When it comes to issues of child custody, most children never question who their parents are. However, while it may seem straightforward in practice, legal recognition as the parent of a child is not always automatic or easily obtained. Men are not always considered to be the father from birth and same-sex couples might never...

A fear someone new to the bankruptcy process might have is that the government will force the debtor to sell all their property, or seize it to pay off creditors, leaving the debtor with nothing to start rebuilding a life. While it is possible the bankruptcy trustee could take and dispose of some property to...

Being able to count on receiving child support is important for the financial stability of any single parent, but the need for regular payments is especially acute for those receiving public assistance. Because such people rely on state and local agencies to provide benefits for necessities like food, housing, and medical care, there is more...

There are many complex reasons why someone may consider entering the criminal world, including issues that prevent them from thoroughly thinking through the consequences of their decisions. Many criminal offenders suffer from substance and mental health problems that contribute to their likelihood to reoffend and consequently are especially in need of a quality criminal defense....

The historical policy behind bankruptcy is to give debtors, overwhelmed by debt they cannot possibly pay, an opportunity for a clean start so they are not hampered by financial burden for their entire lives. Relief from consumer credit card debt has become a large aspect driving people to file for bankruptcy. Obtaining a total discharge...

Rape is a horrible crime with lifelong consequences – especially if the violation results in the birth of a child. Under current Indiana law, if the offender wanted to assert his parental rights, once paternity is established, there is no absolute legal roadblock to his attaining it. Lawmakers are working to change this situation with...

The divorce process seems pretty straightforward when you see it on television, but there are a lot of considerations and steps that come before a court will order the marriage dissolved that never make it to TV. In fact, sometimes real-life divorce stories, like the one recently featured by ABC News, involve issues more disturbing...

Most parents realize the importance of paying child support on time in order to cover necessary costs associated with raising their children. However, there are situations in which a parent does not have the resources to pay the child support regardless of how much the parent wants to fulfill the obligation. A recent article in...

Divorce is one of the most common issues in family law cases, but the obvious prerequisite that must exist before a couple can petition to dissolve their union is the existence of a legal marriage. Most people take the ability to get married for granted, and need only follow the simple process of obtaining a...

It is no secret that the cost of higher education is steadily rising each year, forcing many young adults to take out student loans for substantial amounts in order to pay for it. It is also generally known that the amounts owed by many of these borrowers upon graduation are well beyond their ability to...