Custody and parenting plans are meant to give children stability, but life can change after a divorce, paternity case, or prior custody order. In Nebraska, a parent asking to modify custody generally must prove a material change in circumstances and show that the requested change is in the child’s best interests. This article explains what that standard means, how Nebraska courts look at issues like co-parenting conflict, school attendance, medical care, alcohol concerns, and joint custody problems, and why documented patterns often matter more than isolated disagreements. It also discusses the unpublished Nebraska Court of Appeals memorandum opinion in Dibbern v. Dibbern as a practical example of how a fact-specific modification dispute can be analyzed.

Is it normal to feel excited about your divorce? For a lot of people, yes — and quietly worrying that something is wrong with you for feeling lighter is one of the most common (and least talked about) parts of the process. In this post, a Nebraska family lawyer and Parenting Act mediator with thirteen years of practice walks through why relief and grief so often coexist, what Nebraska's no-fault dissolution framework actually requires, how to handle strong feelings during a pending case so they don't accidentally hurt your custody or finances, and what to do if your honest reaction is closer to grief than to celebration.

Many parents enter a custody case asking how to “win.” But in Nebraska family court, the better question is what kind of parenting arrangement actually protects the child. This article explains what Nebraska judges consider in custody cases, how the best-interests standard works, what parenting plans should include, when mediation matters, and why the strongest custody strategy is usually the one that keeps children out of adult conflict while still taking real safety concerns seriously.

Divorce can make it feel necessary to prove, over and over again, that your ex was the problem. But in Nebraska, divorce is generally not about proving fault. This post explains why building an emotional case against your ex can increase conflict, distract from the legal issues that matter, and make the process harder than it needs to be. It also explains when a spouse’s conduct may still matter, especially in cases involving children, safety, finances, or credibility, and how to focus your energy on protecting your future instead of relitigating the past.

In Nebraska, a district court judge has the final say on child custody — but the Parenting Act gives parents real room to help shape a plan that fits their children. A Nebraska family lawyer explains what "best interests of the child" really means, the difference between legal and physical custody, when mediation works (and when it doesn't), and how to build a parenting plan a Nebraska court will approve.

Wondering what a divorce actually costs in Nebraska? The honest answer is that the price tag has less to do with the legal standard for ending a marriage and everything to do with how much disagreement exists over property, parenting, and support. This plain-English guide walks through the Nebraska statutes that govern timing, mediation, equitable division, and child support; explains why contested cases cost so much more than uncontested ones; and lays out practical ways Nebraska clients keep their legal fees under control — without the fearmongering you see in most legal content online.

Before you make major decisions about a Nebraska divorce, there is one step that protects you more than any document checklist or consultation call: writing down your three non-negotiables. They are the specific outcomes that, if lost, would make the divorce feel like a failure — no matter what the decree says on paper. Here is how they work under Nebraska's equitable-distribution and best-interests rules, why three is the right number, and how to use them to prepare for your first meeting with a family law attorney.

Can a Nebraska court refuse to terminate parental rights even after serious misconduct? Yes, and the answer is more nuanced than many parents expect. In this Nebraska family law update, we break down Dunham v. Dunham and explain why the Court of Appeals affirmed dismissal of a petition to terminate parental rights despite serious facts in the record. The article walks through what Nebraska law actually requires, how best interests differs from statutory grounds, how incarceration fits into the analysis, and why termination is treated as an extraordinary remedy rather than a default solution in every difficult custody case.

When your ex is struggling with mental illness, co-parenting can feel like walking a tightrope between protecting your child and protecting a person you once loved. In this post, I walk through what Nebraska law actually says about custody and mental health, why running straight to court often makes things worse, and how thoughtful, collaborative planning — not courtroom combat — tends to produce the best outcomes for kids and families. Plus a practical FAQ for the questions Nebraska parents are really asking.

