Child Support Survival Guide

Child Support Survival Guide is a vital companion and reference for anyone, rich or poor, concerned with child support. It will teach custodial and noncustodial parents, as well as legal guardians, their options. It will provide solutions to parents seeking owed child support and choices to parents fretting the child support they pay. It is also an excellent reference for any Child Support of Family Law Attorney.

Read more…Child Support Survival Guide: How to Get Results Through Child Support Enforcement Agencies

The Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Divorce

Youre getting divorced. You want out or he wants out, either way youÕre tempted to bend over backward just to get it over with. The result: You get screwed. How screwed? Consider this:

* The average woman experiences a 45 percent drop in her standard of living after divorce
* 45 percent of children living with a divorced mother live at or near the poverty line
* Only about 45 percent of custodial parents due child support payments receive the full amount

In Hit Him Where It Hurts, acclaimed matrimonial attorney Sherri Donovan shows you how to take the offensive in the bloody game we call divorce. With her take-no-prisoners approach, you can ensure that you will gain your freedom without sacrificing your health, your wealth, or your well-beingÑor that of your children.

Read more…Hit Him Where It Hurts: The Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Divorce–Alimony, Custody, Child Support, and More

Custody Disputes and Child Custody

For those who are not unfamiliar with the process, the issue of
child custody is one they would much rather not get involved with.
Unfortunately, with the growing frequency of divorce, more people are
now finding that they need to learn more about the issues surrounding
it.

Following are some of the most often repeated questions asked by people
who are unfamiliar with the subject. The answers provided here
represent information collected from various child custody attorneys.
While it is true that child custody laws are not the same for all
states, the following answers are expressed in general terms.
Obviously, you must consult local experts to determine whether these
answers will apply, as stated, to your own situation.

- What is the Definition of Custody ?

“Custody” refers to the court ruling that decides which party will be
responsible for the child or children when their parents are not living
together. This can apply to couples who are either divorced or
separated, as well as those who have never been married to each other,
but are biological parents of the children involved in the case.

- How is Legal Custody Different From Physical Custody?

If parent has been given physical custody, it implies that the child
will spend full time living at home with that parent, on a more or less
permanent basis. If the custody ruling is “joint physical custody”,
then the child is moved back and forth between the two parent’s
individual homes.

If a parent is granted “sole legal custody”, only that parent holds the
legal right to make decisions with regard to the child’s health,
education, and general welfare (physicians, schools, etc). When “joint
legal custody” is ruled, both parents will share in making these
decisions.

- How is a Custody Decision Made? A judge will typically give approval
to a custody arrangement once it is agreed to by the parents. If the
parents are unable to reach agreement, they will be required to speak
with a counselor or mediator who will help them work out a plan. The
judge is then required to make the decision on any disputed issues that
both parties are not able to resolve.

- Can a Child Still See a Parent Not Awarded Physical Custody?

Certainly. The court will typically issue an order which provides for
the non-custodial parent to have ample visitation rights with the
child. This can, however, be restricted in any case where domestic
violence is suspected or has occurred, or in a case where a parent’s
ability to properly care for the child is under question.

- What Happens When A Custodial Parent Forbids The Child’s To Visit The Other Parent?

The non-custodial parent can request that the court issue a “contempt”
order. If the parent is found to be denying visitation the court can
impose sanctions. If it can be demonstrated that it was done
intentionally, the non-custodial parent may then have grounds to sue
for the child’s custody. Usually, the judge will require the couple to
try to work things out with the help of a councellor of mediator before
taking that step.

- Can A Custody Arrangement Be Changed If It Isn’t Working?

Parents are normally able to make changes to a custody arrangement if
it isn’t working, provided they are both able to agree on the new plan.
They can then request that the judge to make it official. If the
parents continue to disagree, they can ask the judge to decide on the
changes. The judge’s decision will be based only on serving the best
interests of the child. This can become problematic if the child has
been well-cared for, or if the previous custody plan has been in force
for some time.

About the Author

Carlton
Driver is a retired Engineer who writes on a variety of subjects. There
are two FREE Reports about Child Custody Issues that you can download
from our site. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/custody1
to get the download link. For more extensive information regarding
custody issues, there are comprehensive Guides available at: http://tinyurl.com/custody2 where you can get more in-depth information.

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