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
Comparisons Aren’t Always A Good Thing
In general, comparing notes can be helpful. In the business world, it's always good to know what the average compensation rate is for your particular field. In the athletic world, you need to know what your competitors are doing in order to stay in the game. As parents, it is incredibly helpful to know what other families have done in certain common situations, so that you can learn from each other. Even in dating, it is helpful to know what others have struggled with or found useful in order to better gauge your expectations-- but just beware that sometimes comparisons can be detrimental in relationships. I know a couple that got married after 3 months of dating, and they've been together for over 45 years; I also know another couple that dated for 9 years before getting married, and they then called it quits after 20 years. I've heard it all over the last 14 years while counseling people through a divorce or drafting the right prenup, and the one thing that is very clear is that there is no magic formula as to how long it should take a couple to commit- and no guarantees that it will last. We all have our own demons to battle, and depending on where we are in our own personal journey when [...]
Recovering from a Failed Marriage
For many of us, divorce is a life-altering event. Those of us that do not wish to repeat that experience again, may opt to delve into our past, question our current choices, and think long and hard about the path we want to take in the future. For those of us that go deep, the more wounds we examine, the longer it may take before we are ready to commit to a serious relationship. Sadly, the stats show that over 70% of second marriages fail-- mainly because too many people mistakenly marry the rebound person, or don't take enough time to gain true insight into themselves or allow their wounds to heal. Wanting to avoid pain and seek pleasure is normal human nature, but in this particular case rushing into another relationship without giving yourself the opportunity to truly mourn the loss of your first marriage, may cause you a lot more pain down the road. Divorce has a devastating impact on a person's emotional and financial well being, and if there are children in the mix, it is particularly critical to shield them from volatile situations as much as possible. Recently, I came across two great books (1) The Truth About Stepfamilies and (2) Remarried with Children to help set realistic expectations about blended family situations. Merging two households [...]
As Parents, We Need to Keep an Open Mind
This week on Cristina Radio, in connection with the whole Jackson family custody saga, I was able to weigh in on the importance of keeping an open mind with custody arrangements. The fact is that there can always be some change in circumstances that might necessitate a modification of the custody schedule. As kids grow up, they can endure more time away from each parent, such that extended overnights and fewer transitions may become a more appealing arrangment for the family. Some children become very passionate about sports and/or academic activities, and the parents will need to work together to promote the child's involvement in a variety of social opportunities. Divorced parents are also highly likely to remarry, and this change in the household dynamic has to be navigated very carefully-- not in a vacuum, but rather with everyone involved. The more open parents are to adapting as their family needs change, the better off everyone will be-- especially the children. Asking courts to deal with these kinds of issues should really be the last resort-- not only is the judicial system totally backlogged, but the adversarial nature of our legal system does little to promote goodwill within families. Seeking the assistance of a family therapist is a far better route, where children actually get a voice, and the goal [...]
Intentional or Not? It Does Make a Difference.
We all get disappointed at times, and those of us with a strong, assertive personality tend to show our disappointment in an angry way, versus a more passive personality that would just get sad or shut down. Whether you can deal with your partner's conflict style is a key question for anyone contemplating a committed relationship-- and you should not delude yourself into thinking the style will change. Old habits die hard, and the fact is that those that we love are the ones that can hurt us the most. Our expectations of the closest to us are far greater than of anyone else around. So, whenever I feel the rise in disappointment or anger inside, when I am am trying to hit re-set, I start by asking myself whether my expectations were realistic. Also, I have to take into account whether the person that committed the transgression intentionally did something that hurt, or was it accidental? As a lawyer, it's been drilled into me that intent makes all the difference in the world, as does someone's word choice and any attempts to mitigate damages. Trying to have a difficult discussion when your emotions are raw is rarely productive. This is why it's important to give yourself as much time as you need to process what happened and calm down. [...]