Nevada uses the Percentage of Income Formula to calculate child support obligation as a percentage of the income of the non-custodial parent who is obligated to support the child. This method simply applies a percentage to the income of the parent according to the number of children requiring support. State guidelines used to determine the appropriate child support amount will be applied to any case in which the parents can not agree on a reasonable amount. When applying the guidelines, the court of jurisdiction will consider many factors to determine whether or not it is appropriate to deviate from the amount proposed by the use of their guideline worksheet. The court will consider the following factors when adjusting the amount of child support:

• The cost of health insurance
• The cost of child care
• Any special educational needs of the child
• The age of the child
• The responsibility of the parents for the support of others
• The value of services contributed by either parent
• Any public assistance paid to support the child
• Any expenses reasonably related to the mother’s pregnancy and confinement
• The cost of transportation of the child to and from visitation if the custodial parent moved with the child from the jurisdiction of the court which ordered the support, and the noncustodial parent remained
• The amount of time the child spends with each parent
• Any other necessary expenses for the benefit of the child
  • The relative income of both parents

Determining child support in Nevada can be very complicated and includes many legalities usually left to the professionals who understand the system. If you are facing a divorce in a place like Las Vegas, Nevada, you might want to contact us today and we will help you find the divorce attorney who understands family law practice, and he or she can help answer any legal questions you may have about child custody or child support.

Pennsylvania does not permit jury trials for divorce cases, but they do allow the court to hear Fault divorce. If you have gone to trial for a divorce, you are certainly in what divorce attorneys call a contested case or Fault-divorce. Contested cases can be very nasty ordeals for all concerned, including the divorce lawyers. Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, and other cities in the state of  Pennsylvania, are located smack dab in the center of what many refer to as a conservative area of our nation. In a divorce trial, not only do you experience the humiliation of exposing the reasons for a failed marriage to the public, a stigma is often attached to the participants who may endure a lifetime of shame for their failure to live up to societal expectations.

Whether some Pennsylvania society is right or wrong in the judgmental way they approach divorce, or whether or not your humiliation is self illusion, before entering a contested marital divorce, you may want to ask yourself a couple of simple questions. First of all, is there any way for reconciliation between you and your spouse?  With over12 million people living in Pennsylvania, over 99 percent consider themselves as associated with some type of religion, and over 94 percent of those church-ed consider themselves as Christian. With strong similar values, work ethics, and community minded service of Pennsylvania Christians, there should be no wonder the legal system in the state has been influenced by this group when it comes to the marriage institution. Pennsylvanians value hard work and commitment, traits shared by the tenets of the Christian faith, but in 2004, for every 1000 people, three marriages ended in divorce. The divorce rate did not seem to change regardless of religious or non-religious affiliations. The important thing to note about these statistics is the fact most all Pennsylvanians value hard work and commitment, two traits essential in making a marriage contract work. Therefore, since Pennsylvanians across the board share these essentials in marital values, doesn’t it stand to reason that if at all possible, you should first try to reconcile before acquiescing to divorce?

Secondly, if your answer to the first question is honestly “no,” then you may want to ask yourself, is there any way you can get out of a bad marriage without a lot of public fervor? Obviously, there are reasons some people should not stay married, the threat of imminent harm being chief amongst them. So, if you have come to the place where you have decided there is no other alternative to divorce, there are two ways you can get a divorce in Pennsylvania- Fault (Contested) or No-Fault (Uncontested or Non-Contested). The No-Fault process can be as simple as filling out a Complaint For Divorce and Marital Settlement Agreement, legal documents easily obtained, and filing them with the proper District Court of jurisdiction to hear the cause. Pennsylvania permits No-Fault divorce when the two spouses have mutual consent, and when the marriage is considered irretrievably broken.  Providing you and your spouse can amiably agree on the terms of the divorce about your finances, assets, and children, the process is relatively simple and inexpensive. In the event you are divorcing because your spouse has put you at imminent harm, a No-Fault divorce is probably not practical, but if there are other reasons you seek a dissolution of marriage, doesn’t it stand to reason, you should try and obtain a No-Fault divorce?

There are many reasons two people who have been married a while may not be able to amiably and maturely come to terms involving finances, assets, and children. In the event this happens, and it often does, there exists a real possibility for a contested divorce. When it does happen, you can present your case before a judge. If you select a Fault divorce, it may be wise to be legally represented. In addition to the No-Fault reasons for divorce, Pennsylvania permits Fault divorce on grounds of: committing willful and malicious desertion, and absence from the habitation of the injured and innocent spouse, without a reasonable cause, for the period of one or more years; committing adultery; by cruel and barbarous treatment, endangering the life or health of the injured and innocent spouse; knowingly entering into a bigamous marriage while a former marriage is still subsisting; having been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of two or more years upon conviction of having committed a crime; and offfering such indignities to the innocent and injured spouse as to render that spouse’s condition intolerable and life burdensome. One of these issues have to be stated in the Complaint for Divorce as the reason the petitioner is wanting to end the marriage. Many times, these stated reasons for divorce are value based, and in a state where the results of a divorce are public record, the participants are open to public scrutiny and sometimes ridicule. Therefore, in a contested trial, the legal outcome is of utmost importance, and you may want to consider consulting with a divorce attorney.

Regardless of the decision concerning divorce you may have to make, there are divorce lawyers in Pennsylvania who can help you when it comes to divorce law. So, if you are considering a divorce, please contact us and we will help you find the divorce attorney in your area that is more than willing to help you make the legal decisions that are right for you.

Larsa was a very beautiful  maiden when she was young, desired by many rich and eligible bachelors,  but none so striking as Shamsi Elam, the young, gallant, handsome, and very rich businessman dealing in the finest wines of the Middle East. When the two met, it was love at first sight.

Shamsi quickly and quietly beat his competitors to the punch by offering the largest bride price and arranging a marriage to Larsa through her father, a wealthy merchant in his own right. Larsa brought to the marriage a very healthy dowry, bragged about within the circles of the Kish’s elite, the city where she grew up. After an elaborate marriage ceremony, Larsa settled into the role of being a devoted wife.

Children soon came to the Elam household and excitement filled the air. After two daughters and finally a son, Shamsi enjoyed the knowledge there was an heir to his accomplishments in life. As time wore on, though, the rigors of raising children took its toll on Larsa.  Once the most beautiful belle of Kish, Larsa now sagged in not only her breