Pet Custody in Indiana Divorces Which party gets the Furry Child? “Which one of us gets the dog?” A question that many parties in a divorce ask their lawyers when going through the process of dissolving their marriage. The fact is that divorce is one of the toughest things that a person can go through, and the loss of a beloved pet can put even further strain on a person, so understanding how to keep…
Stuck in the Middle: Co-Parenting Children After a Separation or Divorce Once you have separated from the other parent of your children, you may have an order from the court or an agreement as to who has custody of the children, and when each parent will exercise parenting time, but there is more to co-parenting than just setting up a schedule. When you are co-parenting with your former partner or spouse, sometimes you…
One of the most frequently asked questions by separated parents is – “When will I be able to see my children?” When parents cannot otherwise agree, the Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) set out the minimum standards for parenting time for the non-custodial parent. The Guidelines set out a regular schedule, a holiday schedule, as well as extended parenting time. The Guidelines are in place to make sure that each parent has the ability…
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…