When fathers face a divorce and they have had children with their wives, many of them react to this process with a strong mix of emotions that include fear, anxiety and uncertainty. These emotions can be a serious detriment to getting through the divorce process and emerging from it in as strong a position as possible, and unfortunately many men succumb to these pressures and others and wind up facing difficult circumstances when a divorce is complete and it’s time for the parents of the children of that marriage to go their separate ways.

Any father will be able to understand that remaining in the lives of their children is critically important, and courts around the United States recognize that need as well. Most child custody standards call for judges to work towards a solution that encourages the continued involvement of both parents in the lives of those affected by divorce, but that’s not always how it works out for one reason or another. Until recently, it was difficult to understand just how and why this involvement is so critical, but a recent study begins to shed some light on these situations from the perspective of fathers and children of divorce.

According to a study that was done by a researcher at the Oregon Social Learning Center, fathers who remained involved in the lives of their children after divorce tended to drink less alcohol, face a lower risk for engaging in substance abuse and enjoy a better degree of physical and emotional health overall. Children whose fathers remained in their lives on a regular basis also tended to perform better in school, to make better connections socially and they were more likely to avoid smoking and other substance abuse problems over time.

Of course, applying the findings of an academic study to real life is often easier said than done. However, fathers who face this difficult situation need to be ready to fight for their rights to remain in their children’s lives. As it turns out, doing so will not only help the children as they grow up and mature into adults, but it will also help fathers live a healthier lifestyle and basically to enjoy their lives more than they would otherwise.

Every divorce involving children is different, but each is excruciatingly difficult for everyone involved. Too many fathers simply assume that the law will do whatever possible to make sure that the mother is the one who gets to spend the majority of the time with the children, but that is simply not how the laws are written. Therefore, fathers need to remain as strong and as positive as possible as they move towards putting their divorce cases behind them for good.

One way to help ensure that this happens is to obtain the help of experienced and skilled professionals. If you are a father facing divorce, contact the San Diego divorce lawyer at the Men’s Legal Center today to schedule an initial consultation.

For many years, most of us in the United States and in other developed countries around the world have known that approximately 50 percent of marriages ultimately end in divorce.  That’s been the norm that’s been stated over and over again, and while this is generally accurate in both the United States and the United Kingdom, a group has decided to look more closely into these statistics to define further how marriages tend to work out.  That British group has completed its study, and its conclusion is one that could be seen as a bit of a surprise to many.

The Marriage Foundation is a group in the United Kingdom that handles several different functions, and one of them is the study of marriage and divorce.  It recently completed a study of British couples to find out if this 50-percent norm is actually accurate at this point.  It had been through the 1980’s and 1990’s, but according to the most current study it seems that second marriages tend to be more successful than first marriages. 

Adoption is a process that generally involves the biological parents giving up a child to parents who go through a lengthy legal process in order to take over the raising of and caring for that child. It is an emotional process that carries with it many highs and lows. These situations tend to spiral out of control in an unfortunate manner when someone objects to the adoption, particularly if that objecting party is one of the biological parents. When that child is of Native American descent, the case can become extremely confusing even for legal professionals.

Unfortunately, that is what has been happening with a child who was adopted by a couple in South Carolina after she was born in Oklahoma. The biological father of the child challenged the adoption after finding out about it, and the case has been making its way through the legal system. Recently, the United States Supreme Court announced that it will hear the case, and the general hope is that whatever decision it makes will provide some uniform guidance to the adoption process across the country so that these difficult situations can be avoided in the future.

For decades, the jurisdictions across the United States have been relatively similar in terms of the laws that governed alimony payments made by one spouse to another after divorce. Some jurisdictions refer to these payments as spousal support, but in reality the major differences basically end there. These payments are made by a spouse because the other person is generally in a position where he or she cannot live at the same general standard as when the people were married, and these laws were enacted to protect those spouses from financial ruin and struggle.

Cultural phenomena tend to come and go, and the pendulum tends to swing from one side of an issue to the other over time before swinging back again. Recent decades have seen almost the entire country adopt what is known as a no-fault divorce system whereby the person filing a divorce case does not have to state a reason for doing so. There are also very short waiting periods that are in place across the country and in general divorce has been made as easy as possible to obtain.

The United States has a lot in common with the United Kingdom when it comes to different aspects of society. Our legal system is based on that which existed in England, but since that time many differences have arisen as the two societies have developed independently. One such difference involves legal help with regards to divorces. British citizens can make use of Legal Aid outlets as they face a divorce, but that system has come under scrutiny from the government lately.

