Mom loses appeal of denied relocation petition
A Dubois County mother who wanted to move with her child to New Mexico has lost her appeal of the denial of her relocation petition.
Custody
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Father must consent to stepfather’s adoption of children, appellate court rules
The adoption of two children by their stepfather after their mother died cannot proceed without their father’s consent, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Thursday, reversing a trial court order.
COA upholds denial of grandparents’ adoption petition
A request by grandparents to adopt a grandson found to be a child in need of services was properly denied, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, upholding a trial court’s determination that adoption was not in the child’s best interests.
COA affirms denial of birth mother’s consent argument in adoption dispute
A birth mother unsuccessfully argued that her consent was required for her daughter’s aunt and uncle to adopt the child, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
Ruling awarding dad joint custody tossed for lack of findings
The ruling of a Marion County judge that awarded a father joint physical custody lacked sufficient reasoning and was reversed on appeal Thursday.
Spending package contains historic appropriation for legal aid
With the president’s signature on the $2.3 trillion spending bill, the Legal Services Corporation is set to receive $465 million, the largest appropriation in actual dollars for the organization in its history.
Justices reverse custody order after judge ‘conflated’ contempt with best interests
A mother has regained legal custody of her child for now after the Indiana Supreme Court reversed a trial court order Friday, finding that a lower court judge improperly “coupled” a finding of contempt against the mother with an analysis into the child’s best interests.
Web Exclusive: Marion County sees high success with child support, driver’s license initiative
Just one year after introducing a new program intended to bring additional child support to custodial parents and more freedom for noncustodial parents, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office sees promise in its Good Faith Initiative.
COA affirms denial of mom’s request to relocate in parenting dispute
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld an order denying a mother’s request to relocate, finding her move from South Bend to Chicago would not be in the child’s best interest.
Indiana Supreme Court divided over custody reversal
Two Indiana Supreme Court justices have dissented from their colleagues’ denial of transfer in a child custody dispute that resulted with the mother gaining sole legal custody of her kids. The dissenting justices would have granted joint legal custody to both parents instead.
COA reverses award of legal custody
A trial court’s order in a protracted feud between a divorced mother and father over the care of their child brought a partial reversal of custody from the Indiana Court of Appeals and a warning in a concurring opinion about the bias the parenting coordinator admitted to having against the mother.
Makris: COVID-19 presents new co-parenting issues
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused widespread changes to everyday life that have presented new questions for parents and family law practitioners alike. While we began in uncharted territory, this experience has been an opportunity for attorneys to creatively problem solve in a time when we, like our clients, are navigating many of the same uncertainties.
COA affirms custody modification from mother to father
The Indiana Court of Appeals has affirmed the modification of a Dearborn County mother’s physical and legal custody of her child over to his father, also ruling her relocation claims moot after her request to do so was denied.
COA rules trial court erred in grandparent visitation case
The Indiana Court of Appeals overturned a ruling that had prevented a couple from seeing their grandchild, finding the trial court’s grant of the mother’s petition to dismiss the paternity cause after the grandparents had intervened would likely extinguish their right to visitation.
COA affirms denial of mother’s premature motion to modify child custody
A mother who fought to modify custody of her two children before the court entered her dissolution decree has had her request rejected by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
Award of custody to father reversed after no findings support ruling
A court that awarded custody of an 8-year-old child to the father after a modification proceeding had no evidence that doing so was in the child’s best interests, the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday, reversing the custody determination.
COA affirms award of custody to non-surrogate mother, against father
A father fighting against the award of custody of his child to his ex-wife did not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that a mistake had been made.
COA partially reverses for father in child expenses dispute
A northern Indiana father failed to convince the Indiana Court of Appeals that child custody and support rulings in his divorce proceedings were erroneous, though the court did agree with his challenges to medical expenses and home equity findings.
Divided COA reverses in first impression de facto custody case
A split Indiana Court of Appeals has reversed for the reconsideration of a father’s granted motion to modify custody after finding that a woman who raised one of his three children was, in fact, the child’s de facto custodian.
Custody ruling for mother upheld on appeal
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld the grant of sole legal custody to the mother of a child with a rare genetic disorder upon finding the parents’ disagreements about the child’s medical and educational needs was impeding her development.