Chances are, in planning your custody agreement, the holidays garnered significant attention. You have them all perfectly mapped out in excruciating detail. You feel totally prepared and though possibly a little heartsick, ready. But as the year enters the fourth quarter, with the holidays looming, something catches you off guard.

What is most important to most spouses in the divorce process?

For years we have heard horror stories of different divorce cases, some we know in real life and many that have played out on television, in the media. The reality is that not every divorce proceeding has to be ugly, or contentious. Mediation offers a more peaceful and sometimes productive process to divorce.

What Does Child Support Cover?

Child Support is meant to cover a broad range of expenses. The basic needs of a child are covered by child support, things like food, clothing, and shelter. But what else can/does child support cover and how should it be negotiated?

What are the grounds for involuntary termination of parental rights?

Every state has laws providing the circumstances under which a person’s parental rights to their child may be terminated by a court of law. Termination of parental rights legally ends the parent-child relationship. Once termination has occurred, a child is legally free to be placed for adoption with the goal of identifying a healthier permanent family solution.

What’s Considered Neglecting a Child?

Child abuse and neglect are defined by Federal and State laws. According to state law, child abuse and neglect may be defined in both civil and criminal statutes. In federal law, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) has defined child abuse and neglect as "any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caregiver that results in…

What to do if your ex took out credit cards in your name?

When couples are together, they often accumulate debt and possessions during their relationship. While the signature and credit of two are often better than one, if the relationship ceases to exist, the debt remains. Make no mistake about it, without a court ruling on specific debt, if something is in your name you are on the hook for the money owed, no matter who created the debt.

Do You Need to Alter Child Custody During the School Year?

Frequently, custody arrangements must be adjusted during the summer months to allow for a variety of things for kids. For some, summer may mean being involved in various activities, sports, camps, and even summer school. Because of the deviations in a child’s schedule during the summer months, divorced parents will likely have to adjust their custody agreements as well.

Can Social Media Impact a Custody Agreement?

Today, individuals of all ages are connected through media sites. While this helps keep you connected to old friends and family members that live in different cities, states, and even counties, these media platforms are not always beneficial. For those in a custody arrangement, the details and usage of social media could negatively impact the outcomes for one or both parents.

Can a Child Refuse Visitation with a Parent?

Parents, along with their legal representatives, and a judge determine custody agreements. Sometimes the parents can figure out an arrangement together and other times the court has to develop the agreement for them. In either scenario, the custody agreement should always be made in the best interests of the child(ren).

What Parents Should Know About Runaways

While everyone wishes they had the perfect family life, the truth is, behind closed doors everyone is fighting a battle you may not even see. For centuries, there have been examples of parents who have been at odds with their children. There are a plethora of reasons a child might consider running away and there are a few things every parent should know.

What Happens to Frozen Embryos if the Couple Divorces?

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is on the rise as more and more couples are having a difficult journey towards parenthood. IVF, or in vitro fertilization, is a series of medical procedures intended to aid with fertility and to assist with conception. Many individuals believe IVF to be the most effective form of assisted reproductive technology. Couples usually decide to use their own eggs and sperm, if possible.

Same-Sex Divorce: Everything You Need to Know

In 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a historic decision legalizing same-sex marriage (Obergefell v. Hodges, 576 U.S. 644). For many, this decision was life-changing and—from a legal perspective—meant that married couples could benefit from the same benefits of heterosexual marriage. Things like spouse's health care plans, tax exemptions, and any other protections offered to heterosexual married couples.

Abortion and Parental Involvement Laws

In January of 1973, Roe v. Wade, 410 U.S. 113, was a landmark decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in which the Court ruled that the Constitution of the United States generally protects a pregnant woman's liberty to choose to have an abortion. But what about females under the age of 18? Here are some things to keep in mind.

What is parental alienation?

It is not uncommon for former partners to have issues in dealing with each other. There is a reason the couple is no longer together and unfortunately; a lot of those issues rear their ugly head when it comes to custody issues and co-parenting. So, when do poor co-parenting habits cross the line?

What happens to my child support if I lose my job?

As the world struggles to regain footing after the Covid-19 pandemic, many jobs remain in jeopardy and layoffs are occurring every day. While your child support agreement might be brand new, or several years old, your orders were put in place based on employment and earnings at the time of decree. Things aren’t easy these days and are constantly changing. Here’s what you should do if you lose your job and owe child support.

When can poor co-parenting result in the loss of custody?

Co-parenting is known to be a complicated journey. There are some parents who truly cannot co-exist as parents and other measures must be taken. Poor co-parenting can look different for every family depending on the circumstances and personalities involved. Here are some reasons that may, or may not, lead to loss of custody due to poor co-parenting.

3 Things to Consider in Planning Summer Visitation Schedules

As summer approaches and schools let out, co-parents may have some anxiety about navigating their child custody agreements during the summer months. While some agreements are ironclad and have already established your visitation agreements year-round, many have not. Here are some things to consider when planning your summer schedule.

What to know about summer custody agreements

With summer a few weeks away, it is time for you and your co-parent to get a summer custody agreement in place, if you have not done so yet. The court systems recognize that the summers are different than the school year and children have camps and vacations and the like. So how does summer visitation work?

What are your rights in a CPS case?

The role of Child Protective Services is to ensure children are always safe with those who have custody of them. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. If someone reports that a child in your care is in danger, your child could be removed from your custody. While you do have rights, the court’s priority is obviously the safety of all children involved. It is important to know however what your rights are.

Responsibilities of a Child Advocate Attorney

The work of protecting the rights of minors is not for the faint of heart. Child advocate attorneys work to protect the rights of minors in cases of divorce, custody, neglect, abuse and juvenile court issues. A child advocate attorney is typically appointed by the court. Here are some reasons why this such attorney might be appointed.

Read up on our latest articles