Most everyone, particularly people who have already been through a divorce, understand that any children of such a marriage will struggle with emotional difficulties as a result of this decision and the process as a whole. These struggles tend to manifest themselves by way of behavioral issues and perhaps some social problems, but like everyone else it’s incumbent on any family that breaks up to work together as much as possible to minimize the long-term damage to the children of that marriage.

We have all heard the statistic regarding divorce in the United States in that approximately 50 percent of all marriages ultimately end in this way. Many of us understand how a marriage can fall apart, as sharing a life together can be difficult for anyone. Finances, major life decisions, general lifestyle and simply learning how to share nearly everything are all potential obstacles to a happy marriage. In addition, divorce does not carry the social stigma that it once did and people tend to be less wary of getting involved in this process.

If you have ever had a child, you doubtlessly remember the extreme excitement that came along with that magical day. You probably also remember that drive home from the hospital when you were convinced that you were more than ready to start a new life and to be a parent. Then that first night happened, and you wondered how you would ever make it through the next however many nights with little to no sleep.

If you are about to get married and you have assets and interests that you want to protect, any divorce lawyer will tell you that the best way to do so is to put together and execute a prenuptial agreement. Prenuptial agreements are basically the same as contracts in that they are binding on the parties that sign them. The same rules need to be followed in terms of what’s required for a contract to be valid and enforceable, but for years this was seen as the way to go for many reasons.

If you have ever been through a divorce or you’re currently married in a legal sense but you’re living apart and separated, chances are you understand that a marriage is over long before the documentation is signed and recorded by the family court. Emotions don’t run on schedules, and emotions tend to tell us when we need to move on with our lives whether we want to admit that or not. When we check out of a marriage emotionally, some of us have taken steps to begin the next phase of our lives. While this is healthy in certain respects, it can also lead to serious problems if the wrong steps are taken at the wrong times.

People generally do not look forward to hiring attorneys. They also do not look forward to getting involved in the legal process in general. That’s because people are unfamiliar with the legal world, they have heard horror stories about it and they want nothing to do with it. This is especially true if a legal situation involves a highly emotional situation such as divorce. No one wants to endure this painful process, but there are times when it’s necessary and when it’s simply going to leave both people in a better position.

Iowa was the second jurisdiction in the United States to adopt a no-fault divorce system. This system basically means that people who want to end a marriage can do so without stating a specific reason such as infidelity or abuse. No-fault divorce is something that has been accepted across the country, but it also has had its share of critics. Iowa has recently decided that it wants to consider the possibility of removing the no-fault system for some couples.

China has always been seen by Americans as a mysterious place and a bit of a dichotomy between the old, traditional China and the new and bustling modern China that’s been emerging in recent years. It’s no secret that as China has jumped into the modern world in many different ways, the country’s population has emulated western culture and American culture in particular. If you walk down any urban Chinese street, you’re likely to see signs for McDonald’s and Nike and you’re likely to see locals listening to American artists on their iPods.

It has been widely assumed for generations that once a couple is married for 20 years or more that they are most likely going to spend the rest of their lives together. People who get married, raise a family and work towards retirement together tend to get comfortable with their lives and find happiness as their children grow up and their retirement plans move from a distant blip on the radar of life to a growing light at the end of the tunnel.

No one these days can turn on a radio, television or a computer without being inundated with advertisements that relate to finishing your tax return for the tax year 2012. As a result, everyone is thinking about their tax returns and what they need to do to make sure that they get them done on time and that they get them done right. For most people, this is a relatively mundane exercise that happens every year. For many others, though, this is a complicated and stressful situation that is suddenly wholly unfamiliar. That’s because they have either recently completed a divorce or they are currently involved in such a case.

When members of the military seek a divorce and the issue of child custody arises, the case can quickly become extremely complicated. The same holds true when one of the parents in a divorce lives in a different country and custody is disputed, as those cases could involve international legal disputes that are relatively rare and highly technical in nature, not to mention unpredictable. When both of these elements are combined into one child custody battle, the case can confuse anyone.

Many people, and especially men, tend to overlook the importance of Valentine’s Day and think of it as what is commonly known as a ‘Hallmark’ holiday because it is generally promoted by companies that sell products that are related to a day that’s about relationships. Unfortunately, there are many other people who place a great deal of importance in such a day, and this importance can actually play itself out in terms of the divorce rate that follows it. According to a recent study, Valentine’s Day may form a line in the sand for many couples.

Laws that deal with divorce, child custody and anything else that’s related to the family are constantly being reviewed and tweaked by legislatures across the United States. This is simply a natural part of the legislative process, and anything can change at almost any time if the proper number of votes are in place. However, some of the changes that have been either made with regards to family laws across the country or proposed have gone right to the heart of divorce.

