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
Is There a Seven Year Itch?
Do you know why I like numbers so much? Because they tell a story, and numbers don't lie. We actually track a lot of data related to families, including how long marriages tend to last. The fact is 50% of all divorces are filed within the first 7 years. Does this surprise you? Well, it shouldn't and here is why: 1. The average person marries in their mid to late 20's-- right around the time that we are all trying to establish ourselves in our careers, while also trying to buy a house, car, and have babies, and unfortunately many of us are at the same time desperately trying to pay down our student debt. That is simply a lot to take on at once. 2. Navigating the complexities of a relationship is hard work, and making the choice to work through difficulties doesn't come naturally to most of us that are innately wired to fight or flee when we sense danger. Sadly, whether you avoid the battles or launch into war at full speed doesn't matter-- either way this is the wrong way to handle adversity with your partner. 3. Many seem to lack good coping mechanisms for dealing with stress. Unhealthy habits like drinking, smoking, engaging in risky behavior and over-eating are very common, and these activities often [...]
Relationship and Marriage Advice | The Gottman Relationship Blog: Dr. Gottman’s 5 Tips for Summer Travel
These tips are great-- my favorite being the need to yield to win, so true! Relationship and Marriage Advice | The Gottman Relationship Blog: Dr. Gottman's 5 Tips for Summer Travel: In The Relationship Cure , Dr. John Gottman emphasizes the importance of vacations as a ritual of connection. Taking a honeymoon afte...
Is There a DIY Divorce?
I'm all for helping people save money, and thankfully over the last 10 years we have made major advances in revamping our court systems to make the required family forms more readily available and the uncontested divorce process more user-friendly. However, on a regular basis I still hear horror stories about people that tried to do their own divorces without the advice of counsel and how this ended in disaster, which reminds me of the saying: Penny Wise, Pound Foolish. Many courts offer free or reduced mediation services for their legal residents, but of course mediators are not allowed to represent or negotiate on behalf of either party, they are there to simply facilitate communication and help the parties reach a mutual agreement. Self Help Centers are another great resource, but they are often staffed with individuals that are not always attorneys, and while they can provide basic information about the process and assist pro se litigants fill out the necessary forms, they are typically precluded from giving legal advice. If you have issues pertaining to custody, child support, alimony or property division that need to be addressed in a divorce, don't you think it is worth paying the national average of about $300 for a consult fee to meet with an attorney and make sure you understand your rights [...]
Are You Stuck In a Loveless Marriage?
Very few of us get married thinking that we will be among those whose flame will burn out, but so many of us fall into the same trap-- as the years pass, we take our love for granted and focus too much of our time and energy on work, kids-- even our pets, while failing to make our partners feel like they are a priority. Many just suffer in silence, but let's face it-- no one likes playing second fiddle, and it is precisely the resentment that will eventually kill all the passion. The harsh truth is that while many may contemplate a divorce, the economic realities of that choice will keep most people from actually pulling the trigger. If you have a established a very comfortable life under one roof, but you realize you cannot maintain that same life in two separate households, then many people will try to suck it up believing that everyone will be able to just maintain the status quo and keep up a happy facade. But all you need is one perfect storm to have the whole house of cards come crashing down-- and the storm is inevitably going to come, it always does. Whether it is a health scare, the death of a loved one, loss of employment, an economic crisis, or something [...]