DC and MD Matrimonial Lawyer Focusing on Custody, Divorce and Prenups
For over 20 years, Regina A. DeMeo has been helping families in MD and DC with custody and divorce issues either through mediation, litigation or advocacy. She is an alumna of Georgetown University and GW University Law School, who is nationally recognized as a top matrimonial attorney. She is frequently quoted in the media for her ideas to promote healthier relationships and featured in the Washington Post, ABA Journal and Bethesda Magazine for her care and commitment to her clients. As a legal commentator, she has appeared on Washington Post Express Facebook Live, ABC tv, Good Morning America, MMCTV, YouTube and Sirius XM, and has been quoted in various magazines, books and journals across the country.
Regina offers appointments in Maryland and DC. Her areas of practice include:
Latest Blog Posts by GenXSmartie
How Does A Love Story Turn Into A Nightmare?
Remember as kids we would see some children burst into a puddle of tears over a paper cut while others remained stoic even when a broken bone might be sticking completely out of place? That's because even at an early age we are all exhibit varying degrees of pain tolerance-- and that remains true in adulthood. What each of us is willing to accept in a relationship is unique to our own level of tolerance, which is partially attributable to nature or nurture, but also depends a lot on the current situation we are in. So for example, someone that grew up with a lot of drama may have a high tolerance for it, and yet in a point in time when there's already a lot of drama in his/her life may find that s/he cannot tolerate much more. Ultimately, each of us chooses to invest time and energy in relationships that hopefully will bring us joy, and we all cherish that honeymoon period in any romantic relationship, where everyone is on their best behavior. Where we all struggle then, is when that period ends, especially if things really fall apart and take a turn for the worst. Putting aside for today the issue of why this may happen, let's talk about how this happens because it is important to [...]
Should you put your pets in your prenup by Adam Cecil in PolicyGenius
For the vast majority of #millennials, animals have replaced children. Instead of going through the time, effort, and expense of reproducing, we outsourced the whole thing to cats and dogs, who now reside in our homes in record numbers. This can potentially lead to problems if you decide to “grow up” and “get married” – a.k.a. “give into pressure from mom and dad” and “enter into a legal and spiritual union with a 50% success rate.” If the marriage ends up falling apart, figuring out where Fido and Fluffy are going to live can be difficult, taxing, and contentious. One survey of divorce lawyers found that 27% have noticed a notable increase in the number of couples who fight over custody of their pets, with the theory being that some couples are taking advantage of the emotional nature of pet ownership to use pets as bargaining chips in their divorce proceedings. Read the Full Article in PolicyGenius
Why The Growing Lack of Civility?
At the risk of sounding old school and not very hip, I really am concerned about my fellow GenXers and those that are trailing us, for many reasons but at the top of my list is an increasing lack of civility. Just look at how people have been treated on airplanes the last few weeks if you have any doubt that there is serious reason for concern. Here are 3 of the main factors that I see leading to this seriously unhealthy social behavior: 1. Lack of sharing- When I was growing up, I had to share one landline telephone at home, one tv, and one bathroom. Even when I went off to a posh boarding school, I still had to share these things with others, and as a result I was very mindful of other's need to use these same resources, and I had to learn to compromise early on, which requires developing good communication skills-- both expressing your needs and listening to others. But now, everyone has their own smartphone and no one compromises on what to watch or listen to for entertainment, and as a result we are all practicing less and less the art of compromise and communication. 2. Instant Gratification- Technology has advanced to such a point that information really is instant. No one waits [...]
How Well Can You Manage The Chaos Around You?
Life is unpredictable, and for some that is a beautiful thing, but for others it's a very scary reality. Those in the former category take it as an adventure and find the challenging twists and turns exciting or intriguing, whereas those in the latter category prefer to retreat into a safe corner and try to cocoon. Between these two extreme positions, there's obviously a lot of room for varying degrees of tolerance for chaos-- the real question is where do you fit in this spectrum? As a divorce lawyer, I am surrounded by chaos everyday, so my job is essentially all about crisis management. How does anyone "manage" a crisis? By prioritizing, fast. The focus is on finding a solution, not pointing blame. You have to distinguish between needs and wants, as well as what's realistic vs. pie in the sky. Also, timing is everything-- being impulsive and reactive rarely plays out well. Meanwhile, indecision is never good-- it just means choices will be made with or without your input because that's just how life rolls. In an ideal world, if a couple had the honesty and integrity to admit to each other that their relationship was in need of help, they would immediately seek counseling. When they come to see me, it's not that counseling has "failed" but [...]