Though not necessary to become an adoptive family, housing a foster child prior to permanent adoption is a natural progression. Many families, in both Ohio and across the country, foster children for several years before making the decision to legally adopt. However,...
In America, each states determines its own rules and regulations regarding marriage. These include rules on when a marriage may be annulled and when it may be prohibited. In Ohio, there are five grounds for annulment. First, if one or both parties to the marriage are...
There are always a plethora of questions from parties embroiled in a child custody dispute. Let's take a look at some of the most common ones we receive. First, what is the difference between joint and sole custody? Joint custody means that both parents will share in...
One thing that some senior citizens wonder, especially as they get even older, is whether they should start distributing their inheritances early. That is, suppose a woman intends to leave her extensive jewelry collection to her daughter. Should she give the...
Domestic violence or domestic abuse can be considered both a civil and a criminal matter. On the civil side, these types of matters will fall under the scope of family court, and can be handled by an attorney who practices family law. Many times, people do not realize...
There are many considerations to take when making the decision to place a child up for private adoption. Birth parents often have a flood of questions about how the process works, and how much involvement they will have in the process. One of the most frequently asked...
Estate planning is defined as "the act of preparing for the transfer of a person's wealth and assets after his or her death." It is a common misconception that only those with significant assets should consider estate planning. Instead, it is something which everyone...
In the state of Ohio, child custody agreement modifications may be requested at any time by parties who have previously established such in a prior court hearing. If both parties are in agreement to a modification, they may simply pay a filing fee and submit the...
As you find your marriage coming to an end, you may balk at getting a divorce. Never did you imagine your marriage would become another statistic. Even with the acceptance of divorce in society, it can still be difficult to accept personally. The reasons for your...
In honor of November as National Adoption Awareness month, we have been talking about the elements of adoption. In our last blog post, we discussed the homestudy. Once that element has been satisfied, an adoptive family can then move on to the next phase, which is...