Resources & Recommended Readings

The COVID-19 public health crisis has upended the lives of people around the world, leaving many couples with the desire to “social distance” from their spouse. Here are some top FAQs to divorce cases during the COVID era.

Estate planning is an often overlooked element of financial wellness. Over half of Americans – 56% in fact – do not have an up-to-date estate plan.

As the COVID-19 public health crisis continues to impact the nation, many are looking for information—and a peace of mind—to put some basic estate planning protections in place. Here are the answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.

At Gevurtz Menashe, we believe one of the best gifts you could leave your beneficiaries is an organized estate plan. Besides ensuring your wishes will be carried out, in a way you feel good about, it can relieve your loved ones of the tremendous stress of trying to decide what you would have wanted. We’ve created this personal ‘beyond the planning’ checklist to help you stay organized and effectively communicate your plan with your loved ones.

Estate planning is an often overlooked element of financial wellness. Over half of Americans – 56% in fact – do not have an up-to-date estate plan. At Gevurtz Menashe, we believe one of the best gifts you could leave your beneficiaries is an organized estate plan. Besides ensuring your wishes will be carried out, in a way you feel good about, it can relieve your loved ones of the tremendous stress of trying to decide what you would have wanted. 

As one of the founding partners of Gevurtz Menashe, we are fortunate to have learned a great deal from Rom Gevurtz through his wisdom, professionalism and sense of humor. His legacy to this firm and the practice of family law inspires us to remain deeply committed to the needs of our clients with compassion, patience, and understanding.
 
“At the request of the lawyers in our firm, I have prepared this pamphlet, which is a collection of my thoughts about divorce, divorce clients and their lawyers over my 40 years of practicing in family law. Although there are numerous other family law issues, this brochure deals only with divorce.”
--Ron Gevurtz, Retired Co-Founder
 

This booklet contains practical information for parents and other adults caring for children in Oregon. We hope it will provide you with some basic, helpful legal information. The issues addressed are common legal issues faced by parents and other adults in raising children in Oregon. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding any particular case or issue, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney. 
 

Family Law Brochure

Families come to Gevurtz Menashe at pivotal moments in their lives. They may be hurting, distraught, anxious or angry. Whether they’re separating, remarrying, welcoming a new life, or seeking counsel in other family matters, it’s critical to have an advocate who understands the intricacies of the law and knows how to communicate their interests. When the dust settles, clients want the best possible outcome—and this is exactly what Gevurtz Menashe provides. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding any particular case or issue, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney. 

Estate Planning Brochure

When it comes to the end-of-life decisions, we believe it’s important to prepare. Our clients have a lifetime to sift through, and are often unsure about how to protect or pass on what they’ve built. They deserve the peace of mind that comes from knowing their legacy will endure. Through planning, maintenance and administration, it’s our goal at Gevurtz Menashe to create a plan that best protects your legacy. The law provides for many options when it comes to entrusting your life’s work, and we’re here to help guide you to the best course of action.This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding any particular case or issue, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney. 

Collaborative Law Brochure

Collaborative law is a relatively new and innovative method of dispute resolution in which the attorneys and the parties work collaboratively to achieve an outcome that is fair and acceptable to both parties. Unlike traditional litigation, parties agree to work collaboratively to control the process and make final decisions together, without litigation. Although the collaborative law method is not for all cases, several of our attorneys are qualified to act as collaborative attorneys for those clients who are looking to for an alternative to the traditional litigation model. This information is not intended to be legal advice regarding any particular case or issue, and it is not intended to replace the work of an attorney. 
 

Mom’s House, Dad’s House for Kids is packed with practical tips, frank answers, easy-to-use lists, “train your brain” ideas, reproducible worksheets, and things to try when words just won’t come out right. Kids will learn how to:
 
· Deal with parents living apart, schedules, and dueling house rules
· Settle comfortably in one home or two
· Stay out of the “miserable middle” when parents fight
· Manage stress, guilt, change, fear, and other feelings
· Stay connected with parents, relatives, and the “right” friends
· Appreciate the gifts (and deal with the gripes) of their new version of family
· Feel better FAST!
 
Kids can’t get their parents back together, but they can help themselves get stronger and go on to succeed in life. This book shows them how.

What is the real legacy of divorce? To answer this question, Constance Ahrons, Ph.D., interviewed one hundred and seventy-three grown children whose divorcing parents she had interviewed twenty years earlier for her landmark study, the basis of which was the highly acclaimed book The Good Divorce. What she has learned is both heartening and significant.

