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Blog Posts in 2019

  • Creating a Special Valentine’s Day for Your Adopted Child

    Expanding your family through adoption is a wonderful way to not only brighten your life but brighten the life of a child in need of a home. If this Valentine’s Day is the first you will share with your adopted child, you may be looking to make it particularly special. Here are a few ways to create a holiday your child won’t soon forget! 1.Create New Traditions If your family has certain holiday ...
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  • How Does Remarriage Affect Spousal Support?

    Spousal support, also referred to as alimony, is the financial payments one spouse makes to the other either during or after a divorce. The court can award a few different types of alimony depending on your situation. These are: periodic: paid until the death of the payor or the receiver passes or remarries; reimbursement: repayment to a spouse who helped with their partner’s educational expenses; ...
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  • What Is an Uncontested Divorce?

    An uncontested divorce is one in which both parties agree on all issues. There is no expedited process for uncontested divorce, but it will generally move through the court system more quickly than if the parties do not agree on the issues. Uncontested Divorce Eligibility Couples with no disagreements are generally the people who file for an uncontested divorce. Common issues couples need to agree ...
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  • Grounds for Marriage Annulment in Iowa

    A couple can seek a marriage annulment if they believe it wasn’t valid to begin with. Unlike a divorce, when an annulment is granted, the record is entirely erased from the legal system. For this reason, a couple needs to prove the invalidity of the marriage. In Iowa, your marriage can only be annulled if: it was incestuous – you and your spouse are related by blood (first cousins or closer); one ...
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  • Is It Challenging for a Same-Sex Couple to Divorce?

    Since 2009, the Iowa Supreme Court has legally recognized same-sex marriage. As such, it also allows same-sex divorce, even if the couple was married in a different state. The same rules and requirements apply to homosexual and heterosexual divorce. Requirements to File Divorce Before a couple can file for divorce in Iowa, they must meet certain prerequisites, as listed below: Proving your ...
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  • Establishing Paternity: How to Lawfully Substantiate Fatherhood

    In the state of Iowa, when a married couple has a child, the husband is automatically presumed to be the father. His name will go on the birth certificate and no further action is needed from the couple. Unfortunately, there are no automatic protections in place for the fathers of a children born out of wedlock. Unwed partners need to take additional steps to ensure the father has legal rights to ...
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  • Can You File a Domestic Violence Claim Against Your Roommate?

    It may surprise you to know that roommate violence and disputes are categorized as domestic violence. This means disputes between roommates can carry all the consequences of domestic violence cases between spouses. What Is Classified as Domestic Violence? Domestic violence (or abuse) is assault between two people in a relationship. This relationship can be: a married couple; a divorced couple; ...
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  • How Does Military Divorce Differ from Civilian Divorce?

    Service members have rights and obligations that differ from civilians. For this reason, there are several elements the military influences when one or both parties are servicemembers going through divorce. These elements include: where the divorce can be filed; how child or spousal support is calculated; child custody; child visitation; and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA). ...
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  • What Is a Child in Need of Assistance Case?

    A Child in Need of Assistance (CINA) case is when a court must decide if the living situation around a child is not conducive to their ultimate wellbeing. A court will find a CINA if: a child has been abused and/or neglected; a child has a developmental disability or mental disorder that isn’t being addressed by their guardian; or the child’s guardians don’t give proper care and/or attention to ...
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  • How Can a Grandparent Gain Custody of a Child?

    Grandparents can be heavily involved in the life and child-rearing responsibilities of children; sometimes they even become the primary caregivers. While the majority of child custody cases are between parents, grandparents have the right to seek custody of their grandchildren as well. So, how can a grandparent gain custody of their grandchild? Is it a more difficult process than a biological ...
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  • How to Get Your Child's Passport if You Are a Single Parent

    As of 2001, the United States government requires both parent’s signatures on their child’s passport applications. This rule applies to new passports for children under the age of 14; before this rule, it was possible for only one parent to complete a passport application for their child. If you are a single parent, it is still possible for you to obtain a passport for your child. However, the ...
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  • Who Gets the Farm After Divorce?

    Farming is not only a career; it is a lifestyle. If you and your spouse put a lot of time and money into maintaining your farm and later decide to part ways, dividing your property could get messy. If a prenuptial agreement has been established, the division of property (including the farm) won’t be an issue. However, if a couple forgets to draw up a prenuptial agreement or doesn’t think they need ...
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  • Issues Regarding the Enforcement of Premarital Agreements in Iowa

    What Is a Premarital Agreement? A premarital agreement is a contract that prospective newlyweds enter into before they get married. Also known as a “prenuptial agreement” or “prenup,” premarital agreements let couples figure out issues such as the disposition of marital property during marriage and when the marriage ends due to the death of a spouse or divorce. However, premarital agreements can ...
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  • What Is the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction?

    The Hague Conference on Private International Law is an international organization compromised of several countries (82 States and the European Union). The goal of the Hague Conference is to establish workable, internationally-agreed methods of resolving legal issues between countries with various legal systems and traditions regarding matters such as court jurisdiction and the recognition and ...
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  • How Child Support Arrears Can Impact Your New Marriage

    In the United States, approximately half of all first marriages end in divorce. Sounds like a grim statistic until you learn that second and subsequent marriages have an even higher risk of divorce. But why is it that second marriages are more doomed to failure than first marriages? We don’t know all of the “reasons” based on research, however, we are confident that many couples in blended ...
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