When my own marriage ended, it took my ex-spouse and me more than three years of hard, humbling work to learn how to communicate and co-parent in a way that actually served our daughter. Today we are friends. As a Nebraska family law attorney who has sat on both sides of the table, I wrote this honest guide for parents in the middle of a divorce — what Nebraska law actually asks of you, why marriages really fall apart, and the small habits that move co-parents from courtroom adversaries to functional partners.

Not every co-parenting disagreement belongs in court. This Nebraska guide explains when a parenting conflict is a real legal issue, when mediation may be the better tool, and what parents should gather before filing.

When Nebraska parents share joint legal custody, disagreements about school, medical care, counseling, and extracurricular activities can turn into ongoing deadlocks. This post explains when those conflicts may justify modifying a parenting plan, what Nebraska courts actually look at, and how a recent Nebraska Court of Appeals decision shows judges can create practical tie-breaking rules without automatically ending joint custody.  

A Nebraska divorce judge is usually deciding specific legal issues, not listening to every detail of the marriage. This article explains what really matters, why hearings can feel so short, and how to prepare in a way that helps your case.

What does Grey’s Anatomy get wrong about divorce in Nebraska? Quite a bit. This post breaks down how Nebraska divorce really works, including the 60-day waiting period, no-fault rules, custody, parenting plans, and alimony, in plain English for real people facing real decisions

What you post online can affect your custody case more than you think. This Nebraska-focused guide explains how social media may be used in family court, what mistakes to avoid, and how parents can protect both their case and their child.

In Nebraska divorce, custody, and paternity cases, mediation is often the better first step because it gives families more control over parenting plans, schedules, and practical solutions than a judge can usually provide at trial. This article explains when mediation is usually required under the Nebraska Parenting Act, when trial is still necessary, and how to tell which path makes the most sense for your case.

If you’ve caught yourself wondering, “Why does my divorce suddenly feel more intense or chaotic?” you’re not alone. I hear that question from Nebraska clients all the time, sometimes half-jokingly framed as, “Is Mercury retrograde or something?” While Mercury retrograde is a real astronomical phenomenon (it only appears to move backward from Earth’s perspective), it isn’t rewriting Nebraska divorce law. What’s usually happening is far more practical: divorce compresses financial decisions, parenting logistics, legal deadlines, and emotional stress into the same period of time, and communication between spouses or co-parents can start to spiral quickly. In Nebraska custody disputes, courts focus on the child’s best interests, and the way parents communicate and handle conflict can matter more than the conflict itself. This post explains why divorce can suddenly feel chaotic, what Nebraska courts actually look for in custody and parenting disputes, and how to avoid the communication traps that can turn small issues into bigger legal problems.

Most Nebraska divorce “disasters” aren’t intentional. They usually happen when someone panics, vents in writing, or treats the case like a war instead of a problem to solve. In Nebraska District Court, the judge isn’t there to decide who was the “better” spouse. The court is focused on two things: a child-centered parenting plan under the Nebraska Parenting Act, and a fair division of property and debt. This guide walks through the biggest avoidable mistakes that make divorces longer, more expensive, and harder on kids—like putting children in the middle, assuming Nebraska is automatically “50/50,” creating a bad text or social media trail, and slow-walking financial disclosure. If you’re trying to protect your kids, your finances, and your future, the goal is simple: stay steady, stay organized, and don’t create evidence you’ll regret later

Nebraska custody cases aren’t decided by who “deserves” more time or whether 50/50 sounds fair. They’re decided by one thing: the best interests of the child under the Nebraska Parenting Act. This guide breaks down what judges actually consider under Neb. Rev. Stat. § 43-2923, why teens don’t simply “choose” where to live, why Nebraska’s age of majority is 19, and when a material change in circumstances may justify modifying a parenting plan.

Raising a teen after divorce is hard enough. This Nebraska-focused guide explains how to reduce conflict, support your teen’s mental health, and know when it’s time to modify a parenting plan.