Wishing you a Happy New Year! May 2023 be filled with new adventures & good fortune.

_{— Sandy and Cheryl}

Spotlight on Colleagues

Cheryl and Sandy were named to Maryland's 2023 Super Lawyer list. Cheryl was included on the Maryland Top 100 and Top 50 Female lists, respectively.

Cheryl and Sandy were also named to the Washingtonian's 2022 Top Lawyers list along with six other Offit Kurman attorneys.

To learn more, click here.

My Spouse is an Alcoholic. How Will This Impact My Custody Case?

By Sandy Brooks

The goal is to keep the children safe while still maintaining a relationship with their alcoholic parent. Ideally, both parents and their attorneys are on the same page with implementing safety precautions for the sake of the children.

These may include the alcoholic parent enrolling into a sobriety program and maintaining a treatment plan for sobriety through therapy, support groups, etc. Subscribing to a live-time breathalyzer like Soberlink to ensure he/she is sober while the children are in his/her care is another helpful tool.

Continue reading here >>

What is Dissipation and How Does the Court Handle It?

By Cheryl Hepfer

Under Maryland Law, and in most jurisdictions, dissipation is the expenditure of marital assets for the principal purpose of reducing the funds available for equitable distribution. It usually occurs when one spouse uses marital property for his or her own benefit for a purpose unrelated to the marriage at a time when the marriage is undergoing an "irreconcilable breakdown."' The Courts generally do not find dissipation when marital funds are used to pay attorneys' fees.

Continue reading here >>

A direct and compelling headline

Cheryl, Ben and Sandy at the annual AAML conference in Chicago. They just missed the snow storm.

Cheryl, past president of the IAFL, with past president William Longrigg from London at the IAFL meeting in Marrakech.

Sandy and the infamous Hun Sister’s at the Baltimore Symphony.

Chicken & Olive

Kick off the New Year with a fun and Chicken Recipe

1 chicken, 3 1/2 pounds, cut up
3 Tbs. olive oil
5 garlic cloves, chopped
3 yellow onions, peeled and chopped
3 cups coarsely chopped very ripe fresh tomatoes
1 jar (6 oz.) green olives, stuffed with pimientos, drained (or buy the cheaper nes called salad olives)
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1 Tbs. oregano
1 cup dry red wine

Brown the chicken in the olive oil. Use a large pan and do not try to do the whole batch at once. Remove the chicken from the pan and drain most of the oil. Sauté the garlic and onions until limp. Add the tomatoes and olives and sauté until tomatoes are soft. Add the pepper, oregano, wine and the chicken. Cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.

Serves 4

Sandra A. Brooks

sbrooks@offitkurman.com

240.507.1716

As a family law attorney, Sandra (Sandy) Brooks’ practice focuses on a wide range of aspects in regards to family law. She dedicates her time to assisting clients in domestic law matters including divorce, child custody and visitation, family mediation, spousal and child support, property division, and division of retirement benefits. Other matters that fall under her jurisdiction as a family law attorney include tax consequences of divorce, mediation, prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, negotiating and drafting of separation agreements, domestic litigation, and post-judgment proceedings. Sandy is a member of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Cheryl L. Hepfer

chepfer@offitkurman.com

240.507.1717

Cheryl Hepfer is a highly-regarded attorney who has practiced family law for more than 40 years. She has been rated by her peers and is listed in Best Lawyers in America and as a top lawyer in the Washingtonian, Bethesda Magazine, and Super Lawyers. She is past president of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Her practice consists primarily of domestic litigation involving significant assets and business interests. She has a wealth of experience in complex cases involving significant assets and property distribution, alimony, child custody and access. She has significant experience representing owners of businesses and their spouses, and those with significant assets, and works with business valuation experts and forensic accountants to maximize the benefits to her clients.

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