When thinking about the difficult decision of creating a will, many couples do not know if they should create a joint will or two separate wills. Both ways of creating a will are legally binding, but writing separate wills creates a lot less headaches along the way. Read here to find out why writing separate wills are better in most circumstances. · Some married couples execute what is called “joint wills.” In a joint will,…

Disputing a debt collection can be a scary process, especially when you go through the process alone. Regardless of whether the attempt to collect the debt is legitimate or fraudulent, there are a number of legal ways to deal with a debt collection.  If the creditor has not filed suit, you don’t have to pay anything, and you don’t even have to talk to the creditor. If the creditor has filed suit, you have certain…

If you are considering divorce, and you are retired or near retirement, you may wonder: Can my ex-spouse claim my retirement benefits? The short answer is: Yes. In Oklahoma, courts consider any property that a spouse acquired during marriage to be marital property. If property is marital, courts divide the property equitably between the spouses. In Carpenter v. Carpenter, the Oklahoma Supreme Court held that, if a spouse worked during the marriage, the working…

If you’re faced with the task of writing a will, you may wonder if you can write a will yourself. There are a number of “do-it-yourself” (DIY) will kits you can buy online. You may be wondering: Are DIY wills legal? Are DIY wills even any good? Are DIY Wills Legal? To say that a will is “legal” means that the will is legally effective and will actually transfer your property when you die. A…

Judges look out for the best interests of the child Judges like parents to settle cases out of court Judges usually want the child to spend as much time with both parents as possible Judges want parents to cooperate with each other Judges look to see if you have certain criminal convictions, and in these cases, you won’t get custody Judges may consider the child’s preference If you have a child custody case, you’re probably…

Many people, who are not my clients, call my office, and have “a few quick questions” and want legal advice immediately. I almost never give quick, impromptu answers to legal questions from people who are not already clients. This is for the caller’s benefit, more than for mine. Here’s why: Most legal questions, that people have, touch on complex legal issues that cannot be answered without a great deal of research. Many clients, who think…