Parents’ Rights Generally speaking, parents have a right to raise their children in whatever manner they see fit. Although these rights do vary from state to state, they are, more or less, very extensive. In America, the government does not want to get too involved in a child’s upbringing, therefore,…
Consider Marriage In some situations, it may be in your best interests to get married before the baby’s born, especially if you are already committed to the mother and you both want to be involved in the baby’s life. Marriage will likely be the most effective way to ensure that…
The Short Answer: Maybe If your divorce hasn’t been finalized, you could put language in your decree that would prevent your spouse from spanking (or using other forms of corporal punishment) your child as a form of discipline, although getting them to follow through with that may be a bit…
Extended Co-Sleeping DCFS likely won’t think anything of a bassinet in your room, especially if you just had a baby. However, they might not be excited about extended co-sleeping. Many parents choose to share a room with their newborn baby for the first three to six months, as the baby…
Wait, Who Owns the Phone Anyway? Technically, whoever buys the phone owns the phone. While there are some loopholes and caveats, the general rule of thumb is that children don’t own anything. So even if a child does buy a phone, that might not mean that they own the phone,…
Can Parents Keep Their Kids Away from Grandparents? “Can I Sue My Child for Not Letting Me See My Grandkids?” Like most matters in the legal realm, it will depend on your circumstances. Generally speaking, it will be quite a stretch to sue your son or daughter for refusing to…
What Are the Convictions? A criminal record can impact custody arrangements. Whether or not your record will impact your custody arrangements will depend on what your convictions were, among other factors including how long it’s been since the conviction, or whether you have a history of repeating the same offense….
It Depends… The court’s action and willingness to get involved may depend upon the allegations and the likelihood that your child is in danger. For example, if you think that your ex’s partner is abusing children, but their partner does not have an established history of abusing children, and there…
How Do You Get Full Legal Custody? What Is Legal Custody, Anyway? Legal custody refers to the parents’ rights to make decisions about the child’s life. If you have legal custody of your child, you have the right to make decisions such as where they’ll live, where they’ll go to…
Can My Ex Force Me to Take a Drug Test? While your ex cannot show up at your house and demand that you take this drug test or else, they can request that the court issue an order requiring you to submit to a drug test. Typically, your ex will…
How to Survive and Thrive When Your Marriage Ends