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
The Road That Lies Ahead
These past few weeks, as I have been working to recreate some albums for my family by sorting through old pictures and boxes of sentimental keepsakes from my days in high school, college and law school, it has felt a lot like a trip back in time to a part of my life when things were a lot less complicated. No one warned me that life in my 30's would become so difficult-- so many responsibilities to tackle while trying to balance work and home life, while also finding time for myself and dealing with setbacks or losses. But I take solace in the fact that if I have come this far, against all odds, then surely I can handle whatever lies ahead. Some of my friends are feeling a bit lost about how to navigate life now that there is no roadmap. So many of us took comfort in knowing that there was a plan- you get through school, get a good job, get married, buy a house, and form a family. Most of us in our 30's have diligently been crossing these things off our list, but now we realize that there is not a strict timeline or plan for what should happen next. This can be a great source of anxiety for some, but I see it [...]
Amicable Splits
Today we learned that Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger have agreed to an amicable separation. Some are shocked that this could happen after 25 years together, others just do not understand how there can be any amicable divorces. Of course, I am not suprised by either possibility as this is part of my every day life. In my experience, the top five reasons people split are as follows: (1) lack of communication; (2) bad conflict-resolution skills; (3) they grow apart, pursuing different interests or goals; (4) intimacy issues; and (5) an irreparable loss of trust and respect. Realizing that these issues exist often takes time, and then many try to ignore the problems or just hope that it is a phase that will go away shortly. As time passes, many are willing to stick with the status quo in order to avoid change-- it seems transitions are not just a challenge for toddlers. Unfortunately, as is true with any problem that does not get addressed right away, these issues just get worse. Small communication issues eventually lead to a complete break down in conversations; on-going battles that end badly lead to resentment; if you do everything separately, eventually someone will ask why even bother staying together? Intimacy issues left unattended will lead someone to go astray; and if you lose [...]
Taking Love For Granted
As children, most people grow up believing they can count on the love of their families. Regardless of what happens, most people believe their families will always be in their lives. Perhaps because of this view on family love, after the honeymoon phase is over, a lot of partners start taking each other for granted. But as a wise psychologist friend once told me, "love is like a plant. If you do not water it and give it sunlight, it will die." Relationships rarely die overnight. Rather it is usually a slow, painful death that occurs as seemingly minor transgressions continue to accumulate until someone hits his/her breaking point. As a divorce attorney, I have seen more than my fair share of death and destruction in relationships. It is an unfortunate reality of life, and sometimes a necessity when we need to cut out sources of pain in order to survive. Perhaps a far healthier approach to take in relationships is to let go of the notion of unconditional love. If we accept that all relationships are conditioned on maintaining a certain level of mutual respect, trust and shared interest, then perhaps we can keep ourselves more in check to ensure that we are fulfilling our part of the bargain. By Regina A. DeMeo, Esq.
Remembering Our Past Lives
Twenty years ago, I retired from the competitive world of rhythmic gymnastics. Those who knew me back in the 1980's remember me traveling around the country, spending summers at the Olympic Training Center or in Sofia, Bulgaria with the World Championship team. It was an incredibly time-consuming endeavor, and I learned a great deal about discipline, routines, planning, etc. Unfortunately, between my academics and gymnastics, I have very little time for much else in my life.At 18, when I left gymnastics behind to focus on my studies at Georgetown, a huge part of my identity was lost. For years, all my trophies, ribbons, photos, certificates of achievement and various newspaper articles remained in sealed boxes. I guess it was too painful for me to go through these things. Yet somehow, in the past few weeks, as I have been trying to explain my journey to my new family, I finally found the will to go through all the boxes and organize all these amazing momentos from my past life as an athlete.As I culled through all the newspaper articles and photos, I started to remember fondly all the people that came into my life during those years. I have no idea where any of these individuals are now, or what they are doing, but I am so eternally grateful for [...]