ARTICLES

Getting a Party to Agree to Mediation

By Bob Roby | September 28, 2017
Getting Your Spouse to Agree to Mediation

The need for this article comes from the many calls my office receives from individuals who want to schedule a mediation with us, and the first question we always ask is, “Has the other party agreed to schedule mediation with us?” We often hear that moment of awkward silence on the phone while the caller…

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Parental Alienation

By Bob Roby | September 7, 2017
Parental Alienation

In our current culture, we have had to expand our vocabulary when it comes to talking about the impact of unresolved conflict between parents on their children. This has become necessary due to the deconstruction of the nuclear family, which is evidenced by the following trends: As of 2011, for the first time in Minnesota…

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“Custody” of Pets in Family Court

By Bob Roby | August 24, 2017
Custody-Battles-over-Family-Pets

One of the many issues that the law is not very well suited to handle is the attachments we have to our pets. When relationships end up being defined by a court, the lines that are drawn regarding pets cannot be based upon the emotional state of the parties, or the unique family “culture” that…

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Social Media and Family Law Cases

By Bob Roby | July 15, 2017

Social media has become a daily source of connection for millions and millions of people around the planet. There is no question it had scratched an itch for a sense of connection to others, and ability for people to remake a presentation of themselves to others. This, in a day when relationship failure rate is…

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Children’s Testimony in Custody Cases

By Bob Roby | June 13, 2017

The question of what is in the best interest of a legal client is not always as easy as they make it sound in law school. This is particularly true in family law. To “zealously” represent your client’s interests as a parent can very well mean making a very difficult call regarding child testimony. No…

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Planning for Summer Parenting Time (A How-To Post)

By Bob Roby | May 30, 2017

If you are a parent of a school-age child whose other parent lives somewhere else, planning the summers can be a source of stress. Kids have all kinds of choices to make with school out of the way, which requires parents to consider how much “freedom” to give their kids in setting priorities. Too often…

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LITIGATION vs. MEDIATION IN FAMILY LAW

By Bob Roby | May 9, 2017

The average current cost for each person today in a Minnesota divorce is about $13,000.00. It is ironic that this is also approximately what is spent on the average Minnesota wedding. If a marriage cannot be saved, will mediation actually reduce the cost of a divorce?  This is a fair question that most attorneys and…

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“PROPER” USE OF THE LAW

By Bob Roby | April 20, 2017

The inscription on our logo at the R.C. Roby firm is a Bible verse from 1Timothy 1:8, “We know that the law is good if one uses it properly” (NIV). I think this is especially true when it comes to family law. No other area of law has greater impact on the future of those…

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Amendments Making Divorce More Difficult (comment)

By Bob Roby | February 14, 2013

This Comment appeared in the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/RoomforDebate If there is no marriage – there is no commitment to stability – and no cultural message that working through relational conflict is worth the effort. However, more than trying to reform divorce laws, there needs to be an overhaul of the marriage laws. Creating a marital estate…

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ENE – Changing The Face Of Family Law

By Bob Roby | October 25, 2012

As Early Neutral Evaluation proves itself in several counties across Minnesota, we are seeing more attorneys becoming proactive in using this tool in their case management strategy. Many are not waiting for an ICMC Order where the court explains the process and the option, then issues an Order suspending the court deadlines, etc. Bypassing this…

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