Oregon attorney Mike Arnold was featured in two CBS 48 Hours episodes and developed the strategies for some of Oregon’s toughest cases ever won. He also was managing partner of the state’s top divorce and criminal law firm for a number of years. Needless to say, while he was a lawyer practicing throughout the state, he saw the craziness that is Oregon family law and what passes as work product by many lawyers in this state. Much of what he saw was sad and disadvantageous to those ignorant of the law.
Divorce or Dissolution of Domestic Partnership Lawyer in Oregon
A divorce or dissolution of domestic partnership is definitely one of the most unpleasant things to happen in anyone’s life. The world seems to be falling apart and the thoughts of an uncertain future hurt you almost every day and make daily life pretty difficult. Getting answers from an experienced Oregon divorce lawyer goes a long way in allowing you to prepare for the future.
Oregon divorces can be very complex and contain many complicated issues. The internet is often the worst place to find a lawyer since SEO optimization is no match for actually watching a lawyer practice law throughout a case or, better yet, actually see them in the courtroom under the pressures and scrutiny of the other attorney, the judge, and his or her client. While many lawyers in Oregon may be charming on the phone and be able to “out lawyer” a client looking to hire them (as they should be able to do), when you see them perform in the courtroom, you are too late.
Picking a divorce attorney can often be a tougher choice than picking a spouse. You can divorce a spouse. You cannot undue a bad trial or poor settlement. You and your attorney need to be a great fit. You need to trust one another.
Settlement vs. Trial – Eugene Divorce Lawyers
Mike Arnold believes that the best result for any divorce is to achieve an amicable settlement of the case which is easy to live with for the clients — for the rest of their life.
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Since divorce cases and their results are the most critical for quality of life, it is for your good that you hire a lawyer who has trial experience in an Oregon courtroom. Any lawyer who does not have experience in the courtroom cannot tell you what can possibly be the outcome of a settlement issue if it is not accepted by the other party.
Attorney Mike Arnold actually tries cases in court. He has also watched other lawyers in court and listened to opposing parties and opposing lawyers discuss how they did in court. Most clients don’t have that wealth of knowledge. You need to know what can possibly be the outcome in a case like yours or what can happen at the trial. One of the best ways to hire an attorney is to get a referral from another attorney or a former attorney. Mike Arnold is a trial lawyer who also associates with other lawyers in family law cases looking for a strong trial lawyer to complement their practice area strengths.
Every Oregon divorce case is of a different nature, and has different results and implications. Due to Mike’s immense experience in dealing with divorce cases back when he was lead trial counsel supervising divorce lawyers, he often knows what lawyers can be expected to know the possible reaction of Lane County judges in a specific case. That way you can expect a close-to-reality recommendation about what can happen with your case if it goes to trial in Lane County.
Oregon Spousal Support: Will I receive or have to pay it?
The laws in Oregon do not specify the amounts of monetary settlement for spousal support, but there are certain spousal allowances streamlined and recognized by the law (compensatory, transitional, and maintenance). Generally, the circumstances where support may be appropriate are guided by case law rather than statutes. Different Lane County judges react differently to different spousal allowances. Mike was a trial lawyer. He knows the rules of evidence and strategy behind a case (learn more about trial objections here). Because he supervised and associated with attorneys who tried countless Oregon divorce cases, he can assist you directly or associate with another divorce lawyer and maturely guide you on the advantages and disadvantages of settling a spousal support issue with your partner or taking it to up in litigation.
Complex Assets Divorce
High-asset divorce cases are of a different nature altogether. These involve settlement of complex assets like cash-based income, retirement accounts or closely-held corporations. Most commonly these issues become the reason for unfair and unpleasant results between the parties. You will need a team experienced in mysterious bank transactions and voluminous records. You need someone with an eye for errors and attention to detail. Trial lawyer Mike Arnold can advise on equitable outcomes for both parties owing to his vast experience in litigating and investigating complex cases and supervising lawyers in high asset divorce cases as well as complex commercial litigation in Oregon.
But do your research. There are not a lot of divorce attorneys that are competent in complex, high-asset cases. You will need to vet them or you will regret it. Clients typically don’t have the information necessary to vet a lawyer in a complex case and are left disappointed with the results, often in the middle of the trial with no recourse or opportunity to find a new lawyer.
Do you know the most commonly hidden or “forgotten” assets?
- Frequent flyer mileage: usually there’s a monthly accounting of these. To obtain a value, contact the airline to see what destination you can purchase and compare that to values you can book independently online.
- Security deposits (e.g., utilities, car lease)
- Bond or deposit for country club
- Unused vacation, sick leave
- Patents, copyrights, royalties
- Income tax capital loss carry-forwards
- Income tax charitable contribution carry-forwards
- Marketable government licenses (radio licenses, rafting/river licenses, commercial fishing quotas)
Eugene Child Custody Lawyers
Child custody and parenting time is often an issue in a divorce or dissolution case. These are high-conflict areas of law that require an experienced trial lawyer to assist you in resolution or fight for you in the courtroom. Learn more about child custody law here.
Post-Divorce Modifications to Your Oregon Will
Do you need assistance in modifying or updating your Oregon will to better reflect an estate plan post-dissolution of marriage or even during the pending divorce case. Most divorce lawyers aren’t competent in trusts and estates. You will need to find a lawyer competent in that as well.
if you or someone you know in Eugene or throughout the Willamette Valley needs the assistance of an experienced trial lawyer, text or call 24/7 at 541-359-4585.
