August 2014

Trespass, residential entry and burglary all involve someone invading the property of someone else.  However, the elements to prove each crime and the penalties involved are significantly different.  This week’s blog will take a look at each in order from least serious to most serious. First we start out with the crime of trespass.  Everyone has seen the signs posted that say “no trespassing” or trespassers will be prosecuted, but how exactly does this crime…

As many of you are aware, our General Assembly this year passed a comprehensive overhaul of our criminal code.  Some of the changes have been highlighted in previous blogs, and this week’s post takes a look at the habitual offender enhancement in its current form. What is a habitual offender? Habitual offender enhancements are used to increase the penalty for a given crime based on an individual’s criminal history.  The habitual offender enhancement must be…

Understanding How Emancipation Works in Child Support Matters One of the most common calls we receive on family law related matters is in regards to what happens during an emancipation of a child for child support purposes. While most parents feel an obligation to pay child support for as long as they must by law, many also realize that many courts fail to cease income withholdings or child support payments at the exact moment they…

How is Child Support Calculated in Indiana?   – Have you ever wondered how child support is calculated?  The Indiana Supreme Court has adopted the Indiana Child Support Guidelines which lays out the standards for calculating child support and coincides with the Indiana Code. Under I.C. 31-16-6-1, a court can order either parent, or both parents, to pay any amount reasonable for support of a child.  Here’s a look at the factors a court may consider…