The University Crackdown on Underage and Excessive Drinking

 One of the first thing people will ask you when you choose a college or university to attend is, "Is that a party school?" or "What's the nightlife like?" It's a known fact that a large percentage of college students enjoy partying – many alumni look back fondly on their college years and all the parties they went to. But this is also precisely what frightens parents about sending their kids away and the reason for universities cracking down with rules and laws, and when you take some lawsuits into consideration, it's easy to see why.

A recent study shows that teen drinking may cause irreversible brain damage. A neuroscientist from the University of California took brain scans of teens who drink habitually and compared them to teen non-drinkers. The comparison showed that there is compromised white matter in the brains of heavy drinkers, and that this could be irreversible.

But it's not just teens that make us worry, it's overage drinkers, too. Remember the court case in which a bar fight turned into the stabbing of a 22-year-old football player in College Station? According to attorney Marshall Davis Brown Jr, the stabber was acting in defense of his friend, who was being beaten after a bar fight. Or what about the numerous college students who drink and drive each year, harming not only themselves, but innocent bystanders?

The fact that so many schools are becoming strict, or even dry, when it comes to alcohol on campus might not please the students who love to party. But the evidence is there – something needs to be done about the behaviors that stem from excessive student drinking.

Family Law: A Lucrative Field

Becoming a lawyer is a dream for many college students, but some are often deterred from pursuing family law for many reasons. Some students aren't sure that the emotional toll of dealing with cases of divorce and family violence is worth the income, while others are afraid to put themselves through so many years of expensive schooling. However, being a family lawyer is one of the more lucrative fields a person can get into, especially in this economy.

Even when the economy and job market is struggling, there will always be a need and demand for lawyers of all types. Therefore, becoming an attorney is always worth going through the schooling, despite the fact that this might not be true for other positions, especially those in the fields of arts and humanities.

Furthermore, while it is indeed not a job for the faint of heart, it's also a very rewarding one. For every case of hostile divorce, there's also a case of adoption to be dealt with, which always sends lawyers home at the end of the day with a feeling of satisfaction.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, in May of 2008, the median annual income of lawyers was $110,590. Even mid-level lawyers will earn between $75,000 and $163,000 per year – this is not to mention that hardworking lawyers like Marshall Davis Brown can easily make a big name for themselves in the field and earn even more.

Of course, it always depends on the city in which a lawyer practices, the types of clients they bring in (which is also contingent on the lawyer's reputation in the field), and how many cases the lawyer is willing to take on. Like many industries, the field of law is one that rewards the hardest workers.

It's also important to keep in mind the fact that a lawyer's salary is often correlated with his or her experience. The more years spent in the field, the more a lawyer will make.

There are many factors that go into determining what a family lawyer will make, but for the most part, it's a more stable and well-paying industry than most jobs that require degrees.

Hiring a Lawyer to Enforce Alimony Agreements

Especially in situations where children are not involved, alimony agreements are often the biggest concern for both parties during a divorce. No one wants to walk away from the marriage feeling as though they are getting robbed, and no one wants to have to worry that their former spouse will not hold up their end of the agreement. If your former spouse is not adhering to the stipulations agreed upon in court, don't feel as though you have to suffer. Marshall Davis Brown Jr is a Texas lawyer who is seasoned in fairly enforcing divorcees to pay their alimony.

There are a few things that enforcing alimony arrangements might entail. It's usually not enough to call or e-mail your former spouse to inform them that they haven't been holding up their end of the bargain; when the law has to get involved, it most certainly gets more serious. When you hire a lawyer, the two of you will decide whether you want to get a wage assignment order, which usually means that a part of the debtor's paycheck will be attributed to paying the alimony. There's also the option of getting a writ of execution, which is a court order for a sheriff to enforce the alimony agreement. The defendant could file a motion to determine arrearages, in which he or she asks the attorney to file a motion in court for them to determine the exact amount of owed alimony based on a number of factors. The offender will then be informed. The last resort is usually to have the offender found in contempt of court.

It's important to make sure that you're getting your due alimony after a divorce instead of just letting the situation go. It's easier to clean up the legal mess as it's happening rather than allowing the issues to pile up and worsen.

Enforcing Child Custody and Visitation Agreements

As much as both parties in a divorce case would like to think that things are over and done with once the divorce is finalized, that's not always the case. This is especially true when children, restraining orders, and other complicating factors come into play. Child custody issues are what often turn a clean-cut divorce into a drawn-out legal procedure, which is why enforcement is a necessary service for legal attorneys to offer.

When visitation agreements and custody rights are agreed upon in court, they become legally binding – in other words, violations can potentially be considered criminal offenses. That's why it's important for parents not to violate their rights without clearing it with the court first. Even if the other parent seems to verbally okay it at the time, you never want anything to be used against you.

If the charges are used against one of the parents, this is known as enforcement. The charges that can be pressed will vary in degrees of severity, but in extreme situations, such as the parent taking the child and leaving without notice, the offender may be charged with kidnapping or even unlawful imprisonment. Both of these offenses mean that the offender will likely do time in prison or, at the very least, will be under intense probation. In less severe cases, such as not allowing a parent to see the child during his or her designated visitation times, the parent could be fined or the visitation agreement can be altered.

If you feel that you've been unjustly accused of breaching a custody agreement, or if you need to press charges against your former spouse for the same type of offense, it's important to get a lawyer like Marshall Davis Brown Jr to help you handle it fairly. Accidents do happen, and no one should be robbed of their custody or visitation rights altogether without being able to defend themselves.

The Benefits of Co-Mediation in Divorce

The word 'divorce' invokes a lot of hostile thoughts. Most who have never gone through it assume that the process is a long and trying one, and they think that the courtroom is essentially a war zone. But thanks to co-mediation, it doesn't necessarily have to be that way.

Co-mediation in a divorce is one way that couples can find relief from the stress of the process. Instead of battling against one another to see who can walk away with the majority of the assets, the couple can instead choose to hire a mediator, like Marshall Davis Brown of TX, and go about the situation amicably. Mediators are skilled in sitting a couple down and discussing all the important issues of divorce such as assets, finances, child custody, et cetera.

The reason co-mediation works so well is because it relieves the situation of animosity and nurtures an environment in which the couple can discuss things neutrally. Rather than focusing on emotions, it tends to focus on the facts and making sure that the outcome of the divorce is as fair as possible.

Mediation is used, generally, prior to the couple ever entering a courtroom. This way, when the case finally comes before a judge, the majority of the stipulations have already been agreed upon and it is mostly paperwork that needs to be addressed. This makes the trial quicker, more painless, and less expensive.

The difference between mediation and co-mediation is that in co-mediation, there are two mediators who work together as opposed to one. This is to prevent either party from feeling as though the mediator is biased and that their side is being heard. It also helps in strategizing when it comes to reaching a compromise, as it helps to have more brainpower and creativity for coming up with a conclusion that makes everyone happy.

In many situations, the couple will find that having both a male and female mediator present helps all issues to get resolved fairly and efficiently. However, it's simply important that each party feels that their views are fairly represented to minimize conflict and move the process along more quickly.