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A Boy Named Sue: There’s No Law Against S****Y Parenting in Mobile, AL

mycasewebsites2 • March 25, 2015

My Mother listened to a lot of country music during the course of my childhood in rural Morgan County. I remember seeing Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn at the Von Braun Civic Center in Huntsville, Alabama as a wee child.

I vividly remember listening to and learning the lyrics for “A Boy Named Sue.” You know the song. “My Daddy left home when I was three. He didn’t leave much for my Maw and me; just this old guitar and an empty bottle of booze. Now I don’t blame him cause he run and hid, but the meanest thing that he ever did, was before he left, he went and named me Sue.”

I thought that song was hilarious. The song tracks a fatherless child who has to fight his way through life. He swears to take revenge on his “Daddy” and finally finds him in a saloon. There’s a fight and a reconciliation of sorts.  Here’s a video of Johnny Cash singing the classic country song:   http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xp5gwi_johnny-cash-a-boy-named-sue-live-at-san-quentin-jail-1969_music

Sue comes to realize that, even though his Daddy wasn’t even a good father, he did at least one thing with the intention of helping Sue survive and grow strong.

In my line of work, I come into contact with a wide range of parents and parenting skills. In client interviews, I regularly hear complaints of custodial parents regarding non-custodial parents who refuse to spend time with their children.

For those of us who’ve had to fight to see our kids, it boggles the mind that there are those out there who prefer not to do so.  Note here, my ex and I have worked out the visitation issues and nothing here is meant as a jab at her.

Clients want to know what they can do.  In a technical sense, if the non-custodial parent isn’t exercising visitation, it could be construed as contempt and you could take them back to court; but do you really want to drag the kids through that mess again?  I regularly have to advise folks that there is no law against being a s*****y parent.  As long as the child support is coming in and the parent isn’t harming the child, there’s not much to be done unless you have time, money and heartache to burn.

That being said, if your ex is constantly violating the terms of your divorce decree, give me a call.  I will give you the straight poop on whether their in contempt, or just full of it.

Ron McBay, 251-445-0891.  You can email me at ron@mcbaylaw.com.

Love is a Battlefield-VA Disability Payments in Divorce

By mycasewebsites2 • August 29, 2018
Mobile, Alabama has its fair share of military service members, veterans, and retirees. Sometimes, those folks get divorced. When they do, the military spouse’s military retirement is subject to equitable division by the Court. Either the parties agree on the division of military retirement or the Court divides it. In any event, the non-military spouse […] The post Love is a Battlefield-VA Disability Payments in Divorce appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Making Up Is Hard to Do

By mycasewebsites2 • April 24, 2018
Thankfully, I’ve recently had a spate of couples who have decided to try and make their marriages work after filing a divorce. In a couple of instances, even after a great deal of fighting and legal wrangling, I’ve had clients lay down their swords and engage in reconciliation. I love it when that happens. In […] The post Making Up Is Hard to Do appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

What’s Different about McBay Law?

By mycasewebsites2 • September 5, 2017
I grew up watching Sesame Street. I loved Oscar and the Cookie Monster. One of my favorite regular skits was the “One of These Things is Not Like the Other.” I loved picking out the thing that was different. Of course, there were only ever four “things,” so choosing what was different was relatively easy. […] The post What’s Different about McBay Law? appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Free Milk and a Cow: Common Law Marriage

By mycasewebsites2 • July 6, 2017
More than 30 years ago, the Georgia Satellites released a song about a marriage ultimatum: “Keep Your Hands to Yourself.” The lyrics document the struggle between the singer and his lover over the terms of their relationship. We don’t know how that story ends; whether the couple married or split up. The song came to […] The post Free Milk and a Cow: Common Law Marriage appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Step-Parents and Custody Fights

By mycasewebsites2 • June 6, 2017
For those of you reading my blog for the first time, I am a divorce and family law attorney who is divorced, has children, has remarried, and has another child in my current, and final marriage. Confused? Don’t be. I often write from the perspective of a Dad who has children for whom I have […] The post Step-Parents and Custody Fights appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Testimony in Divorce Cases: Don’t Monologue

By mycasewebsites2 • March 30, 2017
If you have children, you’ve probably seen The Incredibles. I’ve seen it a MILLION times. One of my favorite scenes is the one in which Syndrome, who has Mr. Incredible in a seemingly inescapable situation, realizes that he is monologuing. Of course, monologuing is a common theme in all sorts of hero/villain movies. The hero is […] The post Testimony in Divorce Cases: Don’t Monologue appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Common Law Marriage Requires Regular Divorce

By mycasewebsites2 • March 22, 2017
Recent Events in Divorce and Family Law If you live in Alabama, you may know someone who has a common-law husband or wife. While only a few states recognize marriages with the absence of an official license, Alabama is no longer one of them. Before January 1, 2017, you could have avoided the ceremony, the […] The post Common Law Marriage Requires Regular Divorce appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

Waiting for the End of Time: Divorce in Mobile, Alabama

By mycasewebsites2 • December 30, 2016
As a child of the seventies and eighties, I have vivid memories of hearing “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” as performed by Meatloaf on the radio. Of course, early on, I had no frame of reference for the story told in song about the heat of passion and the consequences. For those of you who’ve […] The post Waiting for the End of Time: Divorce in Mobile, Alabama appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

The Effects of Cohabitation on Alimony in Alabama

By mycasewebsites2 • November 2, 2016
If you are paying or receiving alimony as part of a Divorce Order in Alabama, this one is for you. Under Alabama Law, the obligation to pay periodic alimony terminates upon the receiving party’s “cohabitation” with a member of the opposite sex. So, what does that mean? Under the case law, cohabitation is that thing […] The post The Effects of Cohabitation on Alimony in Alabama appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.

If it can happen to Brad Pitt, it can happen to you.

By mycasewebsites2 • September 29, 2016
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard about what a mean son-of-a-bitch Brad Pitt is and that Angelina Jolie just can’t take it anymore. Multiple media outlets were eager to scoop Angelina’s side of the story about his anger management issues and how he’s a danger to the children. Lucky for Brad, […] The post If it can happen to Brad Pitt, it can happen to you. appeared first on The Law Offices of Teague and McBay.
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