Paternity is the formal establishment of legal ties between a father and his child. Paternity is formed in a variety of ways, but there are two primary tests: the blood test and DNA test. This article will go over the pros and cons of both tests. The reason that a...
Month: March 2016
An overview of how child support is calculated
Child support are payments made by one parent to the other to support the raising of their child. When one party has sole custody of the child, the non-custodial parent must pay child support to the custodial parent. If the couple holds joint custody, it is possible...
Internet companies try to streamline divorce
A variety of internet companies are offering applications and services to allow people to “affordably” file for divorce. Affordable is a relative term because most of these companies still charge several thousand dollars to prepare your divorce documents....
Will you owe spousal support? Part 1
Spousal support is not automatically awarded. There are a multitude of factors that the court considers when determining if you should pay spousal support. Spousal support (also called "spousal maintenance" or "alimony") is awarded only to maintain your ex-spouses...
State Department tips to prevent child abduction
Child abduction brings to mind images of scary men dressed in black with masks. The reality is that many abductions are perpetrated by people the child knows, like friends or parents. International child abduction by a parent occurs at a sufficient frequency...
Grounds to terminate parental rights, pt. 2
The state can enter into a family and terminate parental rights over children. This is reserved only for the most extreme circumstances and only done when it is in the best interests of the child. The law generally presumes that it is in the best interest of...
Grounds to terminate parental rights pt. 1
The idea of the "state" swooping in and taking away a child is a parent's nightmare. The termination of parental rights is the most powerful tool that the government possesses to protect children. It is an extreme solution that is only used in the...
What is the legal significance of paternity?
Establishing paternity is critical for fathers to gain parental rights. How you establish paternity depends upon the circumstances of the birth, relationship between the parents and the relationship between the father and child. Paternity carries significant...