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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. This is a complex situation that likely requires the help of a custody lawyer. However, there are some general guidelines for fathers in this situation. Learn what type of parental rights may be maintained by a biological father in the face of adoption.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Everyone dreams of owning their own home. Many people are lucky enough to make this dream a reality. However, a change in your financial situation can make your dream turn into a nightmare. Once you begin to fall behind on mortgage payments, you are at risk of foreclosure activity by lenders. This means that you may eventually lose the home that you love. Whether you are in foreclosure, or expect to be, it is important to understand the legal ramifications of the process.

If you have been named the executor of the estate, you likely have a number of different duties on your plate. In fact, the process can become a little overwhelming at times. Yet, there are certain things that need to be done. One such task is to obtain a death certificate for the deceased. At first, this may seem like a trivial task, but there are some important legal ramifications if you fail to take this step. Learn why you need to take immediate action to get a death certificate in accordance with estate law.

Buying a new home is an exciting time. There's no doubt that you have high expectations when going through the process. Yet, what happens if the deal doesn't turn out as good as you originally thought? What if you move into the home only to find that there is some unknown defect? If this happens, you may be regretting your decision, but there are some legal remedies available to help you. See how to address newly discovered defects after the sale has closed.