Get free answers to your Family Law legal questions from lawyers in your area.
I hired a divorce law firm in February and paid the 9k retainer. Just got notification they are withdrawing 0 warning. They scheduled two court hearings and took my evidence. I spoke with them 3 times and just got a notification from the court they are withdrawing representation because “it’s... View More 
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answered on Apr 13, 2023
This doesn't sound like malpractice. Malpractice is a breach of an ethical duty. If you were billed hourly, a retainer is not the full payment and you have to keep paying the bills in order for the attorneys to stay on the case. Attorneys are allowed to withdraw from a case for pretty much... View More
answered on Apr 12, 2023
Legitimation is not a requirement for the grandparent to file for custody. If the child is actually their biological grandchild they could petition the court for custody. And I assume they think they have some sort of grounds for asking the court to grant them physical custody. If the child was... View More
I dated a girl 3 years ago. We broke up and 6 months later she said she was pregnant with my child. She cut off communication and I never met or saw the child. She lives in Georgia and I live in Florida. For the past 3 years I've tried contacting her and her family begging to be able to meet... View More
answered on Apr 11, 2023
You can file an action to legitimatize, and in that petition you can request that the Court order paternity testing. The Court will then sign an order for the parties to appear for testing and if the child is yours, you can move forward with legitimizing and in that same action, you can request... View More
In 2016, in the tiny town of Lincolnton, GA, while incarcerated, my husband and I were denied our right to seek counsel from an attorney regarding signing temporary guardianship to his mother of our then one year old son. The sheriff at the time took us into his office and told us that... View More
answered on Apr 10, 2023
If the previous action to terminate was closed, you will have to file a new action to terminate the guardianship and have the defendants served. Once they are served they may decide to agree to the termination, or they will file an Answer objecting to the termination, and the case will move... View More
He has no contact with the children in a few years now, he doesn't support them at all. He never calls it texts or writes them. He doesn't buy them things on birthdays or holidays. They are now teenagers 15&13. They don't even know him other than when they were younger. I have... View More
answered on Apr 10, 2023
Although you may object to the legitimation, if the Court determines that it is in the best interest of the children that they develop a relationship with the non-custodial parent, and he addresses the Court regarding his desire to become a part of their lives, the Court may still grant the action... View More
The caseworker has already got caught lying under oath,no she wants our monthly meetings to be at the courthouse only and sent me a text saying so we can't record the conversation..can she do this
answered on Apr 10, 2023
If you feel that your rights are being violated by the state, I would advise you to hire an attorney to represent you. There are attorneys who represent parents in cases such as this, which not only make sure that the social worker and the attorney representing the state handle the case... View More
How I can move the case to the states because I have been paying my child support directly through my check. But I have not seeing my kids in years thanks to the mom!
answered on Apr 10, 2023
I assume you know that Puerto Rico is part of the United States. However, the state in which you live now can take over enforcement of your child support, since neither parent lives in Puerto Rico. As far as not seeing your child, one has nothing to do with the other. Moving your child support... View More
FL to serve the Summons and Petition?
answered on Apr 8, 2023
The first thing you should do is hire an attorney and not file that modification yourself. The language an attorney can use is not the same as the language in the forms you will find online. And if a modification is not done properly and you don't obtain a reduction in support, you could end... View More
My husband and I are separated. I do not want a divorce but he is making really foolish financial decisions. Is there any way to protect my kids and me from his reckless spending and accumulating debt without filing for divorce?
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answered on Apr 7, 2023
No, there is not. Courts do not interfere in financial matters in a marriage unless and until that divorce or separation is filed.
Divorcing after 23 years due to repeated infidelity, domestic abuse. Spouse wants me to leave our rented home with an uncontested divorce. 3 grown kids, 2 still at home. Husband wants me to leave marriage with a few decorations, my cloths, and take on a car note in his name (car I have driven and... View More
answered on Apr 6, 2023
They are NOT off limits, and anytime you have a defined benefit issue during a divorce you need to be sure you are addressing it properly as once it becomes a mess, cleaning it up is an endless task.
