Residents of St. Paul, Minnesota, may be interested in the circumstances surrounding a former surgeon and his wife as they seek to end their marriage in Fargo. While full blown divorce trials, in and of themselves, are uncommon this one has taken on an especially unique persona.
This past November, the surgeon was acquitted of charges of sexually assaulting and drugging his wife. Though jail is no longer a possibility, the doctor has not fully beaten the claims. At the divorce trial, the man will have to defend himself against the allegations. If he is not successful, he may not be awarded custody of his children.
North Dakota considers 13 factors in determining the best interests of a child. The one factor that carries the most weight is evidence of domestic abuse.
In addition to determining custody, the weeklong trial will also consider property division. According to reports from the Grand Forks Herald, the couple’s assets are estimated to be at least hundreds of thousands of dollars despite the doctor losing his license to practice medicine.
Overall, this particular divorce trial appears to be gearing up for a very public and very dramatic end. It’s safe to say that this is not your average divorce. To be clear, divorces are not all sunshine and flowers. Emotions always run high. At the same time, there are many ways to avoid trial.
Local St. Paul attorneys can help Minnesotans file for divorce and walk them through the process. Often times, once all of the options are laid out before them, couples can reach amicable agreements. In situations like the case mentioned above, however, local attorneys are also skilled at fighting for a parent’s rights to his or her children, especially when a violent or otherwise troubled parent seeks custody.
No matter what the situation, family law professionals are available to ensure that a person’s most important rights are protected in a divorce.
Source: Grandforksherald.com, “Divorce trial begins Monday for surgeon acquitted of sexually assaulting wife,” Mike Nowatzki, Jan. 13, 2013