have been pretty busy, nobody has come into my office and confessed to being an Ashley Madison customer or found their spouse was a customer. Believe me, I would know. Clients tell me all sorts of things where I hope my face isn’t exhibiting the shock my head is delivering. Of course, after 31 years at this, unique stories are harder to come by. Apparently though, family law attorneys were lower on the totem pole of individuals who stood to increase their business in the aftermath of the leaks. According to a story in USA Today last month, Ashley Madison itself faces a $760 million class action suit. The Guardian in London said there were fears that blackmailers would demand money to not reveal the names of Ashley Madison customers to their significant others or business associates. And, after all this, in my updated research, it appears that Ashley Madison is still alive and thriving! Still, an article on September 15, 2015 from eoline.com stated that a company called CynoSurePrime disclosed some of the customer user names, classified, according to the authors as ranging from “depressing”: to “hilarious.” Some names crossed into both categories. The author classified them into three categories: the “doubters”, the “deniers”, and the “users who thought it was Tinder” (apparently it is ok to hook up on Tinder). Here is a sample for your reading pleasure: Doubters: ishouldnotbedoingthis ithinkilovemywife thisiswrong whatthehellamidoing whyareyoudoingthis cheatersneverprosper donteventhinkaboutit isthisreallyhappening Deniers: likeimreallygoingtocheat justcheckingitout justtryingthisout goodguydoingthewrongthing Accidental Tinder Users: lookingfornewlife friendswithbenefits So what’s my read on this…if you’re going to cheat (and I am not advocating this at all), sometimes the old fashioned way is the best. At least there’s less evidence! As for my closing thoughts…Life is short….eat dessert first! Cindy Vova Law Office of Cindy S. Vova, P.A. 8551 West Sunrise Blvd., Suite 301 Plantation, FL 33322 info@vovalaw.com 954-316-3496 And for those whose names are NOT on the Ashley Madison site, but just have questions about family law issues,Read more on my website: Law Office of Cindy S. Vova, P.A. click the link

The Last Five of the Top 10 Things to Consider before Filing for Divorce

                So, I know you’ve been at the edge of your seat waiting to find out what the bottom five of the top 10 things are to consider before filing for divorce.  Here, for your contemplation, is the rest of the list.

6.            Get organized.  Surely, this helpful tip should not be confined to people considering divorce.  This is just good life advice. However, as this applies to divorce, this means getting all of your financial documents in order including pay stubs, tax returns, bank statements, brokerage account statements, information regarding real estate, credit card bills, loans, including mortgages, etc.  Now, if you do not know where to find these (because, as I often hear, “my spouse took care of all of this,”) now might be a good time to either “look harder” or ask some questions. If your spouse asks why, all of the sudden, you want this information, you can gently inform him/her that if he/she died tomorrow you’d not even know where to begin to look. (That person may advise that he/she has no intention of dying any time soon, and you might gently persuade them otherwise).  If you have a family accountant, you can also contact this person because, if you file joint taxes, that accountant is also your accountant and he/she has an obligation to provide you (the client) with information.  Equally as important is organizing the information for your attorney. Our office is happy to do it for you, but the more of the “easier” stuff you can do, the more time we have to do the “hard’ stuff, and that’s why you are hiring us to being with.

7.            Close joint accounts.  Okay, so that’s why these tips originally came from the financial analysts and not the attorneys.  There are times when this is good advice.  However, it all depends on the circumstances and the best thing to do is, in advance of taking this action, speak with a family law attorney so you can give the attorney all the facts of your particular situation and the attorney can give you sound legal advice.

8.            How’s your credit?  Do you even know?  Once yearly you can obtain, free of charge, your credit report from Experian, Equifax and Transunion, the three major credit reporting agencies. If it’s not-so-good, you might want to try to improve that before the divorce.  Once divorced, without good credit, it may be difficult to rent an apartment, obtain a credit card or, among others, get a car loan.   Bring your credit reports with you when you go to an initial consultation with an attorney.  If you don’t have a credit card in your own name, try getting one now before you file, even if the credit line is small.

9.            Hire the right team.  I LIKE the advice from the Institute on this one.  “Your attorney is not your therapist, and it will become very costly for you if you treat them this way.” I truly believe I practice family law with a heart. However, I have a BBA, an MBA and JD, NOT a PhD in psychology (not even an undergrad minor).  So although I care deeply about all of my clients, any therapeutic advice I give is solely from my years of hearing stories and not from any formal training.  Now on the other hand, in hiring the right legal team, don’t always look for the meanest and “sharkiest.” Time is money and the more you spend on vengeful fighting, the less you end up with and the more your attorney takes, (and yes, P.S, I’m still in the same house after 21 years, so that’s obviously not happening in my office) See, I can give some good therapeutic advice, after all.

10.          Take time for you.  Advice we should all live by.  And with that said, I’m off to the gym.         

 

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DIVORCE CORP....THE CONFERENCE THIS WEEKEND!

            So, it’s been quite a few months since my blog about Divorce Corp., The Movie.   It seems, however, that this documentary, which has done for the practice of divorce law what Reefer Madness did for marijuana, was such an astounding hit that the film’s director has found a way to continue profiting from the documentary’s success.

                Indeed, ladies and gentlemen (but let’s face it, mostly gentlemen), this coming weekend you have the opportunity to attend the Divorce Corp. conference in Alexandria, Virginia, just a stone’s throw across the Potomac to our nation’s capital.

                Yes, starting this coming Saturday, November 15^th, through Sunday, November 16^th, you and like-minded concerned citizens can, for the low price of $199.00[i] can hear seminars on the following (and I took this from the website) topics 

·         Child Support – Who Benefits? ·         The Constitutional rights of Parents ·         Do Our Family Laws Reconcile With Modern Social Trends? ·         The Impact of Domestic Violence and Parental Alienation on Custody ·         Mediation vs. Litigation for Family Law Matters ·         Are Family Courts the New Mafia?

·         RICO Suits Against the State Courts ·         Equal Parenting ·         The Science Behind Primary vs. Shared Custody ·         Alimony Reform Success ·         Revising Child Support Guidelines ·         Judicial Elections and Their Impact on Judicial Independence

            I would particularly like to hear the seminar on “Are Family Courts the New Mafia.”  I mean, heck, in Broward County, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida we only have one Italian family law judge so what’s up?  I would also like to hear the “RICO Suits Against the State Courts” seminar.  “RICO” stands for Racketeering and Corrupt Organizations" Act, a law designed to invoke criminal penalties  as well as a civil cause of action against entities engaged in ongoing criminal enterprises.  Hey, are they picking on the Italian judges again? 

 

         Well, there’s still time to register.  I bet they’ll even take walk-ins.  It’s at the Westin Alexandria, located at (I’m not making this up) 400 Courthouse Square.  How fitting.

 

            Seriously, our entire legal system is living and breathing.  Otherwise, how do we, in modern society, base our laws on a document that is over 230 years old?  I do not believe that the family law courts are  immune from the need for some changes as well.  But, as with anything else, when the changes are pushed from vigilantes, the changes are never designed to serve all people.

 

            I hope the attendees get something towards positive changes.  From the seminar topics I have my doubts.  One thing, their wallets will be at least $199 lighter.  But this IS America, and everyone is entitled to make a living, even lawyers.

 

            As for me, I’ll be at the University of Florida visiting my daughter and watching the Gators play the South Carolina Gamecocks (nice name).

 

 

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[i] It was $99 before September 1^st…sorry-I missed the update

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