Invest in a lawyer to walk you through this process, as the costs will escalate if you make... View More
His company closed down and they gave him the option to take early retirement or quite or draw unemployment. He chose to retire and recieve all his benefits. He could not get the RR Retirement without my signature, which was forged. This occurred a year before our divorce. My attorney said the... View More
answered on Apr 6, 2023
You should speak directly with an attorney who can provide a more accurate answer to this question. Because we do not know if he was required to provide you with a distribution in 2011, or upon retirement, or at a certain date. We also don't know what the order specifically says regarding... View More
My brother had a relationship with a woman who is still married, but separated. She became pregnant. Said child is now two years old. The mother is trying to go after my brother for child support. Given that she is still legally married to someone else, who is legally responsible for paying child... View More
answered on Mar 31, 2023
If the mother believes your brother is the father she can open up a case with the Division of Child Support Services or hire a private attorney and file an action for paternity. The husband of the mother is presumed to be the father, however that presumption is rebuttable. And if your brother,... View More
My ex husband has custody of our daughter, 2 years old, uses her as a pawn against me. When things are going good with them, I can see her, but when I do something they don't like or agree with them I am not allowed to see her. I need help! I have a court date in May coming up and can't... View More
answered on Mar 31, 2023
If you can't afford to pay for an attorney I'm not sure how we can assist you here. We can't give you a step by step guide of how to represent yourself. I would suggest using your credit, obtaining a loan, asking family & friends, and doing what you can to gather the funds to... View More
I have gotten 4 different stories from 4 different people at the child support office. I just don't understand I get that they say that it's a rear's but how did they let me go for almost 3 years if I was supposed? To be paying this.
Dinner case get reopened or something. I... View More
answered on Mar 30, 2023
Arrears do not disappear, even if you gain physical custody. Because arrears are past due payments, not current child support. Now if you obtained physical custody through a court order, then your child support order for future payments should have been dismissed. If you simply took physical... View More
Confirm he was however this child is named after another man who signed the birth certificate. Is he legally responsible if someone else acknowledged the child and signed the birth certificate?
answered on Mar 28, 2023
If he is the father he is legally responsible regardless of who signed the birth certificate and even if the child was named after another man. The other man didn't accept responsibility for that child for the next 18 years simply because he signed the birth certificate, if it's not his... View More
No children under 18, prior physical abuse, current verbal, financial and mental abuse. Can I leave without a document in place to another state and file for divorce there after establishing residency?
answered on Mar 27, 2023
Typically a divorce should be filed in the state and county where the Defendant resides. If you establish residency in another state and file for divorce, since it sounds as though this won't be uncontested, your spouse can respond and challenge jurisdiction and venue. Because the divorce... View More
I have took my 3 months old baby and seek shelter at my parents house due to high conflict divorce and my husband tend to throw things around the house. He has history of breaking my car and phone since he claimed that the car is also part of his name in it.
answered on Mar 26, 2023
It sounds like you may need to seek a Temporary Family Violence Restraining Order (TPO). This would allow you to obtain a restraining order from your husband, temporary custody of your child and be awarded temporary support, which would include child support. The other option would be to go ahead... View More
PA child support order 2001 . Georgia resident 2006
Out of state enforcement order Pennsylvania doesn't charge interest on rears but Georgia is charging me interest on my PA rears
answered on Mar 25, 2023
If you cannot get answers through child support enforcement then you may need to hire an attorney. Oftentimes it is difficult for a non-custodial parent to get answers from the Division of Child Support Services, but they are more receptive to attorneys who are representing you. Then your... View More
Important issues were left out during mediation.
answered on Mar 25, 2023
It is unlikely the Court will order the parties to attend mediation again or that the opposing party will agree to mediate again. If there are issues that were not addressed, you can attempt to resolve those with the other side and come to an agreement. But having an attorney would have... View More
My nephew’s biological father passed away recently. His name was never on the birth certificate. My nephew was adopted by his stepfather at about the age of three. Does my nephew have any legal rights to any of his biological father’s estate. Also, is he responsible for any financial... View More
answered on Mar 24, 2023
In Georgia, adoption generally terminates the legal relationship between a child and their biological parents, including any rights to an inheritance from the biological parents' estates.
This means that if your nephew was legally adopted by his stepfather, he likely would not be... View More
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