Child Custody & Support
| Temporary Child Support Awards |
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| Many states provide for temporary awards of child support, pending a full evidentiary hearing after the parties have had a chance to obtain necessary information to establish the income of each parent and expenses of the child or children. Temporary support may be ordered in some situations before there is a paternity adjudication.
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| Use of a Child's Social Security Benefit in Determining Child Support |
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| When determining the amount of a child support order, the first step is to ascertain the amount of income that is available to provide for the child. Determining this issue will generally determine the fairness of any child support order. An effective child support guideline should clearly provide rules for determining what resources may and may not be considered for child support determinations. If a child is receiving social security benefits, a child support order should clearly state whether this income is considered in determining the appropriate amount of child support. More... |
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| Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act |
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| Under the Federal Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act, the home state of a child has jurisdiction to establish custody and visitation of the child. That state court continues to have jurisdiction over custody issues, and all other state courts are required to give full faith and credit to the court orders of the home state.
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| Joint Legal Custody Awards |
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| "Joint legal custody" means that both parents share the right and the responsibility to make the decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of a child. More... |
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| Appointment of an Attorney to Represent the Child in a Custody Case |
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| In hotly contested custody cases, where the parents cannot agree on anything, courts often will appoint an attorney to represent the child or children of the parties to help resolve the custody issue. The decision to appoint an attorney is within the discretion of the court. More... |
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