Last week’s divorce settlement between Madonna and her film director ex-husband Guy Ritchie has made Ritchie, well, rich. Madonna’s publicist, Liz Rosenberg, announced to the Associated Press that Madonna was ordered to give Ritchie between 50 and 60 million pounds ($76-$92 million) as part of their divorce agreement, including the value of the couple’s English country estate.

While Madonna’s split was a costly one, there have been many costly celeb divorces that have come before. Here are the top ten.

10. Michael Douglas’ marriage to Diandra Douglas ended in 2000 after 23 years. When all was said and done, Diandra walked away with $45 million.

9. Phil Collins divorced Swiss-born wife Orianne Cevey, the mother of his two children, after 6 years of marriage. Collins was ordered to pay Cevey $46.76 million.

8. Paul McCartney divorced Heather Mills in 2006, but it took until the fall of 2008 to hammer out the details of their divorce. In the end, Mills walked away with $48.6 million of McCartney’s money.

7. “Titanic” director James Cameron and his actress wife, Linda Hamilton, divorced in 1999 after only two years of marriage. Hamilton received a settlement for $50 million.

6. Madonna’s split with Guy Ritchie places her sixth on the list of most expensive celebrity divorces. Costing Madonna at least $76 million, her rep announced that it was “one of the largest payouts ever in a divorce settlement.”

5. Kevin Coster and Cindy Silva were married for 16 years, but the divorce in 1994 left Silva with $80 million.

4. Harrison Ford and wife Melissa Mathison divorced in 2004 after 21 years of marriage. Mathison walked away with $85 million and a cut of Harrison’s future earnings for the movies he made while they were still married, including two “Star Wars” films and three “Indiana Jones” movies.

3. Steven Spielberg split with first wife Amy Irving in 1989 after 4 years of marriage. Although the couple had a pre-nup, Irving was able to challenge it, and Spielberg ultimately paid out $100 million.

2. Neil Diamond wed Marcia Murphey in 1969, but after 27 years of marriage, Diamond paid Murphey $150 million when the marriage came to an end.

1. According to both USA Today and Forbes, Michael Jordan has made the biggest payout ever in a celebrity divorce to ex-wife Juanita. The basketball legend was ordered to pay $168 million to Juanita for their 18-year marriage, which ended in 2007.

Yes, celebs have mountains of money, but divorce settlements can even hurt those sitting high on the hog. There is a reason prenuptial agreements came into being, and for those celebs who never bothered to get one, it’s likely all the money in the world cannot make up for that regret.

For more information on prenuptial agreements, divorce or alimony, visit LawInfo’s Legal Resource Center for articles, answers to frequently-asked divorce questions, and much more. To speak to a legal professional about the specifics of your case, contact an experienced divorce attorney in your area today.

If you’ve been injured, arrested, or sued, you’re probably wondering how much it would cost to hire a lawyer. Or you might not even TRY to hire a lawyer because you just assume that it’s too expensive, or that you could probably get by on your own.  This is, unfortunately, all too common.  In fact, a lot of people who DO hire lawyers have learned their lesson by getting burned the first time. 

The good news is  this – many attorneys offer free consultations.  So, there is no reason, other than a bit of your time, to meet with a lawyer and let them tell you how they could help you.  Also, most personal injury attorneys work on what’s called a ‘contingency fee basis.”  This means you don’t have to have a lot of money to hire a lawyer.  The lawyer will not charge you legal fees upfront, but will take his or her fees out of whatever settlement or award you receive.  Usually, the attorney takes a percentage of the recovery.  And.. if you loose the case, then the attorney doesn’t get a fee either.  Although, keep in mind the costs incurred for the lawsuit are ordinarily the client’s responsibility, either way it turns out. 

Or, another way to think about it is this… what would it cost you NOT to hire a lawyer?  What consequences could you suffer by not having proper legal advice or representation?  While in minor cases, you might be able to successfully resolve the matter yourself, for cases in which anything valuable is at stake (your freedom, your health, your money, your pain and suffering), the consequences of not hiring a lawyer could be devastating. 

