Category Archives: Family Law
Beware of the “Quick Question”
I you provide professional services, you should add the words “quick question” to your e-mail configuration settings and send those messages straight to the spam folder. Case in point from today: RE: Quick Question Hello Andreas, my German husband and … Continue reading
AllExperts is dead
Quite a number of readers have come to this blog through AllExperts, where I have been answering questions on German law for a decade. With more than a thousand thoroughly answered questions, my profile there was a great source of … Continue reading
10 FAQ on Getting Married in Germany – updated 2023
As part of my very popular series of legal FAQ, I now address a subject which I am personally completely opposed to: How to get married in Germany? My personal advice would be not to do it. Don’t throw away freedom like that! … Continue reading
If you insist on free advice, you will get it
You might think I am stupid because I give heaps of legal advice for free in my FAQ. I could earn millions by charging for this service. But I am a nice guy, and it makes my heart warm and fuzzy when I can … Continue reading
Advice on litigating a child custody case in Germany
I received this question about child custody in Germany and some related matters: Hello,I am an American living abroad in Germany. 5 months ago I married an Estonian man and gave birth to our daughter. Due to a series of unfortunate … Continue reading
Why it’s important to get the best divorce lawyer
Note that I wrote “best”, not “most expensive”, because these two do not always coincide. How do you find the best lawyer? Luckily, there is my 10-step guide. (Thanks to @littlewisehen for the photo.)
The Truth about Divorce Statistics
There are plenty of figures, numbers and statistics about marriage and divorce, some of them even more conflicting than an arguing couple. To know the truth, you only need to know these two statistics about divorce: The divorce rate would … Continue reading
When the US Supreme Court sounds like a cheesy romance novel
Justice Anthony Kennedy’s final passage in the majority opinion for the US Supreme Court in Obergefell v Hodges, in which the Court mandated all 50 US states to allow same-sex marriage. A bit too cheesy for my taste, but I welcome … Continue reading
German Law on Having Babies
Last night, I received this e-mail: A married but separated woman asked if German law allows her husband to have babies with another woman while they aren’t yet divorced. Because this question comes up regularly, let me answer it once and for all: … Continue reading
Europe, still divided
Twenty-five years after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the Iron Curtain, Europe has grown together. Countries which didn’t even exist as independent states back then are now member states of EU and NATO. The European Union reaches all the … Continue reading
The Happy Hermit 