Prenuptial Agreements Lessen the Blow of Divorce in Indiana
Before a couple officially becomes husband and wife and pronounce the words “till death do us apart” as part of their marriage vows, it is not uncommon for them to execute a prenuptial agreement. A prenuptial agreement is a contract negotiated by the couple regarding the ownership and division of certain present and future assets...
A Child’s Basic Needs: What is Behind the Guidelines
The guidelines on child custody arrangements were developed based on the needs of the child, with the input of family and child development professionals, including psychologists and attorneys, and divorced parents. Everyone agrees that, “both parents nurture their child in important ways, significant to the development and well being of the child.” The guidelines were...
Best Interest of the Child
We are a nation that quickly became accustomed to the frequency of divorce. This is not to downplay the stress and the trauma of the event, especially the trauma felt by any children born from the marriage. Divorce is a battle. We fight over who gets what. We fight about how much will be given...
Overseas Adoption
Adoption and the creation of a new family may be a lone bright spot in the realm of family law. Domestic adoption though (adoption within the borders of the United States), is not necessarily a walk in the park. The bureaucratic and delicate nature of administering an adoption of American children to American adults is...
Beyond Child Emancipation
In Indiana if you are divorced and are the noncustodial parent, you will be required to pay child support. Indiana uses the income shares model to determine the amount of child support the noncustodial parent will owe. The amount of child support owed is based on the estimated parental support if the parents were to...
Should We Get a Prenup? Prenuptial Agreements and Indiana Law
Preparing to get married is a happy time. In addition to planning the wedding, however, couples must make a number of decisions about their future lives together. Many future spouses benefit from creating a prenuptial agreement, an arrangement that governs how assets will be divided upon divorce or death. As well as helping couples plan...
When Police Stings Go Too Far: The Defense of Entrapment
Police stings have been used for decades to catch people in the act of committing a crime. Though it might sound like a good idea to stop a criminal before they strike, stings can cause a great deal of harm. They can even result in people being charged with crimes that they would not have...
Establishing Paternity in Indiana: More Important Than You May Think
Over 80,00 babies are born to Indiana parents each year. However, just because a baby is born, does not mean that the identity of the father is immediately known. In fact, if the parents of a child aren’t married, there can be some procedural hurdles before paternity can be officially established. Furthermore, the importance of...
Marijuana & Hemp: New Opportunity in Indiana?
It seems inevitable now that marijuana will soon become legal across all of the United States. Utah recently became the 21st state to legalize marijuana for medical purposes. Other states, where medical marijuana is already permissible, are expanding the availability of the drug, whether for more medicinal uses as in Maryland, or for recreational use...
Closing Your Business in Indiana
There are a number of reasons someone might want to shut the doors to their business. It could be competition from a big box store, an opportunity to do something or move somewhere different. Or it could be a reaction to a major event such as a death, lawsuit or divorce. Often companies are forced...