Law Office Daniel J Miller - August 2021

Law Office Daniel J Miller - August 2021

INYOUR DEFENSE

AUGUST 2021

757.852.3000 | LegalDefense.com

AND WHAT I LEARNED FROM THE EXPERIENCE A Dangerous and Surreal Climb in Moab

A few months ago, I got the chance to go on a trip to Moab with my son. Historically, we’ve gone on quite a few similar trips together since we both love getting out in nature and seeing some of the majesty this country has to offer. Previously, we’ve been to Bryce Canyon and Red Rocks, as well as some other areas a little closer to home in West Virginia. Moab really was something special, though. We did a little bit of everything there, including mountain biking, rock climbing, and hiking. I usually try to book our trips early enough that we can get guides for some of our excursions. They know what they’re doing, and they can give us tips on the best places to do the activities we love. On the trip, when I was rock climbing with a local guide, I told him I was looking for an area that was more unique and a little off the beaten path. He recommended Day Canyon, giving me some basic information on how to find the trail there. He remarked that there weren’t going to be any signs marking the right path, which seemed like a pretty good indicator that Day Canyon was the best place to get away from the more populated parts of Moab. I told my son about going to Day Canyon, but while he normally would have been up for something like that, he said he’d rather just relax at the hotel that day. So, I ended up taking the path less traveled on my own. For those of you who don’t know a lot about canyons, I want to preface this story by first saying that canyons have kind of a concave structure. They start out very wide at the top, but toward the bottom, they become narrower and narrower. That means there’s a sort of steep, diagonal sheer rock face you have to climb in order to get out of the canyon. After walking down the canyon for about 45 minutes, I found a rock face I figured I could scramble up. It was about 20–30 stories tall, but I made it to the top of the canyon, no problem. Above the canyon, I could see for 15–20 miles in every direction. You could tell no one had been where I was for a long time. Nothing was disturbed. It was so serene and peaceful, and I stayed up there for about two hours just hanging around.

Once I decided it was time to call it a day, though, I ran into a problem: I couldn’t find my way back down! When you’re looking up at a rock face from the bottom, it’s a lot easier to identify handholds and footholds, but not when you’re trying to peer over a sheer 20–30 story drop without falling down! I was worried I might get stranded by myself with no one to go for help. Luckily, I eventually found the part of the canyon face where I climbed up and made it back down and out of the canyon safe and sound. I was reminded of two important lessons that day. The first is that you should never climb alone. It’s a bad idea. The second is that different situations don’t always look the same from different perspectives. Sometimes, in order to completely tackle something, like a canyon climb for example, you need to see it from all available angles. I hope this summer continues to be as fun and relaxing for all of you as it has been for me. And if you haven’t had a chance to see some of our country’s more unique national parks, I highly recommend making the trip to Moab!

– Daniel J. Miller

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T he R ookie

3 OLDEST ROOKIES IN SPORTS HISTORY

Have you ever felt that fate meant for you to take a different path than the one you took? In some fields, making that change is possible, or even common — as any law student can tell you, where the “average” age of students is in their 30s. But other worlds, like the world of professional sports, are less welcoming to those over 25.

Of course, Papale — whose flag football prowess in his late 20s overrode his lack of college ball experience — signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in the

Which only makes for a better story when it does happen, of course.

That’s what Jim Morris discovered when he signed with a Major League Baseball team in 1999 after his 35th birthday. Morris’ life became the subject of the Dennis Quaid movie “The Rookie,” filmed just after Morris’ major league career had ended. You might think that two years is a short time in the majors, but hey, you try throwing 98-mph fastballs for hours a week, 104 weeks in a row! Besides, the careers of pro athletes aren’t nearly as long as icons like Tom Brady or Peyton Manning would have you believe. The average MLB career may be a few years longer than Morris stuck it out, but in the NFL? Most players make it less than three years and quit, depending on the position. While you’re meditating on the ethics of chewing up football players for three years and spitting them out, all in the name of entertainment, consider the case of another similar story that was turned into a movie, that of Vince Papale — played by Mark Wahlberg in “Invincible.”

1970s. Modern football has come a long way, critics will argue. But there’s no denying the old-school toughness and tenacity Papale showed in making it to the NFL. NBA player Pablo Prigioni’s career was twice as long as either Morris’ or Papale’s was, with four years in the big leagues starting in 2012 at age 35. But basketball is arguably less demanding on the body than football and even baseball if we look at the potential damage major league pitchers can do to their throwing arm. Their careers may not have been the stuff of dreams, but these three men showed something we all like to see: tough players hanging on long past their “prime.” And they lived the dream — if only for a while. We all love that!

D eciding W here Y our C hild G oes to S chool

WHEN YOU AND YOUR EX LIVE IN DIFFERENT DISTRICTS

THE SCHOOL’S REPUTATION Does one school have better rated academic programs? Better teachers? More access to the sports programs your child loves? More extracurricular activities? Whether one school has all of these and the other has none, consider the benefits and drawbacks to each school district that your child could be a part of. The reputation of the school in your district is an important part of determining where your child should go to school. WHERE YOUR CHILD’S FRIENDS ARE While academics, sports, and extracurricular activities are important for parents to consider, if your child could lose their core friendships by switching schools, that could be a reason for them to stay put. Friendships develop social skills and prepare your child to interact with the world around them and should factor into any discussion about the school your child will attend. While this topic could easily be resolved without the intervention of a lawyer in many cases, if you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement and you need a third party to guide you through the decision-making process, call the Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller today at (757) 517-2492.

