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
Survival Tips for Single Parents
Most of us dream of providing our children with a happy and safe intact family situation. But when that doesn't pan out, we have to move on to Plan B. Unfortunately, not everyone shares the same vision for what Plan B should look like, and if the two parents cannot reach an agreement, then it will be left up to a court to decide what your Plan B will look like, and let me be perfectly candid-- that is a very nasty and expensive ordeal that thankfully over 70% of us will avoid. Regardless of how you arrive at Plan B, the point is we all need to quickly learn to make the best of a bad situation, especially for our kids' sake. To do this, there are a few key things you have to try and learn to do sooner rather than later after your separation/divorce: 1. Work Through the Emotions- You have to get past the anger, disappointment, anxiety, and/or feelings of betrayal in order to move forward. Harboring resentment is not healthy, and it's not sexy. The sooner you can let go of the past, the sooner you can be open to what the future has in store for you, including the possibility of finding love again. 2. Be Flexible- Certain provisions related to children are not [...]
5 Simple Steps to Untying the Knot
Untying the knot doesn't have to be messy or expensive. Here are 5 key things I ask my clients to do for themselves to make the divorce process go as quickly and smoothly as possible, at least on our end, without knowing of course how the other party is going to respond: 1. Gather financial documents- We need to know all the assets and liabilities accumulated during the marriage. If you are claiming some assets are non-marital, we need proof. Get estimates for the house and cars, and run a credit report to confirm that you are fully aware of the liabilities in your own name. 2. Prepare a monthly budget- You will have to make some educated guesses as to what your reasonable monthly expenses will be after the separation/divorce, especially for necessities like housing, food, clothing, medical care and transportation. Once you have that number and take into account your monthly income, we can figure how to address any deficits. 3. Do an inventory- No attorney or judge I know wants to hear about the "stuff" in the house. Make a list of all the items with approximate values, and then try to come up with your wish list of what you want to keep. If your spouse doesn't agree to certain things you could play the coin [...]
Can You Think of the Greater Good?
Last year, when I interviewed the Executive Director of the National Institute for Relationship Enhancement in Bethesda, I asked him what he thought was the #1 threat married couples face, and much to my surprise his response was this: the American culture. Ever since then, I have given his answer a lot of thought, and the fact is our society does place a huge emphasis on independence and the pursuit of an individual's happiness. These are the fundamental principles that our country was founded on, and as great as these ideals are, they are indeed contrary to the mindset necessary for promoting a good marriage and healthy family ties. Unfortunately, over the last 30 years, the culture in the U.S. increasingly seems to focus on money and instant gratification. I hate to be harsh, but my MTV generation and all those after us are either going to realize the error of this way, or we will sadly continue to see many marriages fall apart because individuals can't think beyond their own needs and wants to consider what might benefit the greater good. You have to be able to compromise and learn to balance between giving and taking, otherwise it won't work. If we really want to promote healthier relationships, then we are going to seriously have to change some [...]
5 Best Post-Divorce Life Lessons Ever
Divorce is an unfortunate setback in life that many of us will have to learn to overcome. In the throws of it, it is so hard to see things clearly, but thankfully once the storm passes, from a much calmer perspective most of us do come to understand exactly why things had to end, and we learn to appreciate the opportunity to move forward forging a new and very different path. Looking back at the past several years, I have so much to be grateful for, and among all the beautiful post-divorce life lessons there are to experience, here are my top 5: 1. It's Okay to Ask for Help- I could not have weathered all the transitions over the past 9 years without my life coach, who not only helped me get past the guilt, anger and sorrow I felt upon ending my marriage, but also guided me through many difficult life decisions, including major shifts at work and home in order to create an environment that reflected my true values. In addition, there is simply no way a single parent can manage (and maintain his/her sanity) without the assistance of family and friends. Each little act of kindness might not seem like a big deal in and of itself, but at least when I look back at how [...]