General Family Law

When creating legal documents, you must obtain the signature of a judge or an attorney. This can be a hectic process, which can cause you to visit many different locations before it is completed....

The Office of National Drug Control Policy provides millions of dollars to anti-drug task forces and nonprofit agencies dedicated to stopping substance abuse. Linking your agency with schools,...

Sometimes a child's last name must be changed. Many times, it is to reflect the name of the child's father; in other situations, it might be because of marriage, divorce or adoption. If you live...

People may want to change their names for a number of reasons; marriage, divorce, adoption, unhappiness with a current name, etc. Though the legal procedure for changing a name varies somewhat...

Divorce is traumatic when children are involved. Once children are born, fathers have the right to see their children and be involved in their lives (if abuse, neglect or drug addiction is not a...

The field of domestic violence involves offenses such as child abuse or neglect, spousal abuse, and the abuse of elders within the home. Domestic violence offenses need not be only physical, but...

There are emotional and moral benefits of marriage, but there are legal benefits that affect the wife, children and any assets that accumulate during the marriage. These kinds of benefits don't...

Before you will be able to write an appeal to a family court decision, you will need to determine the proper jurisdiction for your case. Because the rules governing each state's court system...

Citizenship is granted to permanent residents of the United States after five years of residency. The only exception to this is in the case of a foreigner who is legally married to an American...

Mental abuse can come in many forms, including controlling behaviors, verbal put-downs, threats and manipulation. If you feel your partner is mentally abusing you, work with a domestic violence...

Because there are few physical signs of mental child abuse, it is often necessary to enlist the services of a psychiatrist to determine whether the child has been victimized. While the child works...

Family law is a broad area of law that covers such diverse subjects as divorce, custody, juvenile delinquency, domestic violence, same-sex partnership and prenuptial agreements. Because family law...

An affidavit is a legal document that gives a person's first-hand account of an event or situation. It is an important written statement that is sworn to be true and can be used in court. Divorce...

When a person leaves his child in the care of another individual, he usually does so in the confidence that the caregiver will make the best decisions in emergency situations. However, the issue...

Placing a loved one in a nursing home is often a difficult decision. You feel you are giving a parent or grandparent over to strangers to provide the daily care that you are unable to provide. ...

A living will, also known as an Advanced Health Care Directive, Advanced Directive, and Advanced decisions, is a fairly simple document detailing what your wishes are in the event that you become...

To correct a name on a marriage license, you will need to do so by written request. You will be asked to show proof of your correct name before the court or vital records agency will issue a new...

Assisted living can be trying. There are many emotional challenges to overcome and daily obstacles to surmount. Knowing what your rights are or what the rights of an aging family member's are is...

Thinking about changing your name legally? Many people decide to change their name for a variety of different reasons. Whether you are changing your name after a marriage or divorce, or perhaps...

The laws of Iowa establish what is known in that state as standby guardianship. This is the Iowa guardianship laws of minor children. In order for a guardianship to be established for a minor...

There is only one way to obtain U.S. citizenship through American grandparents: through the Section 322 clause, which allows for the naturalization of foreign-born children to U.S. citizens or...

Obtaining a birth certificate from New York City is an easy task that can be accomplished online, in person or through the mail. All you need is proof of your identity and $15 for each certified...

A growing percentage of the U.S. population is divorced and remarried. When children from a prior relationship are brought into these marriages, a stepfamily is created. According to the National...

The Petition for Alien Relatives, form I-130, is the only way for you as a U.S. citizen to help sponsor permanent residency for an alien family member. In the cases of direct family member; i.e....

There has been a struggle between the governing bodies of the United States and the people since the early 1900s to develop a solid understanding of parental rights. There currently is no federal...

Find out how to STOP a spouse from giving lavish gifts of community property (California). Written by a family law attorney with more than 25 years of experience.

The family law rules and regulations surrounding the city of Atlanta are governed by the state of Georgia, and not an individual town, city or parish government. Family law is not a federal...

Disabled individuals have long suffered much unfairness, from inaccessibility to conventional schooling to outright discrimination at work for their impairments. In the last two decades,...

Orange County has a great number of attorneys and even narrowing the search down to a specialization as in how to get an the best orange county personal injury attorney, still leaves a lot of...

In the state of Georgia, legally changing a person's name falls under Georgia State Code: Sec. 19-12-1.(reference 1) The state code requirements are fairly straight forward, but do require the...

In South Dakota, grandparents may be granted reasonable visitation rights, after proving such visits are in the best interests of the child and that there is either no interference in the...

A power of attorney (POA) is essential if you want to ensure your financial matters are taken care of in the event you are rendered unable to take care of yourself. Laws governing powers of...

While you might consider representing yourself, it is strongly recommended that you retain the services of a lawyer when appearing in court on a family law matter. Family lawyers provide needed...

Don't let your SEPARATE property turn into COMMUNITY property. A family law attorney with over 25 years of experience explains how to protect your separate property.

This article relays what important information you will need to collect immediately if you are bitten by a dog. This information will be imperative if you will want to be compensated for any...

State laws govern the changing of children's last names. Because the laws vary, it is advisable for parents to discuss their jurisdiction's laws with an attorney or the clerk of the court before...

Given the economic impact of divorce, you may have concerns about your ex-spouse filing for bankruptcy. More specifically, you may have legitimate concerns about how your ex-spouse filing for...

You have two options when it comes to divorcing a wife who left the state, both of which depend on whether you know where she moved. You can get a divorce with just one signature, but the process...

Some situations warrant the name change of a minor, particularly after the results of a paternity test. In Florida, there are specific rules governing the name change of a minor.

Indiana law provides for two general types of powers of attorney in Indiana, general durable power of attorney for property and finances, and a durable power of a attorney for health care...

A lost birth certificate can present real challenges. A birth certificate is used to obtain a passport or prove citizenship. As a result, if you have lost yours, you will need to request a new...

Affection between a husband and wife or a parent and child is the fabric that holds a family together. The survival of any emotional relationship depends on the bond between the parties. Sometimes...

North Carolina states that the petitioner must be separated for a year before filing a divorce action and must have been a North Carolina resident for at least six months. Once the petitioner has...

Changing a name on a Texas birth certificate can be a lengthy process. It is recommended that a person seek the services of an attorney in order to receive an official court order for the name...

In the United States, fathers have specific legal rights regarding paternity, custody, visitation, child support and termination of parental rights. A father can be designated "absent" based upon...

An order of protection is also known as a restraining order. It is a legally enforceable court order for one person to stop hurting or threatening another. You don't need a lawyer to file for a...

Does going to school affect Social Security disability benefits? Generally no, with a few exceptions.

A person living in Tennessee who wishes to get married should be aware of its laws regarding pregnancy and divorce. Tennessee law covers issues that affect pregnancy such as abortion and...

Many people unintentionally lose or misplace their original birth certificates. Since copies of them are necessary for applications such as a passport, marriage license and other government forms...

In Alaska, grandparents are awarded reasonable visitation rights only after the court considers key factors such as personal contact, the child's best interest, abuse or domestic violence, prior...