Adoption is a process whereby a person legally assumes the parenting of another from that person’s biological or legal parents and permanently transfers all rights and responsibilities from those biological or legal parents. Typically, adoptions involve children, but can also apply to adults over the age of nineteen. Open adoptions allow the parents to …
A divorce is the legal dissolution of a marriage by a court. It is also the process of terminating the marriage or marital union. The legal duties or responsibilities of the parties once the divorce is final are set out in a Settlement Agreement or by the court in an Order. Divorce commonly involves issues …
If parties want to live apart, but wish to remain legally married, they would enter into a legal separation. The legal separation is a written agreement or a court order setting out the terms under which the parties will live. A legal separation does not formally dissolve the marriage and does not permit the parties …
An annulment is a judicial declaration that a marriage is void and establishes that the marital status never existed or a marriage never occurred. In Alabama, there are limited grounds for an annulment. If one of these legal grounds cannot be proven, the Court may determine that the marriage was valid and the parties …
Postnuptial Agreements are similar to a Prenuptial Agreements, but are entered into during the marriage to define each party’s rights in the event of death or divorce. These agreements are typically entered into at a time during the marriage when divorce is not imminent. If the parties have already contemplated divorce, they would most likely …
Prenuptial (or Premarital) Agreements are an agreement entered into prior to marriage to resolve issues that may arise in the event of a divorce. The purpose is to vary the provisions that the law would allow. To be valid, these agreements must follow certain requirements to guarantee that they are fair and proper. The Uniform …
It is extremely frustrating when child support payments are interrupted or suddenly stop. If there is an existing order for child support, a parent can file a “Rule Nisi” petition asking the Court to issue civil and criminal penalties against the parent who has stopped paying. A parent can also call the Department of Human …
You may request the Court modify your existing child support award by filing a petition, but you must demonstrate a “material change of circumstances.” Reasons for modifying child support include, but are not limited to, income changes of more than 10%, changes in employment, health care, child-care, and physical custody. Contact: Tel: (205) 874-8680Fax: (205) 874-8685 Address: …
Decisions on the physical and legal custody of a child are extremely personal and terms such as joint, shared, sole, physical, and legal custody can be unnerving when thinking about your own child. Joint physical and legal custody indicate each parent has a say in the academic, medical, religious, cultural, and other decisions regarding their …
Post-minority support for college expenses are no longer ordered due to the ruling in Ex Parte Christopher, 145 So.3d 60 (Ala.2013). There are exceptions for children with disabilities. Agreements and orders previously made on post-minority support are still enforceable. Contact: Tel: (205) 874-8680Fax: (205) 874-8685 Address: 1 Independence DriveSuite 305 Birmingham, AL 35209 Phone
