Child Support
When married parents divorce or separate, or when only one of the unmarried parents has custody of a child, the court may order the non-custodial parent, or the one with whom the child does not live, to pay a certain portion of his or her income as child support.
In the United States, nearly half of all marriages end in divorce and almost one-fourth of all children are born to unmarried parents. As a result, the regulation of child support is an important social issue. Whereas once the arrangement for and payment of child support was left to the parents, now state child support enforcement agencies are taking an aggressive role in seeking payments from non-custodial parents. Frequently, the agency and the court will work together to implement a child support withholding order, by which the child support amount is automatically taken from the payer's paycheck. If the child support payments become delinquent, the agency can implement other collection mechanisms, such as withholding support amounts from tax refunds, or seizing real estate or personal property.
Child support orders are issued by the family court, which bases the amount of support on state child support guidelines. These guidelines establish the amount of required support, based largely on the non-custodial parent's income and the number of children. The court will also take into account other relevant factors, such as the custodial parent's income and the needs of the children. The court can deviate from the guidelines if there are significant reasons to do so. The fact that the custodial parent has a high income does not justify deviation from the guidelines; by law, children have the right to benefit from both parents' incomes. Child support can be increased if there is a change in circumstances justifying the increase, such as an increase in the payer's income or the cost of living, a decrease in the custodial parent's income or an increase in the child's needs. Similarly, the amount can be reduced if the circumstances justify the reduction.
In cases involving unmarried mothers seeking child support, the first step may be to legally establish the father's paternity of the child. The father can do this voluntarily, but if he does not the mother may need to bring a lawsuit to establish paternity, which is usually done using genetic (DNA) testing. The court will order the putative, or alleged, father to submit to the testing if he does not agree to do so voluntarily. Once paternity is established, the court will issue an order for child support.
When the non-custodial parent moves to another state, the custodial parent may have to rely on the Revised Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act to implement or ensure payment of child support. This Act provides the procedure by which a support order issued in one state can by enforced by the courts of another state.
A lawyer experienced in family law may assist a parent in obtaining an order for child support, and in enforcing the order once issued. Family law lawyers may also represent either parent in a support modification proceeding or in a proceeding to establish or disprove paternity. Given that the well-being of a child is at stake, child support issues are an important concern, and the assistance of an experienced lawyer is essential to the process.
If you would like to discuss this issue further, please contact The Law Office of Heather Cullen at (951) 715-4632 or visit us on the web at www.LawCullen.com.
DISCLAIMER: This site and any information contained herein are intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. Seek competent counsel for advice on any legal matter.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Child Custody & Visitation
When parents divorce, the divorce decree will specify with whom the children will live, and how often and under what circumstances the other parent will visit with the children. Often, parents work out these arrangements between themselves, either voluntarily or with the assistance of their attorneys or a mediator. When they are unable to reach a decision, or when unmarried parents are unable to agree on who will have custody of their child, the court may intervene and make a decision based on the "best interests of the child."
In some situations, physical custody is awarded to one parent (sole custody). However, often the custodial parent has "primary physical custody" and shares "legal custody" of the child with the non-custodial parent who has "secondary physical custody" or "visitation". "Legal custody" includes the right to make decisions about the child's education, religion, health care and other important concerns. When one parent is awarded sole physical custody, the other parent is granted visitation, either according to a clear schedule of dates and times, or on a "reasonable" basis. If allegations of abuse have been raised against the non-custodial parent, any visitation granted may be subject to supervision by a neutral third party. Grandparents and stepparents may also be entitled to visitation privileges.
Some parents have chosen a joint-custody arrangement in which the child spends an equal amount of time with both parents. Since joint custody requires a high degree of cooperation between the parents, courts are reluctant to order joint custody unless both parents are in agreement and can demonstrate the ability to make joint decisions and cooperate for the child's sake. Another option is split custody, in which one parent has custody of one or more of the parties' children and the other parent has custody of the other(s). Courts usually prefer not to separate siblings, however, when issuing custody orders.
When the child's parents are unmarried, most state laws require that the mother be awarded sole physical custody unless the father takes action to be awarded custody. An unwed father may have difficulty gaining custody over a mother who is a good parent, but he will usually take priority over other relatives, foster parents or prospective adoptive parents.
In deciding who will have custody, the courts consider various factors. The overriding consideration is always the "best interests of the child.” Often, the main factor is which parent has been the child's primary caretaker. If the children are old enough, the courts maytake their preference into account in making a custody decision. Once entered, a custody award can be changed by the court if the parent's or children's circumstances have changed.
Some commentators have criticized the courts as being gender-biased, since many custody awards are in the mother's favor. Others respond to this criticism, however, with the fact that historically mothers have been, and in many cases continue to be, the children's primary caregiver, so the higher number of awards to mothers is appropriate. As more fathers become more actively involved in their children's care, there likely will be more custody awards to fathers. Because custody and visitation decisions involve such important considerations and impact so many lives, the assistance of an experienced lawyer is an essential element of the decision-making process.
Please contact my office if you need more information on this issue.
Law Office of Heather M. Cullen
A Professional Corporation
4094 Chestnut Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Telephone: (951) 715-4632
Website: LawCullen.com
Email: Office@LawCullen.com
In some situations, physical custody is awarded to one parent (sole custody). However, often the custodial parent has "primary physical custody" and shares "legal custody" of the child with the non-custodial parent who has "secondary physical custody" or "visitation". "Legal custody" includes the right to make decisions about the child's education, religion, health care and other important concerns. When one parent is awarded sole physical custody, the other parent is granted visitation, either according to a clear schedule of dates and times, or on a "reasonable" basis. If allegations of abuse have been raised against the non-custodial parent, any visitation granted may be subject to supervision by a neutral third party. Grandparents and stepparents may also be entitled to visitation privileges.
Some parents have chosen a joint-custody arrangement in which the child spends an equal amount of time with both parents. Since joint custody requires a high degree of cooperation between the parents, courts are reluctant to order joint custody unless both parents are in agreement and can demonstrate the ability to make joint decisions and cooperate for the child's sake. Another option is split custody, in which one parent has custody of one or more of the parties' children and the other parent has custody of the other(s). Courts usually prefer not to separate siblings, however, when issuing custody orders.
When the child's parents are unmarried, most state laws require that the mother be awarded sole physical custody unless the father takes action to be awarded custody. An unwed father may have difficulty gaining custody over a mother who is a good parent, but he will usually take priority over other relatives, foster parents or prospective adoptive parents.
In deciding who will have custody, the courts consider various factors. The overriding consideration is always the "best interests of the child.” Often, the main factor is which parent has been the child's primary caretaker. If the children are old enough, the courts maytake their preference into account in making a custody decision. Once entered, a custody award can be changed by the court if the parent's or children's circumstances have changed.
Some commentators have criticized the courts as being gender-biased, since many custody awards are in the mother's favor. Others respond to this criticism, however, with the fact that historically mothers have been, and in many cases continue to be, the children's primary caregiver, so the higher number of awards to mothers is appropriate. As more fathers become more actively involved in their children's care, there likely will be more custody awards to fathers. Because custody and visitation decisions involve such important considerations and impact so many lives, the assistance of an experienced lawyer is an essential element of the decision-making process.
Please contact my office if you need more information on this issue.
Law Office of Heather M. Cullen
A Professional Corporation
4094 Chestnut Street
Riverside, CA 92501
Telephone: (951) 715-4632
Website: LawCullen.com
Email: Office@LawCullen.com
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Happy Holidays
We wish you a very happy Holiday Season and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
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