Challenging the stereotype that children of divorce are emotionally troubled, drug abusing, academically challenged, and otherwise failing, Dr. Ahrons reveals that most children can and do adapt, and that many even thrive in the face of family change.

This ring-to-altar guide is a valentine to anyone who's dating, contemplating marriage, living with someone, or engaged.

The Good Karma Divorce is that rare guidebook that offers a concrete path to transforming painful experience into positive action. Family Judge Michele Lowrance, who experienced her parents’ divorce and two of her own, has developed what Karen Mathis, past president of the American Bar Association, describes as an “inspired and uplifting alternative to the agonizing divorce process.” Over the past four years, Judge Lowrance has seen literally one hundred percent of divorcing couples who applied the practices described in The Good Karma Divorce avoid trial. Firmly entrenched in real-world applicability, The Good Karma Divorce is a must-read not only for people in any phase of a divorce, but for psychologists, psychiatrists, attorneys, judges, and social workers, as well.

You may be winning the battle in court, but losing the war at home, saddened at the wounds your children bear as a result of this conflict. But because you are willing to do anything to help your children thrive, you can learn to build a parenting partnership with your former mate in spite of the history between you.
 
The Co-Parenting Survival Guide shows you how to avoid the hot spots and the common traps of hostility, inflexibility, and constant squabbling, and develop skills to sustain a co-parenting partnership based on love and concern for your children, so they can best benefit from two parents living separately but working together.

Ever since Mark and Evan's parents' divorce their lives and schedules have been scrambled leaving them feeling confused, frustrated, and even a little angry with their parents for getting a divorce. But with time, effort and the assistance of their parents and Mark's fourth grade teacher, the boys get a little more organized and start to come to terms with their parents' divorce. This uplifting story of shared custody offers hope to those in a similar situation. Perfect for teachers, counselors, and families of the elementary school aged child.

A clear-sighted, accessible look at the teenage mind, from a new perspective. What should I do when I find out that my 12-year-old daughter is having sex? What can I do when I find marijuana in my son's backpack and he tells me it's not an addictive drug? How should I react to my daughter piercing her tongue? Why is my child an underachiever? Anyone who interacts with adolescents-including parents, teachers, clinicians, social workers, and police-will benefit from reading Teen Brain, Teen Mind. Written by renowned psychologist Dr. Ron Clavier, Teen Brain, Teen Mind examines the neurological changes in the brain that underlie many of the emotions of young people.

There is nothing easy about the breakup of a marriage, from coping with loss and failure to dealing with the uncertainty of the future. In this intelligent and insightful book, Abigail Trafford charts this emotional journey, identifying the common phases in the evolution from marriage to separation to divorce and eventually to a new life.
Based upon her personal experience, extensive research, and interviews with hundreds of divorced men and women, Trafford offers individuals a better understanding of their own experiences and the message that they are not alone in their pain and confusion. Crazy Time is also an investment in the future—Trafford reveals the telltale signs of a marriage in crisis and discusses what determines whether a relationship will survive over time.
This revised edition includes the most up-to-date research on the effects of divorce in adults' and children's lives, addresses the special challenges of becoming single again in the age of the Internet, and broadens the experience of divorce to include the breakup of all committed relationships. For anyone who has divorced, or is considering taking that step, Crazy Time offers a sense of hope and confidence that this transition is not only an ending but can also be a valuable beginning.

A lawyer and a psychologist offer a groundbreaking divorce strategy that protects both your finances and your family. From your first thought of divorce through the final paperwork, Your Divorce Advisor takes you step by step toward a divorce that dissolves the marriage but not your dignity, your sense of family, or your financial security. Whether you hire a lawyer or a mediator, or do it yourself, this practical, direct, and empowering guide offers you the wise counsel you need for both the legal and the emotional processes of ending your marriage.

An internationally renowned authority on children and divorce reveals the latest research-based strategies for helping children survive and thrive before, during, and long after their parents divorce.

“It is almost always in your children’s best interest to settle a case—with or without mediation—rather than to litigate in court,” said Judge Stewart. His book fully, clearly, and concisely explains the process of court child custody litigation. It shows how custody decisions are made, what can be expected at each stage of the process, and how parents can insure that their abilities are clearly presented to persons with influence over the custody decision. It is intended to eliminate surprises that could lead to costly mistakes along the way. Parents who settle custody disputes out of court will not only save tens of thousands of dollars, but will have avoided the rancor and hostility of a custody trial that makes future cooperation in raising the children almost impossible. With help from a capable and experienced attorney, this book will allow the reader to present her/his case for custody in its best possible light. A must-read for divorcing parents, custody evaluators, family psychologists, and marriage and family therapists.