Take the example of a debt collections case.  Many people don’t hire a lawyer because they figure they’re already in debt, how much worse could a lawsuit really make it?  Trust me, it can be worse.  Having a judgment for a debt owned and unpaid is another negative on your credit report.  Also, that creditor may have been willing to negotiate if you got a lawyer involved, because a lawyer knows better how to deal with creditors and what risks they take in pursuing a collection against you. 

Another example – getting arrested.  Too often, those charged with crimes try to go it alone, thinking they’ll figure it out as they go along.  Wrong!  Getting a lawyer involved as early in the process is crucial to protecting your rights. Law enforcement, including the prosecuting attorney, are highly skilled at getting criminal defendants to talk.  Most times, you unwittingly say something that ruins your chances of getting a plea deal.  If you have an attorney speak for you, that won’t happen.  Also, an attorney may even be able to get the case dropped or the charges reduced early on… making everything else easier for you. 

Finally, if you’ve been in an accident, most times it is not in your best interest to talk to that nice insurance adjuster.  Their job is to make you think the settlement they offer you is a “good deal”… but the insurance adjuster, no matter how nice they seem, is looking out for the insurance company’s best interest – not yours.  Only an attorney would know what a “good deal” is under the law given your situation. 
 So, please, if you’ve suffered an injury, are facing criminal charges, are involved in a lawsuit, or have any other legal matter pending, don’t possibly jeopardize your rights.   Contact an attorney and ask about an initial consultation.  Only make the decision NOT to hire a lawyer after you know what a lawyer can do for you. 

Good luck!

Are you facing a legal issue?  Have you been sued, or are you wondering about foreclosure?  Did you just have a medical procedure that didn’t turn out as you expected?  Is bankruptcy looming?  What about your family life – are you and your spouse considering divorce?  Do you need to update your will?  Has someone you love been arrested for a DUI? 

These are examples of only some of the most common legal issues.  The fact is we actually deal with the law more than most people think.  More importantly, when we face a legal issue, many of us might not know where to turn for answers.  The legal system can certainly be overwhelming – especially because the consequences are often so grave. 

Since 1994, LawInfo has been providing the public with quality legal resources they can count on.  The idea for the company even came out of the founder’s own legal needs!  How do you find the right attorney?  How do you know the attorneys you contact are in good standing with the state bar association?  What if you want to learn about a legal issue before you talk to a lawyer?  Well, these are the reasons LawInfo was established!  LawInfo has a whole library of information about the most common legal issues including answers to frequently asked questions, articles, legal guides, legal forms, and other information – ALL FREE TO THE PUBLIC!  The really great thing is this – you can also easily find an attorney who will understand your legal needs.  It’s all designed to help the public – help someone find answers they need and find an attorney who can help them. 

Learn more about LawInfo’s Free Legal Resource Center and Find the Right Attorney in your area today!

So you have had it with that job! It’s time to get what you’ve got coming to you, and bid farewell. Although most states require employers to give departing employees their final paychecks in reasonable time, these time limits vary depending on whether the employee quit or was fired. State laws have been established to dictate the timing of final paychecks. If an employer fails to pay a departing employee within these time limits, the employer may be subject to penalties such as accrued interest and attorney fees, if the employee had to pursue legal action.

Here is a breakdown of the mandated delivery of final paychecks, listed by state:

