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
Breaking the Silence
To suffer in silence is a very difficult cross to bear. When people come to my office to talk about their marital issues, very often they will admit to me that this is the first time they have told anyone there are any problems at home. Many times, people shed their first public tears, as they recount the series of events that has led them to my door. Men and women both choke up-- especially when talking about their kids--as they ask with uncertainty about what the future will look like. It is an incredibly personal part of their lives that people share with me each and every day. That moment when they first break their silence, especially if there has been significant verbal or physical abuse, is a powerful one. At first, there is often shame involved-- but I try to nip that in the bud. The one who should be ashamed is the abuser-- the moron that seeks power through threats. Luckily, in my legal world power is measured based on intellect and ability to influence-- so, I don't have to be built like a Sumo wrestler to pack a good punch! After the feelings of shame have subsided, there is a period of time where a person may feel stupid-- because now they are able to look back [...]
Like Moses, Lost for 40 years
Among women, we always joke that the reason Moses remained lost in the desert for 40 years was because he wouldn't ask for directions. Well, I feel his pain-- even though I've never had a problem asking for directions! Sometimes, the path we need to take just isn't very clear, and along the way life has a funny way of making things complicated-- and here is why: because life is really a great stage in which our passions are played out. People are not always rational, and emotions very often make seemingly simple decisions impossible to implement. It's taken me a whole lifetime to figure out what on Earth happened between my parents so many years ago. 15 years of research as a family law attorney is what finally helped me piece together this puzzle, and only with my skills as a mediator/Collaborative attorney did I finally solve the stupid riddle of why my birth certificate lacked any mention of my father. Here is the simple answer: fear. We all react very badly when we are afraid, and horrible things may be said or done that can't be undone later on. Often we make the wrong choices because we are not thinking clearly. This is why in the heat of the moment, you need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and try to [...]
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Not many adults can recall with complete accuracy the number of times they were with their fathers, but I can-- we have had 9 visits since we first reconnected in February 2011, and this now marks my third Father's Day with my dad in my life. The first year, I sent him an album that captured the first seven years of my son's life. The second year, he came to DC, where I showed him around town and joined him at the Fancy Food convention, where he showed me a part of his life. This year, I gave him the cover to the children's book I am working on about finding dad after 38 years. Clearly these are not your normal gifts, but then again, ours is not a normal story. Growing up as the Love Boat baby, I always wondered what it would be like to have a dad. Two years ago, when I finally met up with him at The Source in DC, it was instant recognition. When he hugged me, it was like pure electricity coursing through my veins. As I took in the sound of his voice, his movements, his choice in words, there wasn't a single jarring moment-- we just gelled. After all these years, finally being able to see where certain traits come from has given me an [...]
Sibling Rivalries
Right now, I have to say I feel like I have the best of both worlds-- I grew up as an only child, and was the center of attention until I went away to boarding school, where I quickly learned that the world does not revolve around me. Then much later in life, at age 38 I discovered that I have a a half brother in London and a step-brother right in my own backyard, here in DC! Over the past couple of years, my brothers and I have all made huge efforts to form and maintain a strong connection. It is quite remarkable how well we get along, and I'm sure it helps that I am 10 years older than both, and not a boy. So, I finally have the siblings I'd always longed for, without the baggage-- that, however, is incredilbly rare. Almost everyone else I know has some sort of issues with their brothers or sisters, some have worked through them, others have not. Last week, I had Dr. Gloria Vanderhorst discuss how these dynamics from the past creep up on families when the parents get sick or pass away. It is like these siblings get sucked into a time warp and revert back to the days when they were growing up, and past memories that may have been buried for years [...]