At John M. Totten, P.C., we know that nothing is more important to a parent in a divorce than the wellbeing of their child. Most parents’ number one concern is spending as much time with their child as possible. The truth is that following a divorce, everyone’s lifestyle changes dramatically. No one will get to see their child every single day like before - but you can work to spend as much time with them as Read More

Whether or not you have been through a divorce personally, helping a friend through one is always a unique experience. If you are close friends with someone who is going through a divorce, it is important to be there for them and take your responsibility seriously. Here are 7 ways you can help a friend who is going through a divorce: Help Them Find a Place To Stay The most immediate concern during a divorce is Read More

Every job’s first priority should be the safety of their employees. Unfortunately, we know that is not always the case. When you feel your working environment is unsafe, it is very important to raise those concerns to others. Even though it can be difficult to speak up, it is always better to protect yourself and those around you than to suffer an injury on the job. Unsafe working conditions can come in many Read More

Riding a motorcycle around the North Alabama countryside is one of the most thrilling and wonderful things anyone can do. The land is beautiful, the ride is smooth, and with the wind at your back, nothing can slow you down. If only it wasn’t so dangerous. It is a sad fact that motorcyclists are much more likely to get injured in an accident than car drivers. The Insurance Information Institute reported that in Read More

For most of America, this back-to-school season will be unlike any other. The majority of children will be going back to school in person this fall, after spending close to two years learning virtually. Some children may even be attending school in person for the first time ever after entering school during the pandemic. For divorced parents, the shift may be even more stark. The pandemic has allowed a lot of Read More

It is Alabama state law that all drivers must have valid and current auto insurance. Unfortunately, as anyone who has driven in the fast lane on an Alabama highway can attest to, not everyone follows the law all the time. In fact, a 2019 survey found that one in every five Alabama drivers lacks insurance, making us the seventh-worst state in the nation for insured drivers. The point of auto insurance is to protect Read More

Summer in Alabama is hot, long, and exciting. For kids, it can be the ultimate good time: staying up later, playing outside, no homework to speak of. For parents - especially divorced parents - it can be a much more difficult season. Some parents are only used to having their kids every other weekend, and over the summer they will have them for two week stretches at a time. When kids have been cooped up inside for Read More

Here’s one often overlooked challenge of getting a divorce: everyone has something to say about it. While you may be going through one of the most tumultuous and vulnerable times of your entire life, everyone else loves to pop up and tell you how they never liked your spouse to begin with and how you filed with the wrong lawyer and what happened with their aunt’s divorce a decade ago. To help you tune out the Read More

Most animals are cute, cuddly, and kind to others. Some are not. Anyone who has been bitten by an animal - most commonly dogs, a more regular occurrence than you might expect - knows how harrowing of a process it can be. You have to get medical attention and often receive stitches. You have to take time off of work to heal. Sometimes the animal is infected and you run the risk of disease. That medical attention Read More

Legally speaking, there are two kinds of divorce in Alabama: contested and uncontested. Contested divorce is probably what comes to mind when you hear the word “divorce.” It involves two spouses, each represented by their attorneys, arguing their side in front of a Judge who ultimately rules about how much money each spouse gets and who gets to keep the kids during the week. Contested divorce is every newlywed Read More