A man in Iowa at first thought it was a joke when a letter arrived from the state ordering him to pay child support for a 1-year-old born to a woman he hadn’t seen in 17 years. But it was no laughing matter. The case came about because, as The…
For millennials, out-of-wedlock birth is often the norm. A number of studies have revealed that 64 percent of mothers give birth at least once without exchanging vows. Among women under 30, more than half have had births outside of marriage. And nearly half of all mothers have children without ever…
Enforcement of child support orders are essential to ensuring the needs of Indiana’s youth are met. Parents seeking to enforce or modify these orders should seek legal counsel. In some cases, when parents do not pay, the court can order interest on the arrears, to account for the time single…
A survivor benefit plan of a military pension should be included in the “marital pot” when considering what should be calculated as an “asset” in an Indiana divorce. That was the ruling handed down by the Indiana Court of Appeals in the recent case of In Re: the Marriage of Carr…
If you are a business owner contemplating divorce, you have additional considerations that wouldn’t come into play for many facing a separation. It’s not an uncommon scenario, as many entrepreneurs toil long hours building the company, and the marriage can suffer. It’s typical of younger couples to marry with no prenuptial…
Termination of a parent-child relationship in Indiana is done through judicial proceeding that will forever end the legal, social and financial relationship and responsibilities between a parent and child. It means that all power, privilege, immunity, duty and obligation to that child by the parent is totally gone. Parents can…
The New Year brings with it the potential for change. Many who have been suffering in marriages that are miserable, loveless or simply unfulfilling seize the opportunity to write a new chapter. That’s why January has a reputation for being “divorce month.” But as heartbreaking – or freeing – as…
A few years back, I wrote a blog article entitled Negligent Party Hosts in Indiana May Face Liability. The article provided some general rules and suggestions concerning possible liability issues for people who have parties during the holiday season. A recent Indiana decision, F. John Rogers, as Personal Representative of…
Spousal maintenance – also sometimes referred to as alimony – is awarded in Indiana divorces under certain circumstances. Typically, this is offered when one spouse earns significantly more than the other. Usually, this type of support is temporary, though a judge may determine it should be indefinite if the lesser…
A new study published last month in the American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities revealed that while parents of children with developmental disabilities weren’t more likely to divorce than other parents, their reasons for separating often differed. Researchers analyzed a longitudinal study of more than 10,000 people – and…