Almost every jurisdiction in the United States follows the standard that involves the best interests of the child with regards to the question of child custody when parents are pursuing a divorce. Despite this relative state of uniformity, there are many differences with regards to the details that support this standard. However, some states are attempting to provide themselves with more details so that these court proceedings can be more predictable for everyone involved. Utah is the latest jurisdiction to consider such a step.

There are many different things that can lead to a divorce, and most people understand that there are certain causes that tend to be more common than others. Examples of these common causes include financial problems or disagreements, infidelity and general dysfunction in terms of personality dynamics. Clearly, alcohol would be recognized by most people as a common cause of serious marital problems, but until recently this issue had not been heavily studied. However, a thorough study was recently released that measured the effects of alcohol on marriage and divorce.

When people of a high net worth decide that their marriage is not going to work and that they need to pursue a divorce, they face many of the same emotional difficulties as anyone else. They also need to go through basically the same property division and estate dissolution process as anyone else, but when there are substantial assets involved those processes can be extremely complicated. That’s because there is simply more property to deal with in general.

When parents are ordered by a court to pay child support, that order needs to be taken extremely seriously, much like any other court order. When this order is not adhered to and child support payments are not made, courts and enforcement agencies can and often do use almost any means necessary to collect on past-due amounts. Different jurisdictions have gotten more creative and expansive with their collection efforts in recent years, and Louisiana has had success with a new program.

Every year, everyone in the United States who has earned above a certain amount of money during the previous year is required to file a tax return with the federal government. Unless people are expecting a refund, people generally do not look forward to this process. No one likes organizing all of their documents from the previous year to get this task handled, and it can be difficult for people who may be in a position where they will incur a large amount in tax liability. In short, spring can be a tough time for people as much as it is a busy time for CPA’s.

Everyone understands the extreme struggles that have been faced by people who have been actively serving in the military in recent years. These courageous soldiers have been sent – in many cases several times – to combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan and they have risked their lives. Many soldiers have also faced difficulties at home, as the divorce rate for those in the military has been on the rise in recent years.

San Diego is obviously a city that includes thousands of people who are serving actively in the military. Anyone who is at all familiar with the current set of circumstances also understands that almost anyone can be deployed to combat zones at any times, and that many soldiers have been deployed overseas several times. This is not only a difficult situation to face for any soldier, but it’s particularly difficult for soldiers who have children and for those who have primary custody of their children after a divorce. For years, soldiers were nervous about what a deployment would do to that custody status.

At this point in our history, most of us would assume that despite some lack of progress in some parts of the world, people who are not happy with each other can obtain a divorce if such a step is necessary. Divorces are granted from places that include the United States, across Europe and everywhere in the Middle East including Saudi Arabia. However, there are still two places in the world where there is no divorce law on the books, and one of them is considering changing that reality.

Most people have at least heard of the news in recent years that has stated that the divorce rate in the United States has dropped, and that one of the biggest reasons for this drop is because of the terrible economic recession that hit the country. People tend to pull back on major life decisions during these difficult times, and divorce obviously qualifies as such. Not to mention, the potential cost of a divorce had many people hesitating to take this step.

As the world of medical science has continued to advance in recent years, people who have wanted to have a child have encountered more options when they are unable or unlikely to produce them by themselves. These new methods that include artificial insemination and in vitro fertilization have been refined to the point where the chances of success are much greater now than they were even a handful of years ago. While this is obviously good news for parents who want to have children, it has created complications if those parents were married and ultimately decided to pursue a divorce.

Many families struggle when spouses have a hard time living together and getting along. There are a number of different reasons as to why people come to the regrettable decision that their marriage is not going to work, and according to many family law experts a high number of people in this position hold things together until the holiday season is over. This is particularly true when it comes to families with children. However, now that this time has passed and people are beginning to come to grips with a difficult reality, it may be time to take that first step towards doing what needs to be done.

When people consider the laws that exist in California regarding divorce, child custody and anything else that’s related to the family, they tend to think that these are draconian standards that are unduly harsh. While many people feel this way based on experience, sometimes it’s a good idea to take a step back and consider just how differently these norms are seen in different parts of the world. The most recent example in this regard comes from Saudi Arabia.

As San Diego divorce lawyers, we rarely take any time to single out the divorce cases of people around the world. Doing so is really not generally something that adds value to the information we provide to people who may need it and gossip magazines are already plentiful in the online world. However, there are times when looking at a particular case can provide some perspective for those of us here who may be somewhat interested in how the divorce laws around the world work as compared to what typically happens in the United States and in particular in California.

For generations, it was assumed in the United States that once a couple was married for 15, 20 or even 25 years that they were never going to encounter the possibility of a divorce. That belief had been generally backed up by statistics that revealed that the divorce rate for people over 50 years of age was quite low. However, as our culture continues to change with time, that norm is no longer applicable, as recent statistical surveys have shown that the divorce rate for people 50 and over has skyrocketed in recent years.

