Volume II, Issue 1

Krusch and Sellers News:

Give it Back!

No, we are not asking a child who has taken a toy away from a playmate to give it back; we are talking about our firm giving back to our community. Here are a few of the community projects in which our firm is participating:

• Friendship Trays: Every attorney and paralegal in our firm is participating several times a month in delivering meals to elderly, handicapped, and others who are unable to prepare or secure meals for themselves. For more information on the Friendship Tray Program, please visit http://www.friendshiptrays.org/.

• Hawkfest: Krusch and Sellers are proud to be corporate sponsors of the Elizabeth Lane Elementary School Spring Carnival, Hawkfest, which takes place on April 26, 2008.

• The Charlotte Junior Soccer League: Krusch and Sellers are Spring 2008 Corporate sponsors for The Charlotte Junior Soccer League.

Other News:

• Speaking Engagement: Attorney Nicholas L. Cushing will be a featured speaker at the National Business Institute's "Preventing Critical Financial Mistakes During Divorce" seminar on June 5, 2008. Mr. Cushing will discuss the failure to secure adequate legal assistance in handling qualified domestic relations orders (QDROs). Topics highlighted are the cost of living adjustments, supplemental benefits, lump sum distribution options, using the marriage coverture formula, pension accrual and asset forfeiture. For more information please visit http://www.nbi-sems.com/.
• Family Law Section Annual Meeting: Attorneys Alan R. Krusch and Leigh B. Sellers will be attending the upcoming Family Law Section Annual Meeting, held in Charleston, South Carolina this May. Topics to be covered will be:
  • Defending and prosecuting alienation of affection and criminal conversation claims.
  • Family law tort claims.
  • Obtaining and preserving evidence.
  • Lifestyles and impact on custody.
  • Ethical considerations in defending third party claims.
• North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification: This past March, Paralegal Thom Hall's North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification was renewed for another year. The North Carolina State Bar began certifying paralegals in 2004 in order "to assist in the delivery of legal services to the public by identifying individuals who are qualified by education and training and have demonstrated knowledge, skill, and proficiency to perform substantive legal work under the direction and supervision of a licensed lawyer and to improve the competency of those individuals by establishing mandatory continuing legal education and other requirements of certification." For more information about the North Carolina State Bar Paralegal Certification please visit http://www.nccertifiedparalegal.org/.
• Human Resources Training: Claire Krusch, Director or Marketing and Human Resources, is currently enrolled in the Human Resource Certificate Program at CPCC. This course is comprised of five 15 credit hours that have been determined to be essential topics for the Human Resources professional. After Claire completes all five courses, a certificate in Human Resources will be awarded.

From the Desk of Attorney Alan R. Krusch:

When going through a divorce, there are terms and definitions you will probably encounter in connection with your separation and divorce. Here are some examples from the Divorce Glossary:

Alimony: Financial payments made to help support a spouse or former spouse during separation or following divorce. Also called spousal support or spousal maintenance.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR): Methods of resolving legal disputes without going to trial, in a less adversarial manner, such as through arbitration or mediation.

Arrearage: The amount of money such as for child or spousal support is past due.

Child Support: Money that a non-custodial parent pays to the custodial parent on behalf of their child(ren), for their support.

Child Support Guidelines: Guidelines established by statue or rule in each jurisdiction that set forth the manner in which child support must be calculated, generally based on the income of the parents and the needs of the child(ren).

Discovery: The information-exchanging process of a legal proceeding, including serving and answering interrogatories and requests for production of documents, and depositions.

Divorce: The legal termination of a marriage relationship.

Equitable Distribution: A division of property that is fair in view of all the circumstances. While an equal division is presumed to be fair, a court has the power to divide property unequally.

Interrogatories: Written questions served by the opposing party that must be answered in writing as part of the discovery process.

Joint Physical Custody: The sharing of the actual physical care and custody of a child by both parents.

Legal Custody: The right to make important decisions about raising of your child, such as regarding health care, religious upbringing, education, etc.

Mediation: A form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) for resolving legal disputes without going to trial, by the use of a trained and impartial third party who attempts to bring the parties together in mutual agreement. * Mr. Krusch and Ms. Sellers are both certified mediators.

Post-Separation Support: Spousal support that is ordered by a court on a temporary basis until all spousal support issues are resolved.

Premarital Agreement: An agreement entered into before marriage that sets forth each party's rights and responsibilities should the marriage terminate by death or divorce. Also called a prenuptial agreement.

Qualified Domestic Relations Orders. (QDRO): Pronounced "kwah-dro" an order issued by the court to divide retirement benefits.

Settlement Conference: A meeting at which the parties and their lawyers attempt to settle the case before trial, often ordered by the court.

Visitation: The time that a noncustodial parent spends with his or her child(ren).

If you have any questions about these terms or your case, please give us call and we will be glad to assist you.