I live in Indiana she lives in Ohio (approximately 32 miles apart) We never had child support issued by the court, we always had our own agreement. The state of Ohio determined paternity when he was 4 and that I had to carry insurance on him and have since. I’m am on the birth certificate as the... View More

answered on Jul 11, 2023
In situations where both parents agree to a change in custody arrangements, it is generally recommended to seek a formal modification of the custody order through the court system. While you may have had your own agreement and have been able to co-parent without involving the court in the past,... View More
With the kids. I broke and let him. Now with me having same job same home for yrs and he had moved 4 times and was engaged twice within a year shows me he is unstable. What are my chances if getting full custody?

answered on Jul 9, 2022
There is much confusion about what "custody" actually means.
If there is an active case in Indiana for either Paternity or Divorce, then any party wanting to move out of Indiana is going to have the burden of explaining why that move is in the child's best interests.... View More
baby was born. Then she gave her rights up to her mother against his wishes.....now she lives 2 hours away and will only let him seed her if he comes down. She tried saying that he raped her while she was pregnant. He didn't. they been together 10 years.

answered on Jun 20, 2022
The question is a bit confusing. Here is what I think will help.
First, the divorce decree needs to be checked to see if the court presumed the husband to be the father. If she was divorced just a month after birth, then it is likely the divorce decree either has language acknowledging... View More
Soon to be ex husband says his lawyer said he doesn’t have to prove me incompetent to get full custody just that he’s the better situation. In his mind he's the better situation because he's the money maker. I'm still however fully capable of taking care of my children and have... View More

answered on Jun 1, 2022
The fact that your ex has a lawyer only underscores the importance for you to retain an attorney and ask these detailed questions to that attorney in a confidential setting.
More generally, the legal standard in Indiana is the "best interests of the children" meaning that the... View More
Both parent are attending eachother hearing in cahoots to alienate me from my child with various accusations. I would like to consolidate the cases so that I do not have to go from court to court, and can go to the same hearing and court for both children

answered on May 22, 2022
There are rules of procedure that make this theoretically possible, but it is not at all common in practice.
Your best bet would be to hire an experienced attorney who can put together a compelling argument for why the Court should at least consolidate the evidentiary hearings for the two... View More
My parenting time has been suspended pending a hair follicle test being submitted to the court and my ex-husband in Indiana.. does that mean NO CONTACT? He won't let me speak to them by phone and has even changed my son's play station account password and email so I can't send vbucks.

answered on May 22, 2022
It is impossible to answer your question specifically with the information provided. Also, it would not be appropriate to provide more detail in this venue.
I would presume from what you have shared that the Court simply suspended in-person parenting time. You should read the actual order... View More

answered on May 3, 2023
Service by publication for family law matters - including custody modifications - should only be used when you don't have an address for the other party or reliable contact information to get an address for them. The Indiana Trial Rule governing service by publication is Rule 4.13 and the rule... View More
I’ve called the clerks office and they don’t seem to know. I need documentation of the sole legal custody to apply for passport.

answered on Jun 6, 2022
Indiana Code 31-14-13-1 states that the biological mother of a child born out-of-wedlock has sole legal custody of the child. There are exceptions, but absent a court order this is the general rule.
My ex husband was abusive and is racist. My daughters baby is mixed. 3 weeks ago she stormed out of my house with the baby because I said her boyfriend had to leave. What can I do to protect the baby or stop my daughter from taking him to Alabama. My ex husba beat me and my kids and my grandson... View More

answered on Dec 6, 2021
By default, your daughter, as the parent of a child born out-of-wedlock, has sole legal custody of the child and may make decisions on the child's behalf. However, if you feel the child is truly in danger and/or have evidence of the same, you can contact CPS to request an investigation, and... View More
My ex & I have joint custody with me being the sole care giver. He hasn't had our kids since the weekend of August 15th. Our son was hit by a car on August 29th & was transported to the hospital where he had 2 surgeries & was in the hospital for a week. His dad came for 2 hours the... View More

answered on Oct 5, 2021
Very sorry to hear about your son, I hope he makes a full recovery. Regarding the custody questions, if the father is not exercising the time he is entitled to under the current order, you may consider requesting a modification of the order to something that better fits the situation. Also, on... View More

answered on Sep 21, 2021
If you have a court order and/or share some form of custody of the children, you are entitled to know that information. You might consider filing a motion for contempt against mother. It might also be a good idea to sit down with an experienced family law attorney to discuss your case in detail.

answered on Sep 14, 2021
It is unclear what exactly you are asking, but just as a general answer, if a filing or an action was "dismissed without prejudice and stricken," that means that the court has terminated it and will take no further action on it, but the "without prejudice" part means that the... View More

answered on Sep 2, 2021
You may consider filing a counterclaim or challenging his paternity in court. However, your question does not provide many specifics so it is difficult to say. You might seriously consider sitting down with an experienced family law attorney to discuss your case in more detail.
How do I get him to stay away from my daughter

answered on Aug 3, 2021
You may need to consider filing a petition with the court to modify parenting time or otherwise restrict this person's access to your children. You should consider speaking with an experienced family law attorney about your case.
Grandma does the supervising

answered on Jun 28, 2021
That's not the norm but it will depend on what is stated in your court order. Consult the order for that and you may also want to consider speaking with an experienced family law attorney to get clarity on this and other issues.
One is 3 one will be a year in two days and has down syndrome

answered on Jun 21, 2021
If you are willing and able to take care of the children, then a guardianship may be a good option for you. You should speak with an experienced attorney to discuss details about how to undertake that.
my sons father has custody, he has been living with his grandmother and i just found out that his dad has moved back in his grandmas and he and his wife are on meth and i have messages from his wife stating the drug use, the fact they do not have jobs and that they had to move back into the... View More

answered on Jun 17, 2021
You'll want to look into legal aid or pro bono organizations in your area. Most cities/counties have at least one such organization, and if you qualify, you should be able to find competent attorneys willing to help you with your case. Hope that helps.
If she takes one vehicle, does that subtract from child support or do I pay for it still plus all of the child support?

answered on Jun 4, 2021
Unmarried couples who are trying to split property face different challenges than those going through a divorce. You should speak with an attorney who can look at your situation in more detail and lay out a path forward.
I have a support order in place in Indiana, and up to date on support payments. The court also granted parenting time, but the judge said it may be difficult to enforce because the children live Georgia with their mother. Paternity affidavits were completed and signed by both myself and their... View More

answered on May 6, 2021
If your support order is out of Indiana, then it likely contains the custody provisions as well. You can check with the court clerk to see if the case is still based in Indiana. You can bring an action in Indiana to enforce your parenting time. However, keep in mind that it may be difficult to... View More
I offered custodial parent an opportunity for additional parenting time, which was accepted. I don’t have an acceptable time in which to schedule the make up time, so I am opting to forgo the two days I lost.

answered on May 6, 2021
If it happens just one time, you're fine. You don't want it to become a pattern, though, because the custodial parent could try to use that behavior against you to suggest you are not interested in using all of your parenting time.
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