A Dad's Fight for Free Speech

A messy divorce and custody battle in Doylestown has been making headlines recently but probably not for the reasons you think. Anthony Morelli has come under fire for a blog he created in 2007. The name of the blog... psychoexwife.com. This blog, which Morelli claims to have created simply

to discuss his divorce and custody battles with others who have gone through or are going through the same thing, was shut down by Family Court Judge Diane Gibbons, stating that the contents of the website have surpassed Morelli's original intention and reached the level of cruelty. Morelli and his attorneys believe Gibbons's ruling is a violation of his free speech and have decided to appeal the decision. This case has raised a lot of questions about freedom of speech, and the superior court's decision is sure to be highly anticipated. This certainly won't be the last we hear of the blogging divorc�.

Egging On the Judge

Obviously divorce and child custody cases can be messy, but one child support hearing in Palm Springs proved just a bit messier than usual - literally. Agim Demiri, a forty-one year old from Naperville, was in court when he lost his cool with the judge and actually through an egg at the judge. While egging the judge on may make an impression on the judge, it will most likely not make a good one. In fact, Demiri's antics landed him in jail for direct criminal contempt for seven days. He is due back in court after that time. Hopefully he learned his lesson and will eat breakfast before court next time.

Writing a will is probably the last thing you want to think about, but it may be one of the most important things you do.  Here are five reasons why you should consider meeting with an estate-planning profession to create a will.

1. If you have minor children at home, you'll probably want to name a guardian to take care of them in the unlikely event of your passing.  Obviously, the situation would be hard enough on your children without the uncertainty of who will take care of them.
2. Decide who you will entrust with your assets and most prized possessions after your death.  A will prevents the state from having to apportion your assets and eliminates any arguments about your possessions.
3. Choose someone you trust to be your executor.  If you do not have a will, the state will choose someone to take care of your estate.
4. Having a will can save your heirs some money.  If you don't have a will, your heirs may be subject to fees and legal costs that could substantially decrease the value of your estate,
5. Perhaps most importantly, creating a will can help to avoid controversy.  Emotions are high after a loved one's death, and the last thing you want is for your loved ones to be arguing about who gets to keep your most precious items. 

Although you probably don't want to think about writing a will now, your family and friends will appreciate your decision to go to a professional and create a will.