DIVORCE
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By
Christian Bonnano
With almost 50% of all marriages
in the United States ending in divorce or separation,
most people you encounter will have one ‘crazy’ family story or another. Sadly,
when I was 13 years of age, my parents decided it was time to end their
marriage and get a divorce. At the age of 13, I did not fully understand why
they were leaving each other and the circumstances around it. Nothing too bad
was going on, in reality, they just weren’t in love with each other anymore and
wanted to separate. Of course, they had their moments, but from what I have
seen throughout my life, most divorces are very difficult.
At such a young age, my parents
did not expose me to the legalities surrounding their divorce. I would
constantly hear them arguing about property, money, and even me. At the time, I
could care less about all of that, I really just wanted my parents to get back
together, but as the years have passed I look back and wish they explained the
concept of divorce a little better. All that arguing I heard them do had a
deeper meaning and it took a few years before I fully understood why and what
it was all about.
Through all the arguing and
frustrations between my parents, they decided to work together to make sure I
was happy. Growing up with divorced parents, I was allowed to live where I want
and visit the other parent at free-will. Although they worked together to make
sure my life was good, they could not work together when it came to money.
Money is something my parents have always argued about and even to this day,
with their limited number of conversations, do not see eye to eye on. When I
was young, I really just thought they were complaining for no reason because I
did not fully understand how child support or alimony worked; now, I see why
there were many arguments and frustrations from both sides.
Overall, I appreciate what my
parents did to assure my happiness, although I still wish they would have
explained things to me back then. I completely understand the fact that I was
13 and might not understand, or even care, about the legalities surrounding
their divorce, but I believe it would have helped me understand why certain
things were happening. Today, I have a great relationship with both of my
parents and both of them are doing great. Yes, they still argue, but most
divorced couples do. At the end of the day, I know they are both there for me
and love me and that’s all I could ever ask for.
Moving on from my life story, I
think it is important to note an interesting fact about divorce in New
Hampshire.
1.
New Hampshire is a no-fault and a fault state. – No fault divorces mean that there does not
have to be a reason for divorce. If a couple decides they have had enough of
each other, like my parents, then they can separate. At fault divorces mean
there is a specific reason of separation, such as cruelty, incarceration,
alcoholism, etc. This makes it easier to get a divorce, and makes the process simpler and with less animosity. This is one of the reasons collaborative law (https://www.pmmlawyers.com/collaborative-law.asp) is an important development as well.
As my internship at Parnell, Michels & McKay moves
forward, it is interesting to learn the application of these rules, especially
with the great lawyers I am able to work with. The law is ever changing, and
understanding the law is important for anyone interested in a legal career like
myself.
