What Happens When an Absent Parent Returns? Do You Have to Give them Parent-Time? If your ex shows up after five years of being absent, and your five-year-old has had no meaningful relationship with them, do you have to allow them to have parent time? The answer may surprise you,…
Do I Have to Be Involved with My Kids? The Short Answer: No No, you do not have to be involved in your child’s life, even if you have been proven to be the biological parent via DNA test. There is a difference between a person who’s not involved in…
Who Makes the Rules about Parental Controls What Does Your Custody Order (Decree) Say? When it comes to disputes that you and your ex cannot reach an agreement upon, you’ll need to get out your divorce decree and look over that. In the case where two parents cannot decide upon…
What Is Contributing to Delinquency of a Minor? The Basic Definition In simple terms, contributing to delinquency of a minor is a criminal charge that’s filed when a parent (or parents) allows or encourages their child to engage in an illegal activity. For example, if you purchase alcohol for your…
How Long Can You Leave a Child Alone For? Where Do You Live? Some states do have laws about how old your child has to be before they can legally be left home alone. While other states do not have a set age limit, you could still get in trouble…
Father of an Unplanned Pregnancy—What Now? Time for a Wedding? Whether or not you decide to marry due to an unplanned pregnancy is up to you. In the United States, there is no legal obligation to marry someone just because you’re going to have a child with them. Parents to…
What Does It Take for a Child to Be Taken Away Immediately? What Does a DCFS Investigation Look Like? When a call comes into DCFS, they need to determine whether there’s enough information to investigate the incident or not. If there is enough information to investigate, they may show up at…
Can You Get Your Kids Taken Away for Having a Messy Home? The Short Answer Is Yes Yes, if your home is unsanitary enough, your children can be removed from your custody, at least temporarily, until your home is in a condition that is safe enough to house your children….
Who Gets Custody after Both Parents Die? What Does the Will Say? In the event both parents pass away, the parents’ will is likely going to be considered in determining what happens to the children, assuming the parents left instructions for who will act as guardian in the event that…
Is It Okay to Text Your Ex after Divorce? It Depends Some people choose to remain close after they divorce their spouse—after all, the divorce was fairly amicable and both parties are on good terms so is there really any harm in staying in touch with your ex? If you…
How to Survive and Thrive When Your Marriage Ends