Family Law Newsletter

Long Distance Caregiving, Hiring a Caregiver, and Medicare

Many adult children no longer live in close proximity to their parents. Often times either children or parents relocate due to employment or retirement. If a parent falls ill, the task of caring for the parent in a long distance capacity may be very difficult and stressful. Moreover, long distance caregiving is a time-consuming endeavor.More...

Child Neglect

Every child has the right to expect that their parent or primary responsible caregiver will reasonably and prudently provide clothing, food, medical care, protection, shelter, and supervision. When a parent or primary responsible caregiver fails to provide the essential things to a child, a child may be neglected. Child neglect is more common and sometimes more devastating than child abuse. Often times child neglect and abuse are referred to in the same type of context.More...

Post-Decree Modification of Child Custody

A court is guided by one principle when deciding the issue of child custody. That principle is the best interest of the child. The best interest of the child is determined by examining the child's relationship with the parents and important family members, the child's health and social development, and the child's general well-being. More...

Gifts to Grandchildren

Many grandparents want to give their grandchildren gifts. Giving gifts to grandchildren is also advantageous for the grandparents' estate because it may reduce the overall size of the estate and lower the estate tax burden. More...

Post-Adoption Contact with Grandparents

Traditionally grandparents were generally assumed to have no legal standing to seek visitation or custody of their grandchildren over the objection of the children's parents. Occasionally, a court exercising the state's parens patriae power would place a child with a grandparent when a parent died, was abusive, or was otherwise incapacitated. When parental fitness had not been challenged, however, both common law and constitutional precedents supported the right of parents to determine whether or not their children could spend time with grandparents.More...