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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Once a divorce is finalized, former spouses are finally able to start forging the next chapter of their lives. However, not all ties are severed once this legal process is complete. Former spouses often have to construct their new lives while still co-parenting with their exes. This can be a difficult relationship to navigate, especially if the marriage or divorce was particularly contentious. ...
During the divorce process, parents need to work together to establish an equitable child custody agreement that reflects the best interests of their child. If they can’t come to a unanimous agreement, it’s the court’s responsibility to establish a fair and comprehensive parenting plan on their behalf. But child custody determinations are only one part of a larger marital settlement agreement that ...
Whether you are going through a divorce or are an unmarried father, your parental rights are still important and should be respected. Unfortunately, it can be a challenge for fathers to receive the appropriate recognition in their child’s life and may find themselves fighting to protect their rights. As Des Moines family law attorneys, we understand the difficulties you may be facing, and we can ...
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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 ...