Family, Divorce & Domestic Matters
Browse published legal information questions related to Family, Divorce & Domestic Matters.
Do I have to get consent before recording a mediation session about a consumer dispute in California?
In California, the safest general answer is usually yes: you should assume you need clear consent before recording a mediation session, especially if the session is confidential or involves private dispute-resolution com...
What are my rights if I was never served with the child support case paperwork?
If you were never properly served with child support case paperwork, you may have important due process concerns. In general, service of process is the formal way the court gives notice of a case and tells a person how t...
Is it legal for a prenup to limit spousal support to $1,000 a month for two years?
In South Dakota, a prenuptial agreement may be able to limit or waive spousal support, but that is not automatic. Whether a specific limit like $1,000 per month for two years will be enforceable usually depends on the ag...
What are my rights if my ex claims daycare costs doubled but will not show receipts?
If your ex says daycare costs have doubled but will not show receipts, you usually have the right to ask for documentation and to question whether the amount being requested is accurate, necessary, and related to the chi...
How do I divide a pension that was earned partly before and partly during marriage?
In Minnesota, a pension that was earned partly before marriage and partly during marriage is usually treated as a mix of nonmarital and marital property. In general, the portion earned before the marriage may be consider...
How do I prove an inheritance should not be divided in equitable distribution?
In Georgia, the basic question is usually whether the inherited property can be traced as separate property rather than marital property. In general, an inheritance received by one spouse may stay that spouse’s separate...
What happens if my ex moved to another state and stopped paying court ordered support?
If your ex moved to another state and stopped paying court-ordered support, the support order usually does not disappear just because the other parent crossed state lines. In general, a Michigan support order may still b...
What are my rights if my child was injured at daycare because staff were not watching?
If a child is injured at daycare because staff were not watching, the parents or guardians may have several possible legal and practical rights, depending on what happened and what Alabama law applies. In general, a dayc...
Can I sue my landlord if I found a hidden camera inside my bedroom smoke detector?
If you found a hidden camera inside a smoke detector in your bedroom, that can raise very serious privacy and safety concerns. In California, a landlord generally is not allowed to secretly record a tenant in a private a...
Is it legal for the court to count overtime when calculating child support?
In Nevada, overtime may be included when a court calculates child support, but it is not automatic in every case. Courts usually look at the parent’s income as a whole and may consider overtime if it is regular, dependab...
Is it legal for my spouse to remove jewelry and collectibles from the home before appraisal?
In Arkansas, the answer usually depends on what the items are, who owns them, and whether a divorce or separation is already underway. If the jewelry or collectibles are marital property, a spouse generally may not treat...
My ex took the furniture we bought together when moving out. Is this theft or civil court?
In Wisconsin, the answer usually depends on ownership, intent, and how the furniture was being used or handled before the move. If both of you owned the furniture together, the situation may be treated as a property disp...
Is it legal for my spouse to record our private conversations during the divorce?
In Indiana, whether your spouse may legally record a private conversation during a divorce often depends on the facts, especially who consented to the recording and whether the conversation was truly private. Indiana law...
Do I have to pay alimony from my bonus if the divorce order only mentions salary?
In Rhode Island, the answer may depend on the exact wording of the divorce order, the surrounding settlement or trial record, and how the court interprets “salary” in the context of your case. If the order only mentions...
Is it legal for a judge to order retroactive child support back to the child’s birth?
In general, a judge may be able to order child support to apply retroactively, but whether support can go all the way back to the child’s birth depends on the law in the jurisdiction and the specific facts of the case. I...