Millions of people around the country are under orders from courts to pay child support for children of former marriages or relationships. These court orders that set out the terms of these payments are to be taken extremely seriously, as anyone who fails to pay child support is basically disobeying a court order. As a result, anyone who has done this could face serious legal problems that could include fines, penalties, very aggressive collection efforts and in some cases even prison time. In short, people who are order to pay child support face a very serious obligation.

For generations, child custody battles have been as nasty as any legal issue can get, as emotions tend to run high and logic tends to disappear when parents are dealing with this situation. Part of the reason for this intensity is that for most of this time, one parent would generally ‘win’ the case and the other would lose. That’s been changing somewhat in recent years, as more and more jurisdictions are looking to keep both parents of children involved after a divorce. Arizona is the latest example.

For most people, the holiday season is a time to reflect and to enjoy the benefits that life has brought to us with people we love and with people who love us. It is a happy time and a time to take it all in and to think positively about what could be in store during the coming year. Unfortunately, the holiday season can also be a very sad and difficult time for people for many different reasons. This is particularly true for people who either already have been or are going through a divorce, especially if children were or are involved in this difficult process.

It has been established in California that the abuse of drugs – including the nicotine in cigarettes – can be enough of a factor to persuade family courts to disallow a parent to retain custody of his or her children. For the most part, this line of thinking has extended to people who have used marijuana even for otherwise legal and legitimate reasons. However, that all changed recently when a California Appeals Court overturned a lower court’s decision and allowed a father who uses medical marijuana to retain custody of his child.

Many people in the United States and specifically in California feel that the legal system with regards to family law and child custody and support unfairly favors women. There are reasons as to why some men feel this way, particularly when one looks at the long history of women winning custody of children in a divorce case. While that tide has been turning in recent years, it should be noted that other areas are far behind in terms of gender equality in these cases.

For generations, people have quietly complained about their in-laws, and it’s gotten to the point where in-laws have been mercilessly parodied in films and on television. However, the relationship that spouses have with their in-laws is obviously important, as these relationships can help to define the quality of that marriage – for better or for worse. Recently, a study was completed that took a closer look at the importance of these relationships from both sides of a marriage.

When parents who are supposed to pay child support do not remain current with those payments for whatever reason, they can encounter serious legal problems as a result. These legal consequences can vary by jurisdiction to an extent, but in general people in this position can face fines, aggressive collection efforts, contempt of court charges and in some cases jail time. A man in Wisconsin, however, was recently forced to accept another remedy.

Denmark is like many countries in that if a couple wants to pursue a divorce, they must wait for a certain period of time while being separated before the case can proceed.  In Denmark, that certain period of time is six months, and when that time expires the couple can proceed to court to have their marriage dissolved.  However, that could all be changing based on a proposal put forth recently in parliament.

Most people who live and work in the area of family law or marriage counseling come to understand the common problems between spouses and domestic partners that lead to the possibility of those couples divorcing or splitting up in one way or another.  One of, if not the most common problems that arises relates to finances.  This is particularly true with regards to finances and honesty.  A recently completed survey attempted to quantify how often people lie to each other with regards to this issue, and the results were surprising.

The National Endowment for Financial Education, or NEFE, recently performed a survey of couples who were either married or who lived together regarding their honesty with respect to financial issues that affected the marriage or the partnership.  According to the results, more than 30 percent of people who combined their finances admitted to lying to their partners about money.

When parents of a child or children decide that they need to pursue a divorce, they obviously face a very difficult situation. Not only is their marriage ending, but their family is being torn apart and will have to learn to live in separate homes in the future. This reality can lead to much in the way of hesitation and other negative emotions, and fathers who face a contested battle for child custody often must overcome many doubts in order to properly protect their legal rights. This is much easier said than done in most situations.

As the problem regarding the timely payment of child support continues to worsen around the country, state governments are looking into more and more possibilities regarding the potential enforcement of these child support orders.  People who are not making their child support payments on time could already face significant legal problems including jail time in some cases, yet the problem of delinquencies remains prevalent.  Indiana is one state that is attempting a new approach to collecting on past-due payments.

When parents of a child or children decide that they’re not going to stay together, they often go to court to figure out such issues as child custody and by result child support.  Generally speaking, when a parent does not have primary custody of a child, he or she will be ordered by the court to pay child support until that child reaches a certain age.  These orders need to be taken seriously, as they carry the same weight and consequences of any other court order that is not followed.  People who do not remain current on child support payments can face serious legal problems as a result.

