Who has the kids on Thanksgiving? What happens if Christmas plans change at the last minute? And when was the last time you looked at who’s named in your will or power of attorney?

We’re bringing back Holiday Custody Hacks, an episode from the I Now Pronounce You Divorced archives featuring Erik McCauley, Esq., who was recently named Partner at Melone Hatley, P.C.

Erik explains how starting the holiday custody conversation early, checking your court order, and putting agreed-upon plans in writing can help you avoid a last-minute scramble. The conversation also covers what to consider when you and your co-parent can’t agree on holiday parenting time.

We discuss an easy-to-overlook part of separation and divorce: your estate plan. Find out why it’s worth reviewing who can act on your behalf under a power of attorney, where DIY wills can go wrong, and how talking through your wishes with family can spare them uncertainty later.

Listen now and follow I Now Pronounce You Divorced for more conversations about divorce, co-parenting, and planning for what comes next.

You keep the house. Your spouse keeps more of the retirement savings. The numbers look equal—but will they support equally stable futures?

In this episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced!, attorney and CEO Charles D. Hatley, Esq., sits down with Monica Cervantes, a financial advisor and Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA) at PAX Financial in San Antonio, TX, to explore why a divorce settlement’s value goes far beyond the balances on a statement.

From taxes and retirement benefits to mortgage eligibility and everyday expenses, they unpack the financial questions that can be easy to overlook when you’re focused on reaching an agreement.

You’ll hear:
• Why equal account balances may have different after-tax values
• How keeping the marital home can put pressure on your finances
• Why access to cash matters when planning your next chapter
• How bringing financial, tax, mortgage, and legal professionals together early can help you make more informed decisions

Whether you’re considering divorce, weighing a proposed settlement, or supporting someone through the process, this conversation offers a clearer way to think about what comes next.

What would you like us to explore further: keeping the house, dividing retirement accounts, or budgeting after divorce? Leave a comment or send us your topic suggestion.

Follow or subscribe to I Now Pronounce You Divorced! for practical conversations about protecting your family, finances, and future.

Share this episode with someone who could benefit from looking beyond the numbers.

What do a custody dispute, a contested estate, and digging up a body have in common? They’re all stories our attorneys can’t forget.

In this Halloween special of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, attorneys from Melone Hatley, P.C. share real legal stories with twists that sound like they belong in a scary movie.

From the complications of dying without a will to custody and visitation disputes, courtroom testimony, and supernatural claims, these cases show just how unexpected family law and estate matters can become. One estate dispute even raises the question of exhuming a body.

Behind each story is a lesson about the importance of understanding your options, preparing for the unexpected, and seeking guidance when family matters become complicated.

🎃 Listen in for a Halloween episode filled with unforgettable cases, surprising turns, and takeaways for protecting your family’s future.

Should you keep working on your marriage, consider a trial separation, or move toward divorce? When you’re hurt, disconnected, or exhausted from trying, it can be difficult to know what comes next.

In this episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, Charles Hatley, Esq., welcomes Dana Che Williams, marriage and relationship coach, speaker, author, and host of the Rebuilding Us podcast, for an honest conversation about making that decision thoughtfully.

Drawing on her work helping couples rebuild communication and trust—and her own experience rebuilding a marriage after infidelity—Dana Che explores the questions worth asking before deciding whether to stay or leave.

Together, they discuss emotional withdrawal, a lack of effort, personal non-negotiables, and why seeking help early can make a difference.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why apathy and disengagement deserve attention alongside frequent arguments
• What to consider when infidelity or another breach of trust challenges your boundaries
• How to acknowledge your emotions without letting them drive every decision
• Why the emotional and financial costs of divorce deserve thoughtful consideration
• When a trial separation may help, and why clear expectations matter
• How personal healing can help you recognize unresolved patterns before entering another relationship

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Whether you’re hoping to repair your marriage or considering separation or divorce, this conversation offers questions to help you approach your next steps with greater clarity and intention.

Divorce is more than a legal process. It can reshape your identity, your relationships, and the way you parent. The paperwork matters, but the emotional side is often the harder part.

In this Lessons from the Past episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, we revisit conversations with three mental health and coaching professionals about what it takes to move forward after a marriage ends:

• Karen McNenny, author, life coach, and divorce coach
• Frances Futrell, licensed therapist with Your Mental Health Matters
• Melissa Zetner, licensed therapist with It Begins Within Healing Center

Together they cover how to handle difficult conversations, support your children through the transition, process grief, and rediscover who you are. They also explain how therapy and a strong support system can help, and why your emotional well-being affects the legal decisions you make along the way.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• How divorce affects your emotional health and sense of identity
• How to support your children and parent mindfully during a divorce
• Why communication breaks down and how to handle it
• How to work through grief and loss and rebuild after divorce
• How therapy and support systems help you through the process
• Why emotional well-being matters in legal decision-making
• How to find stability, healing, and a fresh start

Divorce may end a marriage, but it doesn’t have to define the rest of your story.

Why is it so difficult to leave an abusive relationship?

From the outside, it can seem simple: recognize the abuse, leave, and move forward. But domestic violence is often built around power, control, fear, financial dependence, emotional manipulation, and isolation — making the decision to leave far more complicated than many people realize.

In this episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, we are joined by Kelsey Fadness from Samaritan House to discuss the realities of abusive relationships and the barriers victims may face when considering separation.

We explore the different forms abuse can take beyond physical violence, including emotional abuse, financial abuse, coercive control, and social isolation.

Kelsey also explains how fear can influence decision-making, why someone may still have strong feelings for an abusive partner, and why abuse may continue or even escalate after separation.

If you or someone you know is experiencing an abusive relationship, understanding the dynamics of domestic violence can be an important first step toward finding support and developing a safer path forward.

This episode is intended for educational purposes and discusses domestic violence, abuse, and other sensitive topics.

In this special compilation episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, we revisit conversations with financial professionals Tasha Baron Smith, Kari Jessen, and our Managing Attorney Erik McCauley, Esq., to highlight some of the financial decisions that deserve attention before, during, and after divorce.

You’ll hear practical conversations about reviewing your estate plan when a marriage ends, understanding your debts and credit, protecting yourself from new financial liabilities, considering the role of life insurance when support obligations are involved, and creating more structure around your finances.

The episode also explores the unique challenges business owners can face during divorce, including the importance of accurate bookkeeping, understanding cash flow, and moving from a reactive approach to a more intentional financial strategy.

If you are going through divorce or preparing for what comes next, this compilation offers practical lessons on surrounding yourself with the right expertise and making informed decisions about your financial future.

In this Encore episode of I Now Pronounce You Divorced, family law attorney Rebecca Melone, Esq., and Charles Hatley, Esq., break down one of the most important tools attorneys may use during the discovery process: the deposition.

A deposition is a formal, sworn question-and-answer session conducted before trial. Attorneys use depositions to gather information, preserve testimony, evaluate witnesses, uncover inconsistencies, and better understand the facts that could affect settlement negotiations or a future trial.

You will learn when depositions can be especially valuable in divorce and family law cases, including matters involving custody disputes, financial questions, and allegations that may require deeper investigation.

You'll also learn how attorneys prepare clients for the process, why answering only the question asked matters, and how staying calm can make a major difference when emotions are running high.

Whether you are preparing for a deposition yourself or simply want to better understand how attorneys gather information during a divorce case, this episode offers a practical look behind the scenes of the discovery process.