The Attorneys at Dixon & Moseley, P.C.
Strong, Trial-Ready Advocates Protecting Your Rights
Today, millions of children are being raised by grandparents, friends, neighbors, and sometimes, total strangers. This trend is growing each year. In this situation, these individuals acting as “parents” have no legal rights to the children they are raising, despite the fact they are providing for all aspects of their physical and emotional well-being. Practically speaking, this reality can create…
Almost everyone knows someone who has been, is or will be going through a “terrible” custody battle. The best of parents—acting under the stress of a separation or divorce—experiences a range of emotions from loss to rage. In some cases, the perceptions of the parents are magnified by underlying psychological issues, substance abuse or both and lead to the truly…
Custody is initially determined by the courts in divorce or paternity by considering statutory factors, including the age of the child, his/her adjustment to their home, school, community, and the mental and physical health of all individuals involved.1 In this situation, there is no preference for either parent. Psychologically and socially, children need stability so custody is not as easy…
The holidays are quickly approaching–and it not only means more than decorations and school pageants. For divorced or unmarried parents, it also means inevitable changes to parenting time schedules that can make the holidays less joyful if not addressed ahead of time. Under any parenting time plan, the holidays can be difficult to coordinate, but below are a few pointers…
Throughout the last several years, the concept of parenting coordination has been catching on in Indiana. Effectively, Parenting Coordinators (known as “PCs” in high conflict matters) help parties resolve disputes in real time so children do not miss events or time with the other parent. The only other viable option before parenting coordination was a contempt petition or other legal…
In many divorce and paternity cases, a continuum is presented where the parent-child relationship may be strained to non-existent. Parents want to see their children. Children want to spend time with their parents. This is a basic bond of parent-child relationships and why parents have a fundamental right to rear and make decisions for their children—one of the oldest and…
Let’s face it. There are some parents that just cannot agree on certain issues related to their child, such as extracurricular activities or (legal) discipline of the child. As a result, Indiana has started utilizing a newer method to address co-parenting in these situations. This blog post focuses on parallel parenting, a concept targeted toward parents experiencing consistent conflict due…
In Indiana, there are two higher courts a party may seek an appeal from any final trial court order. There is an appeal as a matter of legal right to the Indiana Court of Appeals. A party dissatisfied with a decision of the Indiana Court of Appeals may seek discretionary transfer to the Indiana Supreme Court. This blog covers the…
The holidays are special times for most families, including those parents who have not married or have divorced: Special school events. Holiday parties. Family gatherings. All of this occurs with a lot of corresponding planning, from purchasing gifts to cooking meals. For parents who are not married, coordinating schedules can he a major source of conflict. This blog puts forth…
Most parents, judges, and domestic attorneys view hearings and custody modifications or contempt filings as a last resort, not the first way to resolve a dispute. However, the conflict of divorce or post-divorce matters often obscures some of the legal and non-legal methods parents may resolve disputes about parenting time outside of court. The first and relatively newer type of…