March 2025 - Issue 1

When Protection Becomes Control: Navigating Mental Health, Conservatorships and Guardianships | Read More

TSP Division — Dealing With the Processing Fee? | Read More

Explore a New City With AAML | Register

Thanks for Joining Us at the 2025 Midyear Meeting

Complete the AAML Fellowship Survey

Call for Content: Submit Your Ideas to the AAML Newsletter | Pitch Your Article



Webinar: Use of Arbitration for Pendente Lite Matters | Register

2025 Missouri Chapter Annual Meeting | Learn More

By: Lisa Ann Sharpe, JD

For more than a decade, the world watched as Britney Spears — one of the most famous pop stars on the planet — lived under a conservatorship that stripped her of control over her personal life, finances and career. While conservatorships are intended to protect vulnerable individuals, Spears' case became a cautionary tale about how these legal arrangements can be misused. The #FreeBritney movement highlighted the potential for abuse, excessive control and the struggle to regain autonomy, sparking nationwide debates and even prompting legislative reforms.

By: Mark E. Sullivan

One of the issues in military divorce cases is the division of marital or community property, and often these assets contain a thrift savings plan (TSP) account that needs to be handled. Should it be divided? If so, how? Should it remain with one of the parties, untouched and undivided?

Want to see your name published and increase visibility of your firm? Pitch your article for an upcoming AAML newsletter!

The AAML National Family Law Conference is making its way to Dallas, May 15-17 — and we can't wait to see y'all! Join the Academy for three days of immersive, educational and networking experiences designed to help you advance your legal practice, no matter your experience level. Explore our CLE program to get a look into the vast array of trending family law topics covered and get to know the speakers you can expect to see in Dallas.

Taking place at Fairmont Dallas in the city’s downtown, you’ll be conveniently located to enjoy the rich restaurant scene and arts district. Learn more about immersing yourself in the city's culture as you plan your trip.

Don’t miss your chance to lock in early bird prices — register by March 28 to secure the best rate for this high-quality family law experience.

Need to Justify Your Attendance to Your Supervisor?

Use our justification worksheet as a guide to get approval from your supervisor to attend.

Thank you for joining us in Costa Rica at the 2025 AAML Midyear Meeting! We hope you enjoyed learning from our incredible speakers, connecting with fellow family law attorneys and taking time to relax and recharge.

Your feedback is invaluable to us. Please take a moment to share your thoughts in our event evaluation — a personal survey link should be in your inbox. Thank you in advance for your input!

AAML is conducting a Fellowship Survey to help us better understand how to serve you and your family law practice and gain insights into how to support your professional growth now and in the future.

Our goal is 100% Fellow participation to continue to build programs that meet your needs and deliver value. Please help us by giving 10-15 minutes to complete this survey that will drive future AAML initiatives — a personal survey link has been sent to your inbox.

The AAML Newsletter Committee is seeking submissions from AAML Fellows related to the following topics:

• Mental health and conservatorship
• Fertility cases: custody disputes over embryos or stored eggs
• Military law: relocation and custody
• And many more

If you're interested in submitting an article or would like more information, contact the AAML editorial team at editorial@aaml.org.

With case backlogs, judge shortages and mandatory time limitations, it is challenging to have pendente lite matters heard. As a result, discovery disputes, temporary support motions, and custody issues are often delayed in favor of ongoing trials. Many of these issues can and should be addressed in private arbitration. Hear from experienced arbitrators on Tuesday, March 25, about how they have been able to hear and resolve pre-judgment disputes through the arbitration process.

All Missouri Fellows are invited to attend the 2025 Missouri Chapter Annual Meeting.

Date: April 4-5, 2025

Location: Hotel Vandivort (305 E Walnut St, Springfield, MO 65806)

Visit the AAML Chapters page for the latest updates from local chapters.