A Quick Look at Stepparent Adoption Adoption is an instrumental process in the lives of many Indiana children and can give them the consistency needed for a well-balanced life. An adoption requires a petition filed to the court containing information regarding the child sought to be adopted along with information of the petitioner seeking to adopt. So what happens when the petitioner is married to a biological parent of the child? With divorce at its…
The Next Steps after a Dissolution Petition It is important to know what to expect after a dissolution action has been filed. Every situation is based on different facts, personalities, finances, and issues. Those differences make it impossible for an attorney to predict the exact outcome or timeline of an individual case but there are basic guidelines that each dissolution follows. Per Indiana Code, at least 60 days must pass from the time the dissolution…
How to Go About Changing Your Name as an Adult Pick a name, any name. You can refer to yourself as anything you choose. The ridiculousness level of a chosen name does not matter. However, all government and legal documents must reference your legal name. In Indiana, your name can be changed by life-changing events such as adoption, marriage or divorce. It is also possible to change a name pursuant to Indiana Code 34-28-2. With…
Dividing Up the Marital Pot: Debts & Assets Determining how to divide assets and debts is an important and necessary part of the divorce process. The marital residence is part of the “marital pot” to be divided. Sometimes it is an asset while other times there is debt associated with the home that should be divided. See our blog What Makes Up a Marital Pot? for more on how Indiana views the division of assets….
The Typical “Can” and “Cannot” Behaviors in a Typical Divorce As attorneys, we field questions beginning with “Can I” and “Can they” every day. This is especially true with family law matters. The answers to these questions can be misleading or even dangerous when taken out of context or without elaboration. The simple answer may frequently be yes or no. However, it is important to expand upon the simple response and discuss the possible ramifications…
The Marital Pot: Division of Marital Assets and Debts You owned a house before getting married, your husband’s name is the only name on both of your vehicles and your grandma passed away a few years ago leaving you an inheritance – what does all of this mean when you divorce? These are all common scenarios that divorce attorneys navigate every day. In short, Indiana lumps all of your property together into one “marital pot”….
A Look at Power of Attorneys and How They Work in Indiana Although it is not an enjoyable topic of conversation, it is important to discuss your preferences for financial and medical care in the event of incapacitation. While most think this conversation is limited to decisions in a person’s final days, incapacitation can occur at any time for numerous reasons. In Indiana, you can give someone a Durable Power of Attorney over you. That…
The Start of School and How it Affects Your Divorce It is hard to believe it is already time to start planning for the upcoming school year. Many districts throughout the state are operating on a balanced calendar and school will be starting up very soon. If you have children and are no longer with the other parent, chances are you are following some version of a court order with a parenting time plan and…