People in the military are obviously courageous, selfless heroes who have in recent years been willing and more than able to throw themselves into combat zones for the good of the United States.  Civilians rightfully look upon these soldiers with respect and admiration for what they do on a daily basis, and while that’s a very healthy thing indeed, that also tends to mean that we forget that soldiers are also human like everyone else.  Soldiers can encounter problems with their marriages just like civilians, and this is particularly true given the fact that so many of them have left home for so long.

For many years, it seemed that when a divorce came about that the wife always had the advantage in terms of the law and the ultimate decisions that were made by the judge overseeing these cases.  This perception was seen as especially legitimate when it came to issues that included primary custody of children and questions of spousal and child support.  In recent years, different standards have come about with regards to family law in different parts of the country, but unfortunately many husbands and/or fathers are not aware of these standards.

Many people have children together and live in the United States where one of the parents has the option to move back to his or her native country.  Unfortunately, when that international parent wants to move without his or her partner, a nasty child custody battle can and often does erupt.  Several countries around the world have signed on to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction treaty, which basically protects the right of the non-moving parent.

When parents of a child decide that they need to pursue a divorce and they have children, the situations can often turn nasty if the custody of those children is an issue that’s contested.  There are several different factors that judges can consider when making this critically important decision, and one of those factors that’s been used increasingly across the United States is whether one or both parents smoke and whether a child could be harmed by exposure to it.

When a married couple with children get a divorce or parents of a child who are not married go their separate ways, it’s often the case that a court will order child support payments to be made by the parent who does not have primary custody of that child or those children.  These orders need to be taken seriously for many reasons, as failing to remain current on a child support obligation can lead to extremely difficult legal problems.

There are many different reasons that a woman or a couple will seek out a sperm donor in order to have children.  The United Kingdom is much like the United States in how all of this works, in that people can go through licensed services and healthcare providers or they can simply agree with private individuals to take part in this activity.  However, anyone who chooses to go the informal route should make sure that their bases are covered in order to avoid a terrible surprise down the road.

When people are arrested for and ultimately convicted of a crime, they tend to earn little or even no money while they are incarcerated.  There are some work programs in place around the country, but these programs pay well below minimum wage.  For people who are incarcerated and who were already non-custodial parents, this can develop into an enormous problem for the obvious reason involving the payment of child support.

Many states have struggled with the issues relating to grandparent visitation of children.  That’s because most child visitation laws deal exclusively with the parents of a child, and these laws have generally come about after the parents have pursued and obtained a divorce.  However, a case in Florida is leading to calls for the passing of a law allowing for grandparent visitation, but the circumstances surrounding it are unusual and unfortunate.

Many jurisdictions around the United States have adopted what is known as a ‘no-fault’ divorce system over the years, and this approach to divorce is designed to avoid lengthy litigation whereby the spouses need to spend time in court proving how much each spouse is at fault for the marriage failing.  New York was one of the last holdouts in changing to this system, and it has now been two years since the new no-fault laws were enacted.  Since then, divorce cases have risen in number.

Many people who want to protect their assets before they get married will take the step of putting together and executing prenuptial agreements.  These agreements are basically legally binding contracts that specify certain terms if the couple decides to pursue a divorce provided that it’s done correctly.  However, prenuptial agreements were traditionally seen as a step that was taken by those who were extremely wealthy.  That could be changing.

When parents either obtain a divorce or they go their separate ways after never being married, they must work out the issues that relate to child visitation and child support.  Overall, a non-custodial parent is expected to pay child support that is ordered by the court.  There are also ways in which these payments are made that raise the likelihood that the non-custodial parent will remain current on his or her obligations.  Recently, the federal government conducted a study to find out more about how this is being done.

When people owe child support and they are unable to keep up with those payments, it can lead to serious problems for that person who is supposed to be paying on a monthly basis.  Aside from the potential legal consequences that can arise, many places will also assign the debts to private collection companies.  These companies can use their own tactics to pursue these debts, and many of them are ruthless and relentless.  A recent settlement of a lawsuit in Virginia showed that some companies can cross the line.

Child support is an obligation that is ordered by a court that is to be paid by parents of children who do not have primary custody of them.  This obligation is taken very seriously by courts all over the United States, and failing to remain current on child support payments can lead to serious legal problems that include criminal penalties and even incarceration in some circumstances.  That doesn’t mean, however, that there is no problem with delinquencies regarding child support payments around the country.

For at least a generation, the roles of ‘traditional’ marriage in the United States have been changing.  Gone are the days where the husband goes off to work and the wife stays home and keeps the house and manages the children.  These days, both parents tend to work full time and both parents tend to share the duties around the home.  While most people consider this progress and simply a fair way to live, a controversial new study from Norway contradicts these beliefs.

