Pets are property under the law, but try telling that to a couple fighting over who keeps the dog. Attorney Maggie Brister of New Mexico Legal Group unpacks why pet custody disputes can get messier than child custody cases, including a divorce that stalled for months over a 50-year marriage, a Great Dane, and a Shih Tzu, and a case where a husband withheld his ex-wife's service animal for six months during mediation. Brister explains why New Mexico law treats every animal, from horses to bearded dragons, as chattel rather than a family member, and why judges have little patience for couples who file motions over pets while more urgent cases involving children wait. The conversation covers a particularly bizarre case involving a beloved bearded dragon, its cremated remains, and a secret one spouse kept from her own attorney for eighteen months, along with the negotiating tactics some spouses and attorneys use to weaponize pets for leverage during a divorce and why doing so tends to backfire in front of a judge. Brister closes with the reminder that keeping a bonded pair of dogs together, or simply letting go, often matters more than winning the fight.

Not all cheating looks the same, and in divorce, the financial kind can be just as damaging as an affair. Attorney Laura McClure of Colorado Legal Group, who specializes in representing survivors of domestic violence, joins the show to break down what actually counts as cheating, from emotional affairs to spouses who hide assets or spend down marital funds before a divorce is even filed. She explains why most states are no fault, meaning an affair alone will not sway how property gets divided, but how a marital waste argument can still be used to claw back money spent on an affair partner. The conversation covers how spouses uncover financial deception through discovery and forensic accountants, how a controlling or narcissistic spouse can weaponize the court system itself, and how to recognize an attorney who is equipped to handle domestic violence cases. McClure closes with a case that shows how a client who once feared she was the abuser ended up fully protected once the full picture came out and a reminder that even when police involvement leads nowhere, options like a civil protection order still exist.

Attorneys are held to a strict ethical code, but that does not mean they always follow it. Attorney Cynthia Payne, Executive Vice President of US Legal Groups, joins the show to unpack why it took until 2002 for the American Bar Association to formally address whether attorneys can have sexual relationships with clients, and why the power imbalance in that dynamic makes consent far more complicated than it appears. Payne walks through real cases from her decades in the profession, including an attorney whose relationship with a client on a murder case led to a vacated conviction, a case involving a client who felt coerced into a relationship with her own divorce attorney, and an especially extreme case of an attorney who bribed witnesses, revealed client confidences in court filings, and was ultimately disbarred after shooting someone in his office. The conversation also turns to judges who abused their positions, from arrests involving drugs and domestic violence to one particularly bizarre courtroom scandal, and to the gender dynamics Payne has witnessed firsthand across thirty years of practice, including moments early in her career when jurors commented on her appearance rather than her performance. Payne closes with guidance for anyone who feels taken advantage of by their attorney, including how to seek a second opinion, file a disciplinary complaint, and exercise the right to fire an attorney at any time, even mid case.

When a child's paternity comes into question, the legal outcome often has little to do with biology. Attorney Meagan Spomer, managing partner at Nebraska Legal Group and a fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, joins the show to break down how paternity works differently depending on whether the parents are married. She explains the legal presumption that attaches automatically when a husband is married to the child's mother, why that presumption is difficult to overturn even with proof otherwise, and how the "acknowledgment of paternity" signed at the hospital creates the same binding effect for unmarried fathers. Spomer walks through the fraud or material mistake of fact standard required to challenge paternity after the fact, the four year statute of limitations for establishing paternity, and why courts weigh a child's best interest and existing bond over strict biology when deciding whether to set a paternity finding aside. The conversation also covers real cases from her time in child support enforcement, including one involving identical twin brothers and a genetic test that couldn't settle the matter. Spomer closes with practical advice for anyone facing a paternity question, particularly around the risks of signing an acknowledgment of paternity before knowing the full picture.

Divorce meltdowns aren't just dramatic moments. They can derail a case and upend a family's future before it ever reaches court. Family law and criminal law attorney Mark Pustay, managing attorney at New Mexico Legal Group, breaks down what a divorce meltdown really looks like, including a case where escalating conflict literally ended in a house fire. He explains why continuing to live under the same roof during a divorce often intensifies conflict rather than easing it, and why a single police call, text message, or social media post can end up shaping a case in ways spouses never anticipated. The conversation covers the warning signs spouses and attorneys should watch for, how digital evidence holds up even after posts are deleted, and the everyday choices, from staying calm with law enforcement to being deliberate about communication, that can protect someone's case from the very start.

Parental alienation isn't just a buzzword. It's a real problem that can completely change the dynamics of a family going through divorce. Family law attorney and divorce mediator Adam Little discusses what parental alienation looks like, why it can be so difficult for courts to distinguish from ordinary family conflict, and what can happen when allegations get out of hand. Together, they examine the warning signs attorneys and parents should recognize, the role of expert witnesses and child advocates, and the evidence that can strengthen or undermine a case. Their conversation explores the legal, emotional, and practical realities behind these high-stakes custody disputes, along with the difficult decisions courts face when a child's best interests are at stake.

BONUS - VIDEO TRAILER

Confessions of a Divorce Assassin pulls back the curtain on divorce. The stories no one talks about and the decisions that change everything. Hosted by CEO of US Legal Groups, David Crum, Esq., the podcast features real divorce stories alongside conversations with attorneys who aren’t afraid to share their perspective on what actually happens inside a case. From legal strategy to client dynamics and the human cost of divorce, each episode delivers insight, honesty, and perspective for both the public and the attorneys who serve them.

Confessions of a Divorce Assassin pulls back the curtain on divorce. The stories no one talks about and the decisions that change everything. Hosted by CEO of US Legal Groups, David Crum, Esq., the podcast features real divorce stories alongside conversations with attorneys who aren’t afraid to share their perspective on what actually happens inside a case. From legal strategy to client dynamics and the human cost of divorce, each episode delivers insight, honesty, and perspective for both the public and the attorneys who serve them.

Watch the video trailer: https://youtu.be/oEyVZZISXVw