States differ on their procedures and policies pertaining to the adoption of an individual over the age of majority. In Indiana, for purposes of adoption, a person reaches the age of majority and is considered an “adult” at age eighteen. Adoption of an adult creates the same legal relationship with the adoptive parents as an adoption of a minor child. The individual’s birth certificate and name ...Read More ...
Family Law
Guardian ad Litem
In cases involving the welfare of a child, the Court may appoint a Guardian ad Litem to represent the best interest of the child. A Guardian ad Litem is a neutral third-party who is appointed to conduct an investigation and make findings on what is in the best interest of the child or children involved in the case. A Guardian ad Litem may be appointed in a variety of cases, including the ...Read More ...
Establishing Paternity
When a child is born and the mother is married, the law presumes that the husband is the father of the child and both parents will be on the child’s birth certificate. When a child is born to a mother who is not married, the parents will need to determine how the father will establish paternity of the child. Establishing paternity of a child is legally establishing a man as the father of the ...Read More ...
Guardianship Basics
Sometimes the need arises for a guardianship to be filed for the protection of an incapacitated adult or a minor child. A guardianship is a legal relationship granted by the court that provides the guardian with the ability to act on behalf of the protected person. A guardianship can be granted over the “person,” which is the ability to make decisions about the person’s day-to-day living and their ...Read More ...
Step-Parent Visitation
As more and more children are being raised in non-traditional family units, Courts are tasked with keeping up with the changing norms. Traditionally, only a parent (either biological or adoptive) could be awarded parenting time with a child. However, Courts now have the discretion to award visitation with a child to a party who is not their parent if they can prove the existence of a custodial and ...Read More ...
Obtaining a Name Change
There are several reasons why an individual may want to change their name or the name of their child. Sometimes, the law allows a person to change their name simply because an event has occurred, such as upon a marriage, divorce, or adoption. A person may wish to change their name for a reason unrelated to those events. Some people wish to take the last name of a step-parent who raised them but ...Read More ...
