How do Teens Deal with Divorce?

Saturday, June 6th, 2009

Many changes happen when parents of a teenager go through divorce. He or she may have to deal with unpleasant feelings of the mom or dad towards each other, changing schools, or even moving homes.

Money matters may change a lot too. For example, a non-working parent may need to pay for mortgage or rent. Therefore, he or she should go out and find a job. Maybe this could be something that the parent is excited about. At the same time, however, it can also be pressuring and nerve-wracking.

Added to these are the expenses incurred during the divorce, starting from attorneys’ fees to other incidental court expenses. As a result, the teens should understand that the family may not afford some things that they used to have before.

Furthermore, practical or social challenges include traveling between parents and creating a new schedule routine. Attorneys know that the parents need to go to court and determine custody arrangements. This seems to be the most difficult change in the life of a teen. Eventually, the teen may have to accept these changes in the long run. And how they cope with this stress depends on their situation, personality, and support network.

Tags: attorneys, Child Custody, Divorce, money matters, teenagers, teens
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Grandparents’ Right in Divorce

Friday, May 15th, 2009

One of the controversial issues in a divorce is the rights of the grandparents. Sometimes, a grandparent is denied access to the grandchild or sometimes communication just breaks down and no visitation schedules are discussed.

If you are facing this challenge, bear in mind that filing a case in court should be your last resort. Every effort should be made to communicate with the parents in order to spend time with your grandchild. If no agreement was reached, then mediation could be another option.

The requirements for visitation ordered by the court will vary by state. However, most states agree that grandparents are not entitled to visit if the parents of the child are still married. The following situation may be a cause for grandparent visitation:

• -Child is born out of wedlock
• -A parent is deceased
• -Parents have a pending divorce
• -Parents are already divorced

As you see, this is clearly a complicated issue. If you’re a grandparent being denied of visitation rights, you can decide to pursue a case or not. And when you choose to pursue it, the next step is to find a divorce lawyer who specializes in visitation and third party custody.

Tags: Divorce, Divorce Lawyer, grandparents, lawyer, third party custody, visitation
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Understanding Child Custody

Friday, May 1st, 2009

In the event of separation or divorce, child custody is necessary. It is a legal decision to determine which parent should have a legal or physical control over their children. This decision may be awarded to just one parent (sole custody) or to both (joint custody). The parents usually have a say to the awarding of child custody, however, if they can’t reach a decision, an attorney or court will intervene.

There are two types of child custody:

• Legal custody refers to all the rights (such as medical care, education, or religious affiliation) concerning a child’s upbringing.
• Physical custody is the right to physically provide a home for a child.

If custody is awarded to only one parent, the other one can spend time with the children through visitation rights. Usually, parents will determine the schedule of visitation. Although sometimes, the court may order fixed visitation schedules if there is hostility between parents.

In a custody hearing, child support will also be determined. This refers to payments (usually monthly) that the non-custodial parent needs to give in order to feed, clothe, educate, and entertain the child. This amount is typically determined by the court. It’s usually paid until the child turns 18, marries, enlists in the military, or moves out of the house.

To achieve fair and objective decisions regarding child custody, visitation rights, and support, it is best to seek help from attorneys at law in your area.

Tags: attorneys at law, Child Custody, child support, Divorce, joint custody, legal custody, physical custody, separation, sole custody, visitation rights
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