Child support is a central issue to any divorce proceeding that often becomes a source of contention between the spouses. Having uniform guidelines to structure the amounts a parent must pay and how the money is to be used brings stability to the system and a level of comfort to parents that know child support...

Becoming the primary caregiver for a child after divorce greatly increases the responsibility one parent must carry, not only in time and effort but also financially. These additional duties render the importance of regular child support payments a very high and necessary priority. If an ex-spouse fails to make payments on time or stops paying...

The decision of couples to divorce or end a relationship that involves minor children affects family members far beyond the core unit of parent and child. Grandparents are especially impacted by this decision, since it is common for grandparents and grandchildren to have close relationships. A recent story out of Goshen highlights the plight of...

In some family law cases there is a person appointed to represent the best interest of the child. The guardian ad litem, frequently abbreviated “GAL,” is a trained volunteer who is appointed by the court to represent the best interest of the child pursuant to Indiana Code 31-9-2-50. Indiana law states that the GAL shall...

As of July 1, 2015 teen drivers are no longer allowed to use any sort of telecommunication devices for any purpose while behind the wheel. The law is aimed at younger drivers, especially those under the age of 21. Under the new law, all drivers under the age of 21 with a probationary license are...

Once a spouse files for divorce there are several matters that need to be addressed prior to the finalizing of the dissolution of the marriage. Sometimes spouses talk before the divorce is filed and determine how custody and parenting time will be arranged, who will stay in the marital home, who will pay what bills,...

The Notice of Intent to Relocate statute describes the requirements custodial parents must follow if they are planning to relocate out of state. If subject to a custody order, a visitation order, or child support order, a notice of intent must be filed with the court before a move can take place.[1] The relocating parent...

In Indiana, like many states, a husband is presumed to be the biological father of any child born during a marriage. This means that unmarried men must establish paternity if they wish to establish themselves as the legal father of a child. This process is called establishing yourself as the putative father. The putative father...

Under Indiana criminal code, a person commits theft when he or she knowingly or intentionally exerts unauthorized control over another’s property and with the intent to deprive the other of the value or use of such property.[1] A person’s control over another’s property is “unauthorized” if it is exerted without the owner’s consent, in a...

Although the two topics might seem similar, legal separation and divorce are two different alternatives for couples that no longer want to be married. Divorce is the formal dissolution of a marriage. Legal separation, on the other hand, simply allows a couple to live separate and apart for a period of time to decide whether...