collaborative law

Collaborative Law | Family Law
New Hampshire’s New Child Support Guidelines
ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices August 29, 2013September 16, 2025
New Hampshire made substantial changes to the way we calculate child support in the Granite State. Generally, the way child support is calculated is to take the person owing child support’s net income and then take a percentage of that net income as child support. Traditionally, this was 25% for one child, 33% for two children, and 40% for 3 or more. With the new changes, these figures can change fairly dramatically. Here is the link to the new child support guidelines tables. As you can see, gone are the round numbers we used previously, and instead, we have more defined figures based on each parties’ income. The more you make, the less percentage is taken out of your income. The problem that was being…
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Collaborative Law | Family Law
Federal Appeals Court Rules Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Is Unconstitutional
ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices June 29, 2012September 16, 2025
The Defense of Marriage Act, also known as “DOMA”, is a federal statute that was passed in 1996. The act states that when it comes to federal laws and regulations, marriage is defined as between a man and a woman only. The effect of this law was to limit the ability of same-sex couples from receiving social security survivor benefits and prevent them from being able to file joint taxes together. The law also stated that other states do not have to recognize same-sex marriages in other states if their state did not recognize them. The ruling focused on these denials of benefits to same-sex partners and involved a type of legal analysis in constitutional cases called the “rational basis” test. This is the lowest…
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Collaborative Law | Family Law
Modifying Your Parenting Plan In New Hampshire: Case Law v. Statutes
ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices May 29, 2012September 16, 2025
In 2009, a decision was reached by the New Hampshire Supreme Court In the Matter of Muchmore and Jaycox. The decision was based on the modification of parenting plan statute, titled RSA 461-A:11. At the time Muchmore was decided, the statute provided that only a substantial change in circumstances could justify a change to the parenting plan. In Muchmore, the father petitioned for a change in the parenting plan because it was in the best interests, he posited, of the minor child. The lower Court decided that a modification was appropriate, and granted his request. Our New Hampshire Supreme Court reversed, citing a strict application of the statute. The result was frustration by legal minds around New Hampshire, as the bar to hurdle for a…
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Collaborative Law | Family Law
Collaborative Law: How The Collaborative Process May Be Right for You
ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices March 30, 2012September 16, 2025
As our main site explains, the collaborative process is most prominent in family law. In this arena, its benefits are very much amplified. Each party signs an agreement to commit to the collaborative process. This agreement includes a number of provisions that describe the commitment to the process and working out the differences without the necessity of Court involvement. The reasons these provisions are included is because the Court process can be a long, arduous, and emotionally draining ordeal. Parties that wish to work with legal, financial, and psychological professionals can utilize the central tenets that serve the backbone of collaborative law. The financial advisor is a third party, selected jointly by the parties and their attorneys, who has training both in the collaborative process…
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Collaborative Law | Family Law
The New Hampshire Family Division’s New Mandatory Disclosure Rules: How To Find and Understand The New Requirements
ByParnell, Michels & McKay Law Offices February 22, 2012September 16, 2025
In every family case involving divorce, parenting, annulment, civil unions, and more, the Court is now requiring each party to disclose documentation to the other party. The documentation includes tax returns, pay stubs, and health insurance information among other general financial documentation. Yet, the important part of these new rules is that they are mandatory. If you do not disclose, then you will face penalties. A party might not be able to offer any document into evidence, or even talk about that evidence at trial if the document was required under the new rule. A party may not even be able to conduct additional discovery (information/document requests) or file any discovery motions seeking information if they did not comply with the rule. What does this…
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