Tyler Block: Fighting for adoptive parents 
Published: January 9, 2012
Tags: adoption, Lawyers of the Year, Lawyers of the Year 2011, same-sex adoption
When Tyler Block stood before the Nebraska Supreme Court to argue against a district court ruling that barred his client from pursuing custody and visitation rights with the child she had raised with her ex-partner, he struck a blow not only for the gay and lesbian community but for all non-biological parents.
Florida considers alimony caps, duration limits
Published: January 5, 2012
Tags: alimony, divorce
Following in the footsteps of states like Massachusetts and New Jersey, multiple pieces of legislation have been introduced in the Florida legislature to update alimony laws.
ERISA doesn’t block attachment of father’s retirement funds
Published: January 3, 2012
Tags: child support, ERISA, QDRO, qualified domestic relations order
Federal law did not prevent a mother from obtaining an order to attach her husband’s retirement account for the purpose of paying a substantial child support arrearage that had accrued during the parties’ divorce proceedings, the Virginia Court of Appeals has ruled in reversing judgment.
Marriage void for bigamy despite voidable first union
Published: December 27, 2011
Tags: bigamy
Even though a woman did not have a marriage license for her first wedding ceremony and the ceremony failed to meet statutory requirements, she failed to take any action to terminate it and therefore committed bigamy when she later married her husband, the North Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled.
Lab can be sued for negligent DNA testing
Published: December 23, 2011
Tags: DNA testing, litigation privilege, negligence, paternity
The litigation privilege does not protect a laboratory from liability for negligent DNA testing, the Oklahoma Supreme Court has ruled in reversing a summary judgment for the lab.
The pitfalls of ‘frictionless’ social media
By:
Correy Stephenson
Published: December 21, 2011
Tags: Facebook, social media, social networking
Technological advances continue to make life easier and yet more complicated at the same time.
ABA supports state-funded counsel for indigent parents
Published: December 21, 2011
Tags: ABA, American Bar Association, right to counsel
The American Bar Association has waded into a debate over state-funded counsel for indigent parents in abused or neglected children cases, filing an amicus brief in support of providing parents with counsel.
Husband’s VA disability counts in awarding alimony
Published: December 15, 2011
Tags: alimony, disability benefits, divorce, spousal support
Federal law does not prevent a state court from considering a husband’s veterans’ disability benefits in calculating spousal support in his divorce, the South Dakota Supreme Court has ruled in affirming judgment.
Mother’s same-sex partner is presumed parent
Published: December 14, 2011
Tags: parental rights, same sex
The former same-sex partner of an adoptive mother is entitled to the rights of a “presumed parent” under state law, the California Court of Appeal has ruled in affirming judgment.
Military health insurance counts as marital asset
Published: December 12, 2011
Tags: divorce, property division, Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act
A husband’s post-retirement military health insurance benefits could be valued in dividing marital property in his divorce, the Alaska Supreme Court has ruled.
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