• Alabama: No statute.
• Alaska: If employee is fired: three days. If employee quits: next regular payday at least three days after employee gives notice.
• Arizona: If employee is fired: within three days or next payday, whichever is sooner. If employee quits: next payday.
• Arkansas: If employee is fired: within seven days. No statute if employee quits.
• California: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: within 72 hours, or immediately if employee has given at least 72 hours’ notice.
• Colorado: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Connecticut: If employee is fired: next business day. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Delaware: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• District of Columbia: If employee is fired: next business day. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within seven days, whichever is sooner.
• Florida: No statute.
• Georgia: No statute.
• Hawaii: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or immediately, if employee gives one pay period’s notice.
• Idaho: If employee is fired: next payday or within 10 days, whichever is sooner. If employee quits: next payday or within 10 days, whichever is sooner.
• Illinois: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Indiana: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday. If employee has not provided a forwarding address, employer may wait until ten days after employee demands wages or provides an address where the check may be mailed.
• Iowa: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Kansas: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Kentucky: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday or within 14 days, whichever is later. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within 14 days, whichever is later.
• Louisiana: If employee is fired: next payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier. If employee quits: next payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier.
• Maine: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday or within two weeks after demand, whichever is earlier. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within two weeks after demand, whichever is earlier.
• Maryland: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Massachusetts: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or the Saturday following the employee’s resignation, if there is no scheduled payday.
• Michigan: If employee is fired: next payday. If employee quits: next payday.
• Minnesota: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next payday. If payday is less than five days after last day of work, employer may pay on the following payday or 20 days after last day of work, whichever is earlier.
• Mississippi: No statute.
• Missouri: If employee is fired: immediately. No statute if employee quits.
• Montana: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier.
• Nebraska: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday or within two weeks, whichever is earlier. No statute if employee quits.
• Nevada: If employee is fired: immediately. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within seven days, whichever is earlier.
• New Hampshire: If employee is fired: within 72 hours. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within 72 hours, if employee gives one pay period’s notice.
• New Jersey: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• New Mexico: If employee is fired: within 5 days. If employee quits: next payday.
• New York: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• North Carolina: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• North Dakota: If employee is fired: next payday or within 15 days, whichever is earlier. If employee quits: next payday.
• Oklahoma: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Oregon: If employee is fired: end of next business day. If employee quits: immediately if employee has given 48 hours’ notice. Without notice, within five days or the next payday, whichever occurs first.
• Pennsylvania: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Rhode Island: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• South Carolina: If employee is fired: within 48 hours or next scheduled payday, but not more than 30 days. No statute if employee quits.
• South Dakota: If employee is fired: next payday or when employee returns employer’s property. If employee quits: next payday or when employee returns employer’s property.
• Tennessee: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday or within 21 days, whichever is later. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or within 21 days, whichever is later.
• Texas: If employee is fired: within six days. If employee quits: next payday.
• Utah: If employee is fired: within 24 hours. If employee quits: next regular payday.
• Vermont: If employee is fired: within 72 hours. If employee quits: next scheduled payday or, if no scheduled payday exists, the next Friday.
• Virginia: If employee is fired: next scheduled payday. If employee quits: next scheduled payday.
• Washington: If employee is fired: next pay period. If employee quits: next pay period.
• West Virginia: If employee is fired: within 72 hours. If employee quits: immediately if employee has given one pay period’s notice; otherwise, next regular payday.
• Wisconsin: If employee is fired: next payday or within one month, whichever is earlier. If termination is due to merger, relocation, or liquidation of business, within 24 hours. If employee quits: next payday.
• Wyoming: If employee is fired: five business days. If employee quits: five business days.

For more information on these state statutes, contact a Lead Counsel Labor and Employment attorney in your area today.

The power to tax is a right granted to Congress by the Sixteenth Amendment.  The ability of both regular people and government agencies to garnish a person’s wages requires due process through a court order.  The IRS is an active participant in garnishing delinquent taxpayers’ wages for back taxes and penalties.  But even the IRS cannot unilaterally attach a garnishment order.  A taxpayer may first dispute a tax deficiency notice in federal court.

In our court system winning a judgment and collecting on that judgment are two different steps. When someone is sued and the plaintiff wins the verdict only means that the defendant has been found liable for a certain amount of money.  The defendant usually is left to their own devices as to how they will pay.  If a defendant does not pay, a second court action must be taken to force the defendant to pay.  In this second action the judge will determine how the defendant will pay; either by placing a lien on property, ordering a foreclosure sale, or establishing a wage garnishment order. 

A wage garnishment order forces the defendant’s employer, the garnishee, to collect a set amount of money from the defendant’s paycheck and send that money directly to the plaintiff.  In this case that would be the federal government.

Sen. Clinton’s statement about funding health care via a wage garnishment makes it seem that she is not anticipating taking the first two steps most everyone else has to take to garnish wages, called “due process.” For citizens who choose not to pay her plan seems to be to immediately take the money out of their paychecks without any court order, which is what a tax is.  But she is not calling it a tax.