Law Library Articles
Top 10 Family Law Articles in the LegalMatch Law Library
Tolstoy once said that all happy families are alike, while each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Families are messy by themselves and things only get messier when couples decide to split, child custody agreements get broken, or child support is not paid.
Even though each family law case is unique in its own way, they often have many things in common. As a starting point for people dealing with family law issues, here are the Top 10 LegalMatch Law Library articles covering the most frequently searched family law topics.
1. Statutory Rape: The Age of Consent by State
If you’ve ever wondered what the age of consent was in your state, this is the article for you. The article provides a comprehensive chart on the age of consent in each state and a general explanation about the allowable age difference between two people if one of the partners does not meet the age of consent.
2. Child Custody and Visitation
Divorce is usually a painful process for everyone involved, even more so if there are children. This makes child custody agreements and visitation schedules incredibly important. In this article you will find general information on how courts determine custody arrangements and visitation rights.
3. Top Ten Child Custody Questions
Custody is often a stressful and complicated issue for families. To simplify things, this article lists the ten most common child custody questions and provides you with some general information on the issue in order to help you make the best decision for you and your child.
4. How Can I Get My Child Support Lowered?
Missing child support payments can have serious consequences. If you are unable to make your support payments, it is best to try for a child support modification. This article provides general information on how to get your child support payments lowered and the circumstances that factor into the court’s decision on whether or not to lower your payments.
5. Filing for Divorce in Different States
As family law matters are decided by the states, each state has their own divorce laws making divorce a much more complicated matter when the two parties to a marriage are in different states. This article provides a basic run down on how to get a divorce when your spouse is in a different state and the pros and cons of filing for divorce in different states.
6. Violations of a Child Custody or Visitation Order
Getting to spend time with your child is a blessing and every moment spent together is meant to be treasured. Unfortunately, life is not always straightforward. Sometimes you might have to fight to obtain visitation rights when your former partner refuses to follow a child custody order or visitation schedule. Disobeying a child custody order or visitation schedule can have serious legal consequences.
7. How to Modify an Existing Child Custody or Visitation Order
Following divorce, people sometimes make serious life changes such as moving to a different state or starting a new job. These life changes can affect everyone in your family and especially your children. If you have undergone a life change and would like to modify an existing child custody agreement or visitation order, this article provides a good introduction to the subject and helps you get started.
8. Consequences of Not Paying Child Support
Child support payments are important and necessary to ensure the wellbeing of your child. As a result, missing child support payments can have serious consequences such as wage garnishments or the suspension of a driver’s license. This article lists the possible consequences that might result from missing child support payments and provides advice on how to avoid them.
9. Child Custody Between Unmarried Parents
If you and your partner are unmarried and have a child together, this article provides general information on custody issues commonly encountered by unmarried couples. Whether you are seeking visitation rights or seeking complete custody, this article provides a helpful starting point on your basic rights as a parent.
10. Shared Custody vs. Joint Custody
Legal language is often convoluted and hard to understand. When entering into a custody arrangement, it is important to understand the difference between shared custody and joint custody. On the surface they sound like the same thing, but they are actually two distinct types of custody.