As summer winds down, if you have school-age kids, it’s time to turn your attention toward getting them ready to go back to school. However, if you co-parent with an ex-partner who lives in a different school district, it can be difficult to decide where your child will go to school. Sure, if one parent has custody for longer periods of time than the other, then it’s probably logical for your child to go to school in the school district where that parent lives. However, if you share custody of your children equally with your ex, then you should consider a few different factors when making sure they have the best educational experience possible. THE SCHOOL’S DISTANCE FROM WHERE YOU LIVE Maybe one of you lives close enough to the school in your district that your child could walk, ride their bike, or drive. Likewise, your ex might live near a prominent bus route. Whatever the case, proximity to the school means convenience for both your child and whichever parent potentially has to take them to school.

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My Ex Won’t Let Me See Our Child

NOW WHAT?

At the Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller, we believe every child should have a healthy relationship with both parents. However, that’s made incredibly difficult when one parent withholds custody from the other, regardless of what their court-ordered visitation schedule says. A parent might withhold custody from their ex for a number of reasons. They might do so in retaliation because they resent the fact that the relationship has ended, they believe you’re not capable of caring for your child, or as punishment for missing child support payments. Whatever the reason, though, they have no right to violate your court-ordered custody agreement. So, what can you do to remedy this situation? Well, if your ex-partner misses a few days here and there, a discussion between the two of you about making up the days your child should have been with you may be all that’s needed. If they refuse to discuss giving you extra time to make up for what you’ve lost, then you may have to involve an attorney.

If your ex-partner consistently refuses to let you see your children, then you might have to take more drastic measures, including notifying the police about the situation or filing a petition with the courts to enforce your visitation rights. Regardless of the circumstances, never take the situation into your own hands. If you forcefully take your children from your ex-partner, or you withhold child support payments until they give you your days, you could face serious legal consequences. This is a conflict no child should have to endure, which is why we at the Law Offices of Daniel J. Miller want to help you with any and all child visitation issues you might be having. Call us today at (757) 517‑2942 or contact us through our website at LegalDefense.com/contact-us.

SUDOKU

EASYFOIL-GRILLED SAUSAGEANDVEGETABLES

Inspired by NutmegNanny.com

INGREDIENTS

• 4 sausage links of your choice • 1 lb green beans • 1 red bell pepper, diced • 1 yellow bell pepper, diced • 1 red onion, diced • 1 zucchini, diced • 1 yellow summer squash, diced

• 3 tbsp olive oil • 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 tbsp thyme • 1 tsp oregano

• 1 tsp basil • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp crushed red pepper (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat your grill to medium heat or your oven to 425 F. 2. In a large bowl, add all of the ingredients and mix well. Divide into four equal portions. 3. Prepare four 16-inch pieces of foil and place a portion in the middle of each section. Wrap each foil piece tightly and avoid holes. 4. Grill each foil packet for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. You can also bake each packet for 20 minutes at 425 F.

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4768 Euclid Rd. Suite 104 Virginia Beach, VA 23462 757.852.3000 | LegalDefense.com

PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MY SOLO CLIMB IN MOAB PAGE 1 THE ROOKIE: 3 OLDEST ROOKIES IN SPORTS HISTORY DECIDING WHERE YOUR CHILD GOES TO SCHOOL PAGE 2 WHEN YOUR EX WON’T LET YOU SEE YOUR CHILD EASY FOIL-GRILLED SAUSAGE AND VEGETABLES PAGE 3 WANT TO SAVE ON YOUR NEXT VACATION? PAGE 4 INSIDETHIS ISSUE

5TIPS FORYOURNEXT AFFORDABLEGETAWAY

Are you excited to explore the world again? Or maybe you’ve just gotten back from your latest vacation! In either case, the economic challenges of the pandemic might require travelers to plan their trips a little smarter. Here are five tricks to do just that.

choice — you’ll get over 50%–75% savings on highly rated airlines. This will get you stress- free travel for a much lower price!

3. TRAVEL IN A GROUP.

If you travel with friends, your expenses become a lot more manageable. Let’s say you and a partner travel with two other couples — renting a swanky cabin at $200 a night will only cost around $33 per person. Plus, you will create some amazing memories together!

1. CONSIDER YOUR BUDGET WHILE CHOOSING YOUR DESTINATION.

Any destination heavily impacted by tourists is going to be more expensive to visit. So, consider taking a tour through various French countryside towns instead of Paris! Not only could it be more culturally immersing, but it may even be more relaxing and less stressful than visiting a dense area.

5. CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING FOR VACATION.

4. PLAN YOUR MEAL BUDGET AHEAD OF TIME.

Want to go on a self-discovery trip? Why not cut your expenses in half by volunteering? For example, Habitat for Humanity offers a nine-day Mexico trip for $1,200 with lodging, food, and activities included. You’ll get to build structures and create something permanent for the local community.

Looking forward to eating certain dishes? Find local menus and prices to ensure you don’t spend more than you planned. If you want an authentic and homestyle culinary experience, consider signing up for a peer-to-peer dining experience through Traveling Spoon or Bon Appetour, which is tax-free as well!

2. SIGN UP FOR SCOTT’S CHEAP FLIGHTS.

One of the most important parts of booking an affordable vacation is booking it at the right time. Scott’s Cheap Flights will track all the cheapest flights at an airport of your

Traveling on a dime is no sweat with the right tools. Best of luck, traveler!

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