Look, this guy is an amazing athlete. People should back off and be grateful that he won fourteen golds at the last olympics for the US. Everyone knows that the odd joint is’nt going to affect his performance and I am sure that he is sensible enough to lay off it for a few weeks while he’s training for a competition. Just as he may cut down on drinking for the same reason.

So to conclude, if you are reading this (well you never know lol) fair play Michael. You are most welcome to come to England and have a civilised and sociable smoke with like minded tokers. To all you beer swilling, hypocritical, wife beating control freaks out there, get a life and take your arses to Alcoholics Anonymous lol
Josh B – What planet are you from? How can a plant that God gave us be Evil? Yes it’s illegal. It bloody well should’nt be! And just because it’s illegal does’nt make it wrong.
Daniel W – Don’t be so illiterate you bloody tramp. Smoke a joint and try reading a book
Erin D – With all respect, I do not think you should comment when you have not read what was written
All I will say is if you think the law of the land is wrong, break it with pride, arrogance and impunity. If we all did that then those laws would be changed for the better.

Here are the facts: The man is 46 yrs. old. Limited job experience outside of his former career as a landscape contractor (which he can no longer perform). He has no driver’s license owing to past DWI’s and doesn’t even own a vehicle, though he says his wife is dependable to drive him. He has been on parole since 1993 (from a 1984 robbery conviction) and will be on parole till 2020. He reports twice a month during my normal business hours (I have verified this this info).

On the other hand, the man is educated and does seem highly intelligent, says he learns quickly. He seems sincere, earnest and is genuinely likable with a good sense of humor.

I sort of want to give the guy a break, give him a chance, but there are younger and more experienced applicants. What do you think? Would giving him a chance to make good be the right thing to do in spite of his limitations?.

Read more on Everett Herald

SC Law
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In South Carolina, the Code of Laws requires the Courts to consider thirteen separate factors in choosing to award alimony, how much to award and the length of the obligation. The law does not address any of these issues specifically. Factors to be considered include the length of the marriage, the disparity of earnings between the parties, future earnings potential of each party, the education levels attained by the parties, mental or physical health issues and marital misconduct or “fault”. The statute is gender neutral so, in South Carolina, women and men are equally eligible to participate in paying or receiving alimony.

South Carolina is Liberal on Alimony
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South Carolina is known as a “liberal” alimony state, meaning that it is one of a few states where a person can be obligated to pay a generous amount of alimony on a permanent basis. The law reflects the notion that a person has a moral, ethical and legal responsibility to support their spouse. A South Carolina Family Court Judge will generally not be reversed on appeal for giving too much alimony for too long, but he or she will more likely be reversed for awarding alimony that is insufficient in amount and duration.

How Much for How Long?
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In South Carolina, alimony can be awarded in different ways depending on the specific circumstances of the parties. Alimony awards can be permanent/periodic, lump sum or rehabilitative, taxable and non-taxable in nature. There is no definitive mathematical formula used to determine the amount of an alimony award. Several computer programs are helpful in analyzing alimony obligations (I rely on one myself), but none are determinative. One way to get a general understanding of an alimony obligation is to determine the monthly living expenses for the spouse with the smaller income. If the after-tax income of that spouse leaves them short of their reasonable monthly living expenses, then a Court will likely seek to make up the difference or even balance the incomes with funds from the spouse with the greater income.
Similarly, the law does not specify criteria to determine the duration of an alimony obligation. A marriage of 12 to 15 years very often results in a permanent alimony obligation in South Carolina, but not necessarily (providing, of course, that an obligation exists in the first place). Legal authority exists in South Carolina for a permanent alimony award resulting from a marriage of only one year! Permanent alimony can only end upon the death of either spouse or upon the re-marriage or co-habitation of the supported spouse.

Can it be Modified?
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Alimony is always modifiable if it is awarded on a permanent basis, but only upon a showing that there exists a substantial change in circumstances. Our courts have ruled that a 20% increase in income by former husband did not support the former wife’s request for increase in her monthly award. An issue that is becoming increasingly common with the aging of baby boomers is the extension of alimony obligations into retirement years. It is important to understand that retirement will not necessarily suffice as a change in circumstance to warrant a decrease in alimony. Each request for modification of alimony will turn on the facts specific to the parties involved.

Can it be Avoided?
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The only absolute prohibition to an alimony award is if the spouse requesting alimony has committed adultery. Other forms of fault, such as physical cruelty, habitual alcoholism and abandonment will not necessarily bar alimony, but may effect the amount or duration of the award, up or down, depending on where the fault is placed.

The Bottom Line
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At the risk of sounding self-serving, my advice is to always negotiate alimony with the assistance of a qualified family law attorney. I have worked with several clients who previously paid a huge price as a result of negotiating on their own or going along with advice they did not understand. The financial exposure can be overwhelming. Given the complicated nature of most couples’ financial lives, it is simply too risky to negotiate alimony without sound legal advice.