When a family wants to legally accept parental rights to a child, they can go through the process of legal adoption. Adoption is more than just a legality, though. It means caring for, loving, and guiding a child as your own. Adoption makes a child legally part of your family, which makes you legally responsible for their care and well-being until they are no longer a minor.
Making arrangements for parenting after a divorce is finalized is a significant decision. The effects will determine much of the parents’ lives moving forward, and of course, it will have a tremendous impact on the child. It’s important that a parenting plan for handling parenting be thorough and consider a wide range of factors and concerns. A lawyer who’s dealt with similar situations before can help make sure that parents are addressing sometimes forgotten issues and concerns. The lawyer can also help ensure that the plan put together is something that a judge will recognize as being in a child’s interest.
Custody is a challenging aspect of family law, as parents want a connection with their children, and children want a connection with their parents. Generally, the courts try to honor those desires for connection in their custody rulings. They want to give parents as close to even roles in their child’s life as possible. However, the guiding principle of the courts is the child’s interests. This means that there are some things a parent may do which are considered so harmful to the child’s welfare that custody must be taken from the parent. If issues like this are a concern with either yourself or the other parent, it’s important to talk with an experienced child custody attorney who can help you understand your options.
Divorces and separations are challenging for everyone, but they often have a unique impact on the children who are involved. Every state has different guidelines surrounding the preferences of a child in court and when they can be honored. Whether the relationship between a child and one of their parents is broken or a child truly wishes to live with the other parent, you may be wondering when your kids are legally allowed to choose where to live.
When a divorce involves children, a child custody order must be implemented to dictate how the parents will share responsibility for them. Because a child custody agreement is a legal order that often gives parenting time to both spouses, one parent cannot simply move away with their child whenever they please. Instead, the parent who would like to relocate must follow the required legal procedures to request permission to do so.
If you are considering relocating, it is imperative to know if you are eligible to move away with your child after a California divorce.
Ex parte proceedings, also called emergency proceedings, are filed when an immediate decision needs to be made in a family law case because of an emergency situation. An ex parte order is an emergency and temporary order. They may be necessary in divorce proceedings, child custody determinations, and domestic violence cases.
Establishing paternity is necessary for many unmarried couples to gain essential parental rights and responsibilities for their children. Paternity allows both parents to have rights to custody and visitation, along with the responsibility to financially support their child. It also allows children to get financial insurance benefits and inheritance rights from both of their parents. There are several ways that parents can establish the paternity of their children.
A married couple or domestic partnership considering separation in California has several legal options available. This can be confusing and frustrating for some couples who are unsure what the “right” way to separate is. Couples can end or separate a marriage through divorce, annulment, or legal separation, depending on the circumstances of their marriage. The ideal option for your separation will depend on several factors. It can be helpful for couples to talk with a qualified family law attorney to understand if they meet the requirements for certain types of separation.
Child custody is a stressful time in any parent’s life, whether it is part of a divorce proceeding or the result of separation. In a custody determination, most parents want as much time as they can get with their children. The court will always make a custody and visitation decision based on the child’s interests. When a parent is deemed unfit, they will likely be unable to have child custody rights.
The term “unfit parent” doesn’t refer to imperfect parenting. Instead, it’s a legal term that applies when a parent cannot provide safety and care for their child.
Divorce or parental separation is a difficult time for any family. Though many families try to work with each other, this isn’t always the case. There are unfortunate situations where one parent attempts to harm the relationship between the child and the other parent. These attempts can be considered parental alienation if the child rejects or estranges themselves from that parent.
Many parents see children pull themselves away emotionally after separation because it’s also difficult for kids. In most cases, it just takes time and understanding. For some parents, however, those bonds don’t heal because of the manipulative tactics of their co-parents. Parental alienation can be minor or severe. It’s essential to understand how that impacts your family and what you can do about it if you’re a parent who suspects your child is being intentionally distanced from you.
San Diego Divorce Attorneys Blog