If you are a single parent, you may have concerns about leaving your child with their other parent. Sometimes, these concerns spring from simple disagreements about parenting. You may have concerns about the other parent’s entertainment choices, what they feed the kids, and so on. Other times, you may be worried that the child is in danger with the other parent. In this article, we explore the ...
Divorce is a challenging process for any couple, but it can be even more complex when one or both spouses are members of the military. In such cases, child custody and support matters can become particularly intricate due to the unique circumstances and lifestyle associated with military service. Understanding how child custody and support are handled in military divorces is crucial for service ...
Divorce is never an easy process, especially when you have children involved. Custody decisions can be extremely difficult to ascertain. Often, these decisions are left up to judges who try their best to suit a child's needs. As part of this decision, they can consider the child’s wishes. In this article, we broadly explain Iowa’s general approach to child custody, then we directly address whether ...
These days, family dynamics are more complicated than ever. Spouses in same-sex marriages may raise a child parented by someone outside the marriage. More people are warming to the idea of polyamory, where more than two people have a relationship, and they have a child with someone other than their spouse. There are, of course, also situations of betrayal where someone has a child from an affair, ...
Parents often disagree on how to raise children, especially if they are divorced. In many cases, mismatched parenting styles are among the reasons for divorce. These disagreements can get heated and contentious, but ultimately, If you don’t like the other parent’s methods, there isn’t much legal recourse for resolving the issue. They may be unwilling to change their behavior, and the court grants ...
Being a biological father doesn’t necessarily mean you are a legal father. The government requires you to officially declare our parenthood. You can do this by signing the birth certificate or filing paperwork later. The legal term for fatherhood is “paternity.” If you wait too long, or if you discover a child later in life, you must officially declare your fatherhood. You may need to go through ...
Everyone knows that working with other people can be difficult, especially with the other person doesn’t meet their obligations. Bosses, coworkers, and other professionals can slow down progress. This problem is amplified when it involves your personal life. As a divorced parent, you must rely on your co-parent to obey the parenting plan, but some people simply won’t comply. This can include ...
It’s been almost a decade since the Supreme Court rules that same-sex marriage should be recognized across. The country. Still, for many, the laws on the topic can feel “new.” There is still much vagueness and confusion about what, exactly your rights are. This can be especially true for same-sex parents. Many laws are still steeped in traditional, heterosexual marriages, and it’s taking time for ...
Understanding How an Iowa Child Custody Judgement is Ordered Child custody can be one of the thornier issues in a divorce negotiation. When a couple splits and they have minor children, issues of visitation and custody will be primary. If couples can work together to reach an agreement without the need for intervention from the legal system, the process will move faster and come to an easier ...
The Covid vaccine is not as new as it was, but it’s reintroduced an old argument for many co-parents. Vaccinations aren’t yet mandatory for children, but many parents are hoping these medical therapies will be the solution to get their children’s school lives back to normal. Vaccination decisions have been a hot topic in our national conversation, but for many parents, it’s becoming an explosive ...
Co-parenting post-divorce is a tricky task. Parenting a child who splits his or her time between households can leave each parent feeling inadequate. Divorced couples have a difficult time co-parenting because the relationship with their ex isn’t the best foundation for creating a lasting agreement. Even if there is an agreed-upon parenting plan, your ex could be sabotaging your plan after an ...
Adjusting Custody to Reflect the Changes in Your Circumstances The coronavirus has turned many lives upside down, leaving several parents jobless, struggling to pay rent, and unsure of when their lives will stabilize. Even those still fortunate enough to be employed face complications in circumstance, as they could be an essential worker who faces frequent risk of infection. Being responsible for ...
Flattening the Curve Two Households at a Time After a temporary drop in cases, the coronavirus is making a strong comeback, with many fearing it will only get worse as we near winter. The spike in cases will likely revive strict enforcements on social distancing and self-isolating with the goal of preventing another large spike, but what does that mean for co-parents and children who live between ...
If you are a separated or divorced parent, you are likely already acutely familiar with the challenges of co-parenting with your ex. However, now that we are in the middle of a pandemic, raising children with your former spouse may be considerably more difficult and your children are likely picking up on the increased tension and anxiety in your family. Although everyone’s schedules may have ...
After a divorce, life can feel uncertain and unpredictable for your children, resulting in anxiety and stress. To ease their apprehensions in the aftermath of your split, it is crucial to create a set of consistent rules and routines across both households to make visitation less jarring. Fostering stability in their lives will help them feel safe, secure, and instill healthy habits. To get ...
How Military Service Affects Custody Arrangements If you’re in the midst of a divorce, you might be wondering how your military status will affect child custody arrangements. Though you may be deployed or relocated in the future, you are still entitled to the same custody rights as the child’s civilian parent. The Department of Defense’s USA4 Military Families Initiative is in place to ensure that ...
In many adoption cases, a child is adopted because the adoptive parents are determined as better caregivers than the birth parents. For a child to enter the adoption process, the birth parents must consent to their child being adopted and relinquish their parental rights. Through doing this, the birth parents acknowledge that they cannot care for the child in full capacity and want a more suitable ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
In the 21st Century, it is not unusual for unmarried parents to have children. Perhaps these parents are divorced or have no intention of marrying because they are children of divorce. The reasons for having children out of wedlock vary and are very personal, but regardless of the reasons for having children outside of the institution of marriage, it’s frequency has raised issues in the family ...
50 50 Parenting Plan Determining child custody is one of the most contentious aspects of the divorce process. When parents can’t establish a parenting plan on their own, they can turn to the court for guidance. However, Iowa courts tend to pick one parent to be the primary custodian, which isn’t always in the child’s best interest. The purpose of a comprehensive parenting plan is to guarantee that ...
Abandonment Laws in Iowa The divorce process can be a complicated and overwhelming experience even when both spouses are present and accounted for. But what happens when one spouse completely severs ties with the family and runs away to parts unknown? This leaves the other spouse responsible for countless financial and marital obligations. Fortunately, you can still get divorced in Iowa even if ...
Every client that walks through our doors has unique personal circumstances and legal goals they want to achieve. Even so, there is one subject that can turn any divorce case into a drawn-out, costly, and high-conflict affair: child custody. Many divorcing parents turn to us because they have countless questions and concerns about the legalities and regulations surrounding child custody ...
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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 ...