Indiana Family Law & Criminal Defense Lawyers

Family Law in Fishers, Indiana

Experienced Family Law Attorney

Handling Family Law issues and legal matters that involve family members is challenging. These cases are complex and emotionally taxing, especially child custody and divorce cases.

If you’re facing Family Law issues, contested or not, you may wonder what your best course of action is in resolving your case. You may be dealing with an ex-spouse who refuses to settle the dispute reasonably. Often, the easiest solution for dealing with challenging Family Law matters is through obtaining legal representation from a lawyer. A Fisher’s Family Law attorney can help you navigate issues such as divorce, legal separation, child custody, adoption, child support, and guardianship.

With a Fishers Family Law attorney, you can rest easy with the knowledge that your Family Law matter, property, legal issues, and your life, are in good hands. For an experienced Family Law attorney in Indianapolis or Fishers, Indiana, call the Zentz Law legal team to represent you whether it be divorce or separation. Our Indianapolis Divorce Lawyers have helped clients in Fishers for years. You can depend on our legal services and representation for your Indianapolis Family Law case.

Our Family Law attorneys proudly serve clients throughout Indiana, including Fishers and Indianapolis to get them the settlement they deserve.

Our Fishers Family Law attorneys specialize in representation for clients with divorce, child custody, and related practice areas in Family Law in Fishers and Indianapolis, such as:

On top of handling Family Law cases, our Family Law team offers clients very focused representation for criminal defense cases, division of property, personal injury, and estate planning.

You can get started with your Indiana divorce case today by calling our law office at 317-220-6056 to speak with a Family Law attorney or contacting us online here.

Paternity Rights and Establishing Paternity in Fishers

Establishing paternity is necessary for proving a child’s father has legal rights. Without this, a father has no rights to his child.

A mother may have an interest in establishing paternity so that the father has legal obligations such as paying child support. The alleged father isn’t responsible for child support payments until paternity is established.

You can establish paternity in a few different ways:

If a father is married to a mother at the time of the birth, no additional steps need to be taken to establish paternity. Instead, the husband is assumed to be the father. This is also the case if the father was married to the mother within 300 days before the birth.

In the event the mother and father are unmarried, they can fill out an affidavit in court that establishes the identity of the child’s father. The affidavit can be filed at the child’s birth or any time before they turn 18.

These affidavits are complex, and filing correctly is essential for establishing parentage. For that reason, you may want a Family Lawyer to assist you through the process, even if there’s no contention.

Sadly, parties are not always in agreement over the paternity of their children. The mother may claim that someone else is the father, or the father may deny being the father to avoid responsibility.

In these situations, parties can establish the father through a court order. Both parties have two years after the child’s birth to seek a court order to establish parentage.

For example, a Fishers, Indiana mother may file a paternity action if the child’s father claims that he is not the parent. On the other hand, a man might file action if he thinks he’s the father while the mother denies it. Further, a minor could file a court action with a Family Law attorney to establish paternity. If there’s contention over the identity of the father, a party may ask for the family court judge to order genetic testing.

Once the father is determined or the mother and father complete an affidavit, the father may gain the right to visitation. Whether or not they have custody will depend on either a parenting plan or court order.

With plans, the father and mother agree to the division of custody as well as parental obligations. If they cannot reach an agreed plan, they’ll need an experienced Family Law attorney in family court.

Indiana courts often arrange joint custody resolutions, but the mother and father don’t always get equal custody.

These courts utilize Indiana Code 31-17-2-8.

Considerations that will be taken into account as outlined in the legal code include:

The age and sex of the child.
The wishes of the child’s parents.
The wishes of the child, with more consideration given to the child’s wishes if the child is at least fourteen (14) years of age.
The interaction and interrelationship of the child with:
1. The child’s parents or parents.
2. The child’s sibling.
3. Any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interests.
The child’s adjustment to the child’s:
1. Home
2. School
3. Community
The mental and physical health of all individuals involved.
Evidence of a pattern of domestic or family violence by either parent.

Indiana Code 31-17-2-8 may be used to determine that it’s not in the child’s best interests to grant joint custody. In the event sole custody is granted to one of the parties, the other parent may receive visitation rights.

If you’re struggling to settle Family Law issues involving child support money, it’s important to hire a Divorce or Family Law lawyer. These lawyers specialize in helping clients resolve co-parent disputes.

Adoption: Process and Legal Requirements in Indianapolis

Adoption is frequently an arduous and frustrating process. For that reason, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) recommends having a Family Law lawyer represent you during your adoption case.

To receive approval for adoption, you’ll need to pass a criminal background check and undergo 16 hours of adoptive parent training. You’ll also need to go through a Family Preparation Assessment, also called a Home Study. These assessments are conducted by DCS or Licensed Child Placing Agencies (LCPAs) contracted by Hamilton County.

Another adoption requirement is receiving consent from the child’s mother if she is living. You may also need to get consent from the child’s father if they are alive and have established paternity. Without parental consent, you can only adopt if a court order severed the established relationship.

You’ll need a Family Law lawyer at this stage of the adoption process. Your Family Law attorney will contact DCS to see if the adoption has been approved. Once again, adoption may be available if the mother and father are no longer living or if a decree ends the parent-child relationship.

Next, your experienced Family Law attorney will file an adoption petition, and you’ll need to pay filing fees. Those living in Fishers, Indiana need to file in Hamilton County unless the child resides elsewhere. You’ll file where the child lives or where the custodial DCS or LCPA is located.

Post-Divorce Co-Parenting Tips for Healthy Relationships

Divorce is often incredibly emotionally challenging, and it can create a great deal of stress in your family. The dissolution of a marriage is all the more difficult and tense if you and your ex-spouse have children together. Dividing property and assets is already difficult enough, but with children, you must reach an agreeable settlement splitting parenting time, or you must follow visitation rulings imposed by the judge.

Despite how you may feel about your ex during this difficult time of the divorce, it’s important to maintain a positive co-parenting relationship with them if you share custody.

Here are some key tips for co-parenting your children after divorce:

Indiana Parenting Time Guidelines: The Indiana Time Guidelines provide recommendations for raising children with a co-parent. It includes guidance for scheduling as well as a list of children’s basic needs.

Consistent Communication: Co-parenting is an ongoing duty until adulthood. It’s critical to be able to regularly talk to your ex about what’s best for your child as well as any concerns.

Create Consistent Rules/Routines: You should coordinate with your co-parent to establish a consistent routine regardless of who has parenting time. It’s also critical to have consistent rules that both of you enforce.

Address Your Child’s Needs: It’s essential to focus on your child’s unique needs after divorce as you create a plan and routine.
Get Professional Guidance: Consider taking a co-parenting class. This can help you improve your ability to resolve disagreements and coordinate raising your kids. You can also work with a counselor or experienced Family Law attorney in Fishers for mediation.

Contact a Family Law Attorney in Fishers, IN

Family Law cases are emotionally demanding and sometimes overwhelming, but you don’t need to go through this process alone. Our lawyers can help you through this journey.

If you have Family Law issues in Indianapolis or Fishers, Indiana, call the law firm practice of Zentz Law attorneys to get representation. Our committed, involved, and experienced Indianapolis Family Law attorneys are ready to take on your case, help you through mediation, and get your life back on track.

Each lawyer in our law office in Fishers is focused on helping clients and providing representation with dignity to clients throughout Indianapolis. Whether your case is contested or not, our practice is dedicated to addressing our clients’ concerns and protecting their interests with the care and attention you deserve.

Call our law firm practice in Fishers today at 317-220-6056 to speak with a Family Law Lawyer about divorce law or fill out our form.