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
Coping With an Identity Crisis
My first identity crisis occured when I retired from the world of competitive gymnastics. From traveling all over and training with some of the best athletes in the world, it was a hard shift to become a "normal" person at 18. The partying lifestyle of college probably masked a lot of the internal loss I was trying to process, and by my senior year I managed to pull it together. I landed a job at a big firm in New York and moved in with my boyfriend, who later became my husband, and life kind of just moved on. The next big identity crisis hit me when I became a mom at age 31. How was I going to manage the demands of being a downtown lawyer while playing a significant role in my child's life? I wanted to have my cake and eat it too, but soon realized that wasn't going to happen. So, I embraced my role as a mother and opened my own firm, taking on a tremendous risk that it may not all pan out. Fortunately, my career and son both thrived, but it was my marriage that fell threw the cracks. At 32, I found myself as a self-employed, divorced, single mom-- that was definitely not what I had in mind for my life, and so here I was now facing identity crisis #3. The singles [...]
Dismantling The Bachelor Pad
Dating is full of challenges, and even when things are going well there is an inevitable hurdle that most couples will inevitably face: merging households. There is only so much time that one can go with just having a toothbrush, a designated dresser, and a corner of someone's closet. Eventually, the commuting between two homes becomes ridiculous and the cost of maintaining two homes stops making sense if you are planning a future together. So, once he "puts a ring on it" the real work-- including the dismantling of the bachelor pad begins. Despite the fact that most guys like to come across as self-sufficient, the fact is they will need help with this major undertaking. Purging is the first step-- go through the closets and get rid of old clothes. Then as he goes through old documents, maybe you can help by shredding. Try not to be a task-master, and be understanding. This can be a very emotional process, but of course, guys will rarely admit that fact. Some guys may procrastinate with the dismantling projects-- don't take this personally. It's not that they don't love you, it's just that they are avoiding a very unpleasant task. Moves are stressful for most people, and giving up your own turf-- a safe and comfortable place-- to go to the unknown [...]
The Cost of Freedom
Across the globe we hear the common refrain that "freedom is priceless," and yet in my world there really is a price attached to gaining freedom-- a fairly hefty price at that for those who choose to litigate. The national average is that a litigated divorce/custody trial will cost each side about $20,000. Now let's think about that-- if the median household income is about $55,000 how can the average family afford a contested trial? The answer is quite obvious-- most will not be able to financially endure a full blown trial. In fact, the normal, average, every day citizen cannot even afford having an attorney on retainer, which normally starts at $3,000. So what options are available to most people? First, before doing anything drastic, most people are able to afford an initial consult. In that first hour, you should be able to share a summary of your story, and get an explanation of the law in your area, plus some advice on what options are available to you within your budget. Second, most courts have a lot of forms available online and volunteers on staff at the courthouse to help you navigate the system. There are Self Help Centers and classes that are given on a regular basis to teach individuals the basics with respect to the court process. Third, attorneys [...]
The Ostrich Syndrome
Over the years, I've seen so many people suffer from this problem-- they try to hide from reality by digging their heads in the sand. Do they honestly think that if they ignore an issue it will just go away? Well sadly, it never seems to work that way-- in fact the opposite is more likely to occur. By trying to avoid dealing with an uncomfortable situation, it blows up into something so much greater. There are so many times where I think with great regret how easy it would have been to solve a client's problem if they had just come in right away, before things got really bad. Little problems are usually easy to fix, but big problems are sometimes ignored far too long and become issues beyond repair. This ostrich syndrome is quite common, and often times it will take outside intervention to help a person recognize what is going on and find the strength to face things head on. As a divorce professional, it is precisely my job to tackle issues on behalf of those that simply can't defend themselves. It is also my duty to keep people on task, and brainstorm solutions as soon as issues arise. Unfortunately, I am only dealing with one part of someone's life, and often times, they are perpetuating this pattern of [...]