Situations can arise where one parent wants to put a child up for adoption without the other's consent. In one particular scenario, an unwed mother may consider doing so for a wide variety of reasons. The father of the child may object to this, but is unsure whether he has any rights in the process…
Read more: Do Unmarried Fathers Have a Right to Object to Adoptions?
Some people choose to hold real estate in a trust instead of keeping it as a personal asset. In fact, there are many good reasons to make this decision. When you purchase (or subsequently transfer) real estate using a trust, you can maintain anonymity and avoid death taxes as well as probate. Property might also be held in a trust if there is more than one owner. Whatever the reason, it is important to know how to transfer such property when the settlor passes away. Learn how to comply with the requirements of estate law to get the property into the beneficiary's name.…
Read more: How Do You Transfer Ownership of Real Estate Held in a Trust?
When a couple with children divorces, there needs to be an agreement or order regarding child custody. Some parents are under the impression that the child is the one to make this decision. Others believe that the parents are in charge of determining the custody agreement. There is some truth to all of this, but the real decision is made by the family law judge. Learn how the wishes of each of these parties plays into the judge's final order.…
Read more: Who Really Makes the Decision in a Child Custody Case?
If you are assuming the role of an estate executor, you have a lot of different tasks to deal with. One of these includes dealing with payable-on-death bank accounts. Many descendants will have certain bank accounts or investments with a payable-on-death designation. Once the owner passes away, the executor may be tasked with assisting the beneficiary in this regard. Learn how this process works according to estate law.…
Read more: How to Handle a Payable-On-Death Bank Account as an Executor or Beneficiary
Whether you are planning a divorce or starting the process, there are many different steps to consider. As any experienced lawyer will tell you, it can take some time to finalize a divorce. Yet, what do you do in the meantime if you have certain conflicts with your ex-spouse? The answer is to request a temporary order from the court. These orders can address pending issues prior to the end of the divorce proceedings. Learn how you can use these orders to handle your family or financial issues early on.…
Read more: A Look at Temporary Orders During Divorce Proceedings
A lot of things happen when you are charged with a crime. You may be questioned by the police, investigated and later charged and arrested. Yet, this is just the beginning of what could be a long, nerve-racking experience. During this time, you'll need an experienced attorney to help you through the process. One of the things a criminal law attorney will help you with is plea bargaining. Negotiating a plea in lieu of trial is an important step in the adjudication of a criminal case. Learn why it can make sense to accept a plea bargain under certain circumstances.…
Read more: Should You Accept a Plea Bargain in a Criminal Case?
It's fairly common for a married couple to own property in joint tenancy. This title is popular because it allows for an easy transfer when one spouse passes away. This is due to the fact that property held in joint tenancy avoids probate. However, someone still has to do the work to get the property into the other joint tenant's hands. Learn more about the process behind transferring a joint tenancy after the death of a co-owner.…
Read more: End of Life Law: A Look at Transferring Real Estate Held in Joint Tenancy
If you are a parent going through a divorce, or have a child out of wedlock, you may be asked to pay child support. Usually, this process begins when the other parent files a petition. In such a scenario, you may be left wondering what sort of action to take. Learn about the process that occurs when you are involved in a child support proceeding.…
Read more: What Happens When You Receive a Petition for Child Support?
Most people want to avoid having their estate go through probate. This is due to the perceived difficulties of the probate process. Some people mistakenly believe that failing to make a will can bypass probate. In fact, the opposite is true. When a decedent does not have a will in place, the estate will likely end up in probate hearings. See how intestate succession affects the distribution of the estate during probate.…
Read more: How Intestate Succession Works in the Probate Process