When members of the military decide that it’s time to pursue a divorce, they face many of the same emotional difficulties that anyone else would, although there are certain legal standards and other norms within a military divorce that are somewhat different than when civilians seek to dissolve a marriage.  Unfortunately, both military and civilian divorce cases can lead to serious problems with the credit ratings of those involved, and that can be particularly harmful to soldiers.

Everyone understands that society in general has changed a lot over the past generation.  More and more women have entered the workforce, more children are growing up in single-parent homes and divorce cases are becoming more complicated when children are involved.  As such, some jurisdictions are attempting to react to these changes by looking closely at their sets of rules and standards with regards to some issues that include child custody.  Indiana is one such jurisdiction.

When people in Canada and in the United States decide to pursue a divorce, that case becomes a matter of public record unless, as is done by some judges, the case is sealed for privacy concerns.  However, the court system in Quebec has been concealing the names of parties to divorce cases in this province as only the initials of the parties involved appear.  It seems that this approach is gaining notice in the rest of Canada.

When spouses decide to go their separate ways and there are children who were born as a result of that relationship, the situation can become extremely nasty when issues regarding child custody and child support are contested.  When these difficult situations arise, the cases will almost always come down to the evidence that’s accepted by the court before it renders a decision.  As such, almost anything a parent says or does can become evidence that’s used by the other spouse later on in the proceedings.

Most people who have been married or know people who have gotten married understand that ‘cold feet’ is a feeling that is not uncommon.  A wedding is an enormous event and marriage is an enormous life decision, and many big decisions involve some trepidation before moving forward.  However, some researchers have recently looked more closely into this feeling, and they have found that cold feet could actually lead to more problems down the road.

Many people who obtain a divorce look back and wish that they had executed a prenuptial agreement to protect their assets and interests in case their marriage did not work out for them.  There are also many people who are already married who may regret not completing a prenuptial agreement and as a result they may feel stuck in a marriage because they are concerned about what they may have to lose.  However, it seems that many others are becoming more aware of their options even after the knot is tied.

When someone seeks a divorce and at least one of the spouses involved in the marriage is a member of the military, the situation can quickly become extremely complicated when it comes time to divide the marital estate as part of that divorce proceeding.  One of the reasons for these complications is because there appears to be a lack of a consensus with regards to how certain issues should be handled, particularly when situations involving disability and pension pay are involved.

Alcohol is obviously a legal substance for adults, and it can have different levels of influence on people’s lives.  One of the ways in which researchers have been studying alcohol recently involves its potential impact on married, single and divorced people, and the results of a recent longitudinal study indicate some clear trends that exist.  These trends appear to be unique for men and women as well as for those who are divorced, married and single.

For many years, husbands and fathers have hesitated to get into a divorce or to even fight for their legal rights after a divorce has been filed because they assumed the worst – that their wives would keep the marital home, get at least half of the estate and collect child and perhaps spousal support.  In short, men have been avoiding getting into this process because of perceived biases against them.  However, a recent statistical survey that was released should provide some reason to think about these notions.

For many years, the issue of child custody was one that was generally decided on affidavits submitted by the parents to the court and by proposals made by the child custody lawyers working on the case from each side.  Many times, this left the judge with a difficult decision because of the dearth of information that was sometimes available.  However, a new law has recently taken effect in South Carolina that is designed to provide more information to the court regarding the best interests of the child.

When child custody battles involve Native Americans, they can be complicated legal matters for people who have not been handling these cases for many years.  When the Native American father of a child is deployed overseas with the military and comes home to find out that his child has been put up for adoption and decides to pursue the custody of that child, the situation becomes that much more difficult for everyone involved.

For generations, divorce has carried with it a social stigma that has been difficult for people to ignore and to live down. However, that all began to change in recent years as more and more jurisdictions moved to a no-fault divorce system. However, many men who face the end of their marriages still have a hard time coping with the feeling that they are all alone with their struggle and that no one else could possibly understand the situation that they are facing.

In recent years, several different jurisdictions have moved towards a presumption of shared custody of children when the parents of a child or children split up.  The reasoning for this move in general has been to promote the best interests of the child who would be better served by maintaining a close relationship with both parents.  While this shift has had many positive effects, it seems that some of the negative results based on the perceptions of those involved are beginning to come to light.

When military members are stationed in different parts of the world and they spend an appreciable amount of time there, they tend to meet people and to start families.  This is common, and unfortunately it creates potential problems with regards to technicalities if the couple ultimately decides to obtain a divorce.  This is particularly true if the couple has a child or children, as international custody disputes can quickly become nasty and confusing.

