The best interests of the child is a court doctrine used in custody proceedings when two parents are contesting custody of the child. Courts use this doctrine to make decisions regarding which parent will have custody of the child, the nature...
divorce
bilateral divorce
A bilateral divorce is a divorce proceeding where both parties are subject to the court’s personal jurisdiction. A bilateral divorce does not require both parties to be domiciled where the court is exercising jurisdiction, just that both...
bird-nesting
Bird-nesting is a custody arrangement in which the children of divorced or separated parents reside permanently in a family home, while the parents rotate living in the home with the children only during their respective custody periods....
change of circumstances
A change of circumstances refers to the showing required by a party seeking to modify a prior child support, spousal support, or custody order. Generally, the change in circumstances must be substantial in nature and due to facts that were...
child
Under the law, a child usually refers to an individual who is a minor, who is below legal age or the age of majority. The age of majority being 18 in most states. Being below the age of majority means that the child will have fewer rights but...
child custody
Child Custody: An Overview
Child custody issues arise most commonly in cases of divorce. The court of jurisdiction for the divorce proceedings also determines child custody arrangements. Under the common statutory provision, if the spouses...
child support
Child Support: An Overview
Child support refers to the sum that the noncustodial parent must pay to the custodian. This sum serves as a parental contribution for the child's basic living expenses, such as food, clothing, shelter, health care...
civil case
A civil case is a private, non-criminal lawsuit, usually involving private property rights, including respecting rights stated under the Constitution or under federal or state law. For example, lawsuits involving breach of contract, probate,...
cohabitation
Cohabitation is used primarily to denote the arrangement between two individuals who live together, either as spouses or unmarried partners.
Some common uses of the term “cohabitation” in a legal sense include:
...collaborative divorce
Collaborative divorce refers to a method of divorce based on collaborative law where the spouses negotiate a divorce agreement alongside different professionals in a cooperative manner. Collaborative divorce is a newer method for resolving...