Basics of divorce ; The big issues: child custody and support ; When you separate ; Annulment ; The court process ; Kinds of divorces ; Parentage actions for unmarried couples ; Divorce for same-sex couples ; Basics of child custody ; Physical and legal custody ; Creating a parenting plan: out of court ; Sample parenting plans ; When parents cannot agree: going to court ; Contentious issues ; Making shared parenting work ; Basics of child support ; Who pays support? ; How child support is calculated ; How to estimate child support obligations ; Deviating from the guidelines ; Creating your own written agreement ; Going to court for a support decision ; Temporary support while the divorce is pending ; Taxes and your children ; Health insurance and medical child support orders ; When you decide to divorce : the first month ; Talking to the kids ; Figure out immediate housing and custody issues ; Make a temporary parenting plan ; Start addressing money issues ; Get organized ; File court papers ; How to get your agreements made into orders ; Take care of yourself and your kids ; Going to trial ; Should you have a lawyer? ; Getting a trial date ; Issues in child custody trials ; Issues in child support trials ; Courtroom procedures at your trial ; After the trial ; Custody orders : living with, enforcing, and changing them ; Sharing parenting after a custody hearing or trial ; When the other parent violates a court order ; When the other parent Is just annoying ; When the kids don't want to go ; If you suspect abuse ; When the other parent doesn't take the children ; Traveling with your child ; Changing your custody arrangements ; When one parent is out of state ; If you move to another state : registering your custody order ; Child support orders : living with, enforcing, and changing them ; Arranging for payment ; If you're paying support : changing the amount ; How long child support lasts ; When circumstances change ; Enforcing support orders across state lines ; If your spouse goes missing ; Bankruptcy and child support ; Worst case scenarios : kidnapping, abuse, and interference with custody ; Kidnapping ; Child abuse ; Interference with parental relationship ; Domestic violence ; Supervised visitation for difficult situations ; Custody and support in military families ; Delaying court decisions : the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act ; Custody and visitation ; Child support ; Medical benefits for children ; Other benefits ; Tax issues ; Locating a service member ; Serving papers on someone on a U.S. military base ; Domestic violence and other abuse ; The law : how to work with a lawyer and do your own legal research ; Should you lawyer up? ; Working with a lawyer ; Looking for a lawyer ; Paying a lawyer ; If you have problems with your lawyer ; Getting the other parent to pay your attorneys' fees ; Help with self-representation : legal document preparers ; Knowledge is power : learn the law ; Quick guide to legal research ; 50-state charts ; Residency requirements ; Grounds for divorce ; State child support calculators ; Court and court-related websites ; State custody best interest statutes ; State custody modification statutes ; State relocation statutes ; State child support modification statutes ; State child support enforcement agencies
Summary:
Offers guidance and resources at every step in divorce cases involving child custody and support. The book also covers special situations such as military parents and custody, parental kidnapping and children's testimony. Charts outline state custody criteria and how to calculate child support. Includes sample documents.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.