indianapolis family law attorney

In determining the rights and responsibilities both parents have towards a child, establishing paternity may simplify the process. In Indiana, paternity provides a child born outside of marriage a legal father. Establishing paternity outlines a father’s legal rights and responsibilities towards a child. Additionally, establishing paternity can aid in issues revolving around child custody, parenting time, and child support. Resolving paternity issues may allow a child the rightful ability to bond with both parents. How…

Indiana is a no-fault state, meaning that you can get a divorce in the state without the necessity of proving there was fault by either spouse.  That being said, when you’re dealing with custody of children, whether that be as part of a dissolution of marriage, post-dissolution of marriage, or in a paternity proceeding, various factors that would not be relevant for a divorce can be relevant in the Court’s determination of which parent should…

In the world we all live in, we live and die by the internet — no doubt. When we need to buy things, where do we turn? Inevitably, the internet. Be it Amazon, Walmart, or Google, we are turning to things we see online for answers. The days of shopping in person are slowing dying like tape cassettes, CD’s, and telephones with chords. Part and parcel to this consumer process, often we are looking for…

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…