Unfortunately, that’s what is happening with a couple and their child that is now going to involve the United States Supreme Court, as the court has stated that it will hear an appeal of an international custody dispute involving the United States, Scotland and a father who’s a sergeant in the United States Army.  The court will hear the case during its next term.

For many years, parents who have been forced to pay delinquent child support debts or face jail time have thrown their arms out in court and told the judge overseeing the case that they simply did not have the funds to do so.  Despite the fact that this has been true in many cases, many people have been sent to jail or have faced other sanctions when these situations arose.  Clearly, this penalty did not resolve the issue since people do not earn income while in a jail cell.

Many different entities and groups will make use of the calendar to bring about awareness with regards to certain societal issues that benefit from added exposure.  August is no different in this regard, as it has been named as National Child Support Awareness Month in the United States.  The hope is that bringing about extra focus on this issue will help provide everyone who deals with child support issues more support and more of an ability to deal with problems that arise with regards to these payments.

When parents either obtain a divorce or they otherwise part ways, the situation often requires untangling the legal issue regarding child support for the parent who will not have primary custody of that child.  As most people can understand given the current economy, financial situations can change quickly and drastically affect a non-custodial parent’s ability to remain current on those payments.  Based on a recent ruling by an appeals court in the state, these changes in circumstances could become more difficult to prove.

When people fall behind on child support payments, they often wind up under scrutiny from the state agency that is supposed to manage those payments and make sure that these payments are made on time.  These situations can become extremely problematic for parents who do not remain current on these obligations, and eventually people can be jailed in many states for failing to make arrangements that are designed to bring those payments current.

When military personnel are deployed in places around the world that include Iraq and Afghanistan and they leave families behind, the situation becomes difficult for many different reasons.  These situations become even more complicated if marriages end and there are children of those marriages when it comes to the rules and standards that pertain to child custody and child visitation.  These complications have led to much confusion for soldiers and even some family law attorneys.

We posted recently with regards to a bill making its way through the California legislature that would provide for the legal recognition of more than two people when it comes to parental rights of children.  Specifically, the bill would have provided for visitation and child custody rights for non-biological parents who had established a substantial relationship with a child or children at issue.  That bill is still working its way through the process.  A similar bill in Missouri has been struck down.

House Bill 1758 made its way through the Missouri legislature and got to the point where it was ready to be signed by the governor there.  However, the governor vetoed the bill because he felt that it was too confusing in its language.  Basically, the bill would have allowed for adults who had established substantial relationships with children to petition the family court for child custody and visitation rights.  As of now, there is no specific law in Missouri that speaks to these situations.

Generally speaking, when child support is a contested issue in family court, the case will concern one parent arguing with another over how much should be paid on a monthly basis.  These battles can become nasty, particularly if both parents are fighting for primary custody of the child.  However, not all child support issues are fights between a child’s parents.  A recent case in New Mexico has shed light on the possibility that a child can also fight for child support with parents.

One of the most difficult battles for any father to have to fight is that which involves child custody.  Contested child custody cases have long pitted a mother against a father with the children often caught in the middle of the entire situation.  However, if a bill that is currently making its way through the California legislature ultimately becomes a law, the state would then be able to legally recognize more than two adults as parents of a child.

When parents of a child separate from each other and each of them wants primary custody of that child, the resulting battle can be extremely nasty and antagonistic.  During a time like this, people tend to see their worst come out and act in a way that they would not be proud of.  Unfortunately, that’s what one man in Pennsylvania is accused of doing with regards to a contested child custody case that led to his arrest on suspicion of several criminal charges.

When someone is ordered by a court to pay child support because he or she does not have custody of a child or children, that order needs to be taken with the utmost in seriousness.  When people are unable to continue to make these payments in a timely manner, they can face serious legal consequences that can sometimes include time in jail.  However, some parts of the country are beginning to look at alternative solutions to the problem presented by parents not paying child support.

For generations it seems, American society has been living with certain assumptions regarding divorce, and these assumptions have basically been adopted as norms.  However, the more we study this issue the more we seem to learn, and many of these 'norms' are being debunked over time.  It seems the latest assumption that came under scrutiny involved the percentage of divorces that are initiated by women, and the results were surprising to many.

Most people understand that when a parent does not have custody of a child or children, he or she is usually ordered to pay child support to help provide for the basic needs of those children.  However, few if any people are aware of many of the statistics that relate to the payment of child support across the United States.  The US Census Bureau has recently released statistics regarding these child support payments across the United States.

When child custody disputes move across international borders, they quickly become complicated and difficult to predict for many of the people involved.  Generally, the issue that governs what will occur involves jurisdiction, as different courts tend to have different standards around the world.  Another case of this type recently came to the forefront in Ontario, where the province’s highest court there ruled that California should have jurisdiction over an issue involving the custody of a child.

We posted recently with regards to a change in the law in Indiana that dealt with the duration of child support payments that were to be made by non-custodial parents.  The state legislature decided to lower the age of these payments from 21 to 19 unless there are educational support payments that need to be made.  In so doing, Indiana left only Mississippi and New York as states where non-custodial parents must provide child support until that child reaches the age of 21.

When people either obtain a divorce where there were children of the marriage or they no longer remain together after having children together without getting married in the first place, a court will often order the non-custodial parent to pay child support.  This child support is given the same weight of any other court order, and people who do not adhere to the specifics of such an order can face serious legal problems.  Unfortunately, there are still people out there who do not meet their obligations.

For several years now, the United States has been a signatory on an international treaty that would provide for cooperation between countries around the world regarding the collection of child support payments from parents who live in other places around the globe.  However, despite signing the treaty in 2007, no bill has been passed that would ratify that signature and get the process of taking part in this cooperation started.  However, the House of Representatives has recently passed a bill that would ratify this treaty and get the United States moving in this cooperative effort.

When a couple obtains a divorce and there are children of that marriage, the court will usually order payment of child support by the non-custodial parent.  These orders are given the same weight as any other orders issued by a court, which means that the failure to adhere to their terms could constitute a crime.  Unfortunately for one Orange County city councilman, that’s exactly what authorities are alleging as he faces six felony counts.

When people seek a divorce and one of the spouses has a military disability benefit that he or she is collecting, courts around the country have ruled somewhat differently with regards to whether those disability benefits should be counted when calculating the issue of spousal support.  As a result of this confusion, a disabled veteran in Oregon has asked the United States Supreme Court to hear the issue and to make a ruling that will be followed in a uniform manner.

For generations, non-custodial parents of children in Indiana who have been ordered to pay child support by a court have had that payment obligation continue until the child at issue reached the age of 21.  This was at least two years older than many other states where the age is 19, but recent events have led to a change in this system.  Indiana has now passed a law that ends the obligation to pay child support when a child reaches the age of 19.

Recently, Minnesota has looked like it was poised to become one of the several states around the country that was poised to make some changes to its child custody laws. Basically, these changes have involved adjustments to certain aspects of child custody as the minimum amount of time that should be spent with children by each parent. That was the issue relating to a bill that made it all the way to the governor’s desk last week, but the bill was vetoed.

As more and more fathers are awarded primary child custody of their children across the United States, more and more mothers are being ordered to pay child support as a result.  This slow change has been occurring in recent years as society has changed with the higher number of women entering the workforce and more equality emanating from custody decisions in family courts all over the country.  Unfortunately, this reality is also leading to the rise of another problem – mothers failing to pay child support.

For generations, when anyone has heard the terms ‘child support’ or ‘spousal support’, most have thought of husbands and/or fathers paying wives/mothers because the court has ordered them to do so.  However, that perceived norm could be changing over time, and according to a recent survey that asked these types of questions of members of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, or the AAML, that norm may be changing more quickly than most would think.

When active members of the military are divorced and they obtain custody of the children from that former marriage, they generally follow the same routine as other parents who are not serving in the armed forces.  However, this type of a situation becomes difficult when that custodial parent is deployed overseas, as has been the case many times in recent years while soldiers were sent to both Iraq and Afghanistan.  Simply put, many of these situations have become untenable for family members who have been left behind.

For many years, the issue of child custody would often become nasty and antagonistic when parents contested it because there were few if any presumptions present in the laws across the United States.  In general, judges making this decision were supposed to place the best interests of the child or children at the top of their decision priority list.  Recently, however, some jurisdictions have been considering and even enacting laws that provide for a presumption of joint custody of children.  Minnesota could be the next state to enact such a measure.

Over the years, non-custodial parents who have been paying child support to the parent with custody of the children have been leery of what that parent may have been doing with those funds.  For the most part, there are no requirements in place that require a custodial parent to provide an accounting of what is done with those payments, but a recent and short-lived bill in Iowa attempted to take a step in that direction, albeit indirectly.

Even though the country generally follows a system of no-fault divorce, which means that someone asking for a divorce does not need to state a specific legal reason for it, there are still many studies done that attempt to categorize the different reasons that divorces come about.  Traditionally, issues such as money and communication problems have almost always been among the leading causes of divorce, but a recent study indicates that a new cause is moving up the list.

As more and more child support payments fall into arrears around the United States, legislatures and law enforcement personnel are continually looking into new options to collect on those past-due amounts.  This appears to be what’s happening in Delaware, as the legislature there is looking into the possibility of providing casinos with data from its child support enforcement agency so that slot machine winnings could be collected in order to be applied towards these delinquencies for those non-custodial parents who are behind on their payments.