How Substance Abuse Impacts Divorce with Aaron Thomas

Katherine Miller — Wed, 05 Aug 2020 01:00:49 +0000

EP: 131

Aaron Thomas

How Substance Abuse Impacts Divorce

KatherineMiller · How Substance Abuse Impacts Divorce with Aaron Thomas

Substance abuse adds another layer of complexity to the divorce process. So, what do you need to consider if you’re divorcing an addict? And what if you’re struggling with alcoholism or drug abuse yourself?

Attorney Aaron Thomas is the Founder of Aaron Thomas Law, a family law practice based in Atlanta, Georgia. Aaron began his legal career in 2002 as an in-house staff attorney for Habitat for Humanity International. He also served as a trial attorney in the Dekalb County Public Defender’s office for four years before starting his own practice and shifting his focus exclusively to family law in 2007.

On this episode of Divorce Dialogues, Aaron joins Katherine to discuss how substance abuse impacts the divorce process. He explains how drug addiction and alcoholism affect a judge’s decision-making around child custody, child support, division of assets and spousal support. Listen in to understand how Aaron handles a case differently when he represents the addicted party and learn what you should think about as the spouse of an addict considering divorce.

Topics Covered

Why substance abuse is rarely used as grounds for divorce even if that’s the issue

How alcoholism and drug addiction impact child custody

When (and why) a judge might award the addicted spouse a lesser share of the marital assets

How Aaron handles a case differently when he represents the addicted party

The trend toward seeing addiction as an illness vs. criminal activity

Why it’s exceptionally challenging to represent the spouse of an addict

The consequences of making your spouse’s addiction public in the divorce process

Why a judge might base child support on the amount the addicted party SHOULD be making

What a judge considers before awarding alimony to the addicted party

Aaron’s advice to the spouse of an addict considering divorce

Connect with Aaron Thomas

Aaron Thomas Law

Connect with Katherine Miller

The Center for Understanding Conflict

Miller Law Group

Katherine on LinkedIn

The New Yorker’s Guide to Collaborative Divorce by Katherine Miller

Email katherine@miller-law.com

Call (914) 738-7765

The post How Substance Abuse Impacts Divorce with Aaron Thomas appeared first on Divorce Dialogues.

Substance Abuse and the Divorce Process Dr. Ray Griffin

Katherine Miller — Thu, 28 Jul 2016 01:01:35 +0000

EP: 031

Dr. Ray Griffin

Substance Abuse and the Divorce Process

Substance abuse often plays a role in the divorce process, either as the catalyst for or the result of conflict in a relationship. How do you go about having your former partner evaluated to ensure their health and safety—and that of your children?

Dr. Raymond Griffin has worked in the field of addiction and counseling for 37-plus years. He served as the president of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence as well as founder and director of the Greenwich Center. Dr. Griffin has taken part in many collaborative divorce and mediation processes and performed a number of forensic evaluations for federal and state courts. He is also a frequent Continuing Legal Education lecturer and host of the radio show Changing Your Life.

Today, Dr. Griffin joins Katherine to explain his role in determining the extent of substance abuse issues during the divorce process. He shares his take on the degrading nature of litigation and his preference for collaborative divorce. Dr. Griffin describes the evaluation process, how he delivers feedback to the divorcing family, and his goal around helping people become healthy, active parents. Listen in for Dr. Griffin’s insight on the need for awareness of alternative dispute resolution and learn how you can help family members struggling with substance abuse maintain a connection with their children.