Children’s Birthday Parties Post Divorce

A child’s upcoming birthday can cause anxiety for newly divorced or separated parents.  The parents are maintaining two separate households, yet each parent wants to be part of the birthday celebration.  What are the options? A Shared Birthday Party Many couples have
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Goals of Supervised Visitation

In the District of Columbia, the court may order a non-custodial parent to have supervised visitation with the minor children.  The Supervised Visitation Center is a wonderful resource that is run by D.C. Superior Court. It’s a safe place where non-custodial parents
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Back to School Tips for Non-Custodial Parents

As the school year approaches, there are questions many parents have about the new school year.  If you recently went to court and received a custody order, there are a few things that non-custodial parents should keep in mind. 1 – Ensure
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The Difference Between Legal Separation and Divorce

The end of a marriage is a difficult time.  Some couples who are considering divorce, first file for legal separation as a trial run.  Divorce proceedings legally dissolve the marriage.  Legal separation allows the parties to lead separate lives but remain married.
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Marijuana Use in Custody Cases

In July, marijuana was decriminalized in the District of Columbia.  This November, the residents of D.C. will vote on legalizing marijuana. In family law, this brings up the question: how does legalized marijuana affect custody disputes? Marijuana’s growing social acceptance is complicating the
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Guidelines For Children’s Personal Belongings

When parents of minor children end their relationship, there are often questions about what to do about the children’s personal belongings.  If the minor child is spending some time with each parent, here are some considerations both parents should keep in mind:
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What Are Your Parental Rights Without a Court Order?

A question I get often is what are my parental rights if there is no custody order in place? In most states, the answer is it depends. If you were married to the other parent, and are listed on the child’s birth
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Grandparent Rights

Sometimes parents will ask if the grandparents have any rights to visitation during their divorce or custody case.  In 2000, the United States Supreme Court decided Troxel v. Granville, which stated that parents have a fundamental right to the “care, custody, and
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