Family Law Newsletters

Bigamy

Bigamy is the act of marrying one person while legally married to another. Bigamy is a criminal offense when it is knowingly committed. Bigamy is the wilful contracting of a second marriage when the contracting party knows that the first is still subsisting; or it is the state of a man who has two wives, or of a woman who has two husbands living at the same time. The punishment of the offence varies by state.

Foster Children

A child may be removed from a household if they are abused, either sexually or physically, or neglected. The child may be neglected in that they are not provided with their basic needs such as food, shelter, and emotional stability. The goal for the foster child is that the child be cared for by capable foster parents for a temporary period of time.

Foster Parents

A foster parent is not required to own his or her own home in order to participate in the foster care program. The requirements for foster parenting differ from state to state.

Legal Malpractice and Divorce

In divorce actions legal malpractice may occur. If a client suspects that her attorney is liable for malpractice, she may file a civil malpractice action against the attorney or may file a complaint with the State Bar Association.

Taxation of Alimony or Separate Maintenance Payments

Alimony or separate maintenance payments that are made by an obligor spouse to an obligee spouse or to a third party on behalf of the obligee are deductible from the obligor's income provided the payments are made pursuant to a written agreement that was executed after 1984 and subject to certain conditions.