Citrus and Avocado Salad
Ingredients
• 1 blood, cara cara, or navel orange, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded • 1 Meyer or regular lemon, sliced 1/8-inch thick and deseeded • 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided • 1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice • 1 bunch arugula • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves • 1 avocado, cut into wedges • Salt and pepper, to taste
What We Can Learn From Fictional Attorneys
Don’t Let Movie Lawyers Write Your Separation Agreement
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 F. 2. In a rimmed baking sheet, toss citrus slices with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast citrus until lightly charred and caramelized, about 10–15 minutes. Let cool. 3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine onion and lemon juice. Season with salt and let sit for 5 minutes. 4. Add citrus, arugula, and mint to onion mixture. Drizzle with remaining oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, and toss thoroughly. 5. Add avocado, combing very gently to not crush avocado.
The only knowledge many people have about lawyers concerns the ones they’ve encountered in movies. When people approach anything in the legal field, they often draw upon iconic TV attorneys, like the serious and socially conscious Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” and Lt. Daniel Kaffee in “A Few Good Men,” or the more playful but still effective attorney Elle Woods in “Legally Blonde” and Fletcher Reede in “Liar Liar.” While these fictional lawyers are definitely entertaining, the promises they make to the clients and the claims they make in the courtroom shouldn’t be taken literally — in fact, they are often as fictional as the characters themselves. One of the most commonly used, but entirely false, phrases uttered by movie lawyers has to do with marital assets during a divorce. You’ve probably heard the line, “You’re entitled to half of what he or she has,” countless times. In real life, this threat is often used by spouses who either didn’t see a separation coming or who have not yet consulted with a family law attorney about their recent separation. To the layperson, this idea of a straight-down-the-middle division of marital property makes sense and probably seems fair, but in the state of South Carolina, the process is a bit different. South Carolina is what is called an “equitable division” state rather than a “community property” state. States that allocate assets according to community property ensure that everything accumulated during the marriage will be jointly split between both spouses following a divorce. Equitable division, though based on the antiquated notion that the husband is the “breadwinner” in the marriage, is often more favorable for both parties. One of the factors that our state court system takes into account is the initial basis for the divorce. For example, if your spouse committed adultery, they might end up paying for it when it comes to the division of the assets. The court will also look at the duration of your marriage, your earning capacity, the nonmarital property you may have, any vested retirement benefits, and whether you have also been awarded alimony. If you or someone you know is attempting to negotiate their divorce agreement alone, don’t let them fall prey to the advice touted by movie lawyers. Have them give our office a call today!
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