Video FAQs

Property Division

• Who decides what is marital and what is separate property?
• What is the difference between an equitable distribution state and a community property state?

Child Custody & Parenting Time

• If a non-biological parent adopted their spouse's child during marriage, can they obtain custody?
• If the children split their time between two homes, is it always 50/50?
• What are the factors to consider when dealing with a foreign court in an international custody dispute?
• How does a divorcing couple decide whether sole custody or joint custody is best for their family?
• How does a joint custody agreement usually work?
• How can a parent have their child returned to the U.S. without breaking international custody laws?
• How does a divorcing couple decide whether the children should live with one parent most or all of the time, or split their time equally between both parents’ homes?

Child Support

• What are the Child Support Guidelines?
• How does a judge determine the amount and duration of child support?
• Can the de facto full-time parent apply to change their arrangement from joint to sole custody?

International Custody and Interstate Jurisdiction

• Will U.S. citizenship be conferred upon children born ahead to an American parent utilizing surrogacy?
• If a US court orders that the children should be returned, will foreign court respect that order?
• If one parent removes the children from the county without consent, what can the other parent do?

Parenting Coordinator

• What does a parenting coordinator do? How can you help a divorcing couple who has children?
• Can a parenting coordinator issue a binding recommendation on disputed issues?
• Are there rules that govern the PC process in Indiana?
• How does the parenting coordination process work once a PC is appointed by the Court?

Paternity Actions

• How is paternity determined?
• Why is it so important to establish paternity in a divorce case?

Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Action

• Who typically requests the investigation when there is suspicion of child abuse or neglect?

Adoptions

• If a non-biological parent adopted their spouse's child during marriage, can they obtain custody?
• Can stepparents adopt their stepchildren?
• How does adoption work in Indiana?

Litigation

• What are the benefits of divorce litigation?

Mediation

• Is mediation a better choice than litigation to resolve issues regarding the children? Why?
• How does divorce mediation work?

Collaborative Law

• How does collaborative divorce work?

Prenuptial Agreements

• Nissa Ricafort discussed High-Asset Divorce on DivorceMag.com Roundtable
• What is a premarital agreement? Is it the same thing as a prenuptial agreement?
• Who needs a premarital agreement? Is it only for the very wealthy?
• Does a premarital or prenuptial agreement override normal property division rules in divorce?

Guardian ad Litem

• How is the Guardian ad Litem different from a social worker?
• What does a Guardian ad Litem do?

Assisted Reproductive Technology

• Does Indiana have paternity statutes, residency requirements, or adoption laws that could have an impact on whether or not legal parentage of a child born via third-party reproduction will be permitted?
• Is there a statute governing parentage that could affect children born via ART in Indiana?
• What is Assisted Reproductive Technology?

Family Law Appeals

• What is the process for appealing a decision made by a judge in Indiana?
• How long do I have to appeal a decision made by a trial court judge?

General Divorce

• What type of knowledge and experience should a family lawyer handling an appeal have?
• What can someone do to keep the cost of their divorce litigation process down?
• What qualifications should someone look for when choosing a divorce lawyer?