| Taxation of Alimony or Separate Maintenance Payments |
| Alimony or separate maintenance payments that are made by an obligor spouse to an obligee spouse or to a third party on behalf of the obligee are deductible from the obligor's income provided the payments are made pursuant to a written agreement that was executed after 1984 and subject to certain conditions.More... |
| Child Welfare Agency's Potential Malpractice Liability for Violating Parental Rights |
| Although intervention by a child welfare agency is sometimes required for the protection of a child, sometimes the investigation may become over zealous or slanderous in nature. Investigating claims that a child is the subject of mistreatment is difficult. The agency should attempt to investigate all claims made with a balanced outlook. More... |
| Guardian Ad Litem |
| What is a guardian ad litem? A minor cannot be a party to a lawsuit without assistance. Therefore, when a minor is a party to a lawsuit, the court appoints a guardian ad litem to represent the minor. More... |
| Mortgage Issues and Divorce |
| If a divorce decree awards one party the marital home, that party is typically required to pay the mortgage, unless other stipulations were made during the divorce proceedings. Most often the mortgage is a joint mortgage and therefore constitutes a joint debt. However, if one party that is awarded possession of the marital home and is ordered to pay the mortgage, that party theoretically becomes responsible for the entire mortgage.More... |
| Shared Parental Responsibility and Visitation |
| In a divorce proceeding, parents may consider sharing their parental responsibilities and visitation by entering into a shared or joint custody agreement. Shared custody is defined as an agreement by which the parents make arrangements to share the physical custody and control of the child as well as the legal, medical, financial, educational, emotional, and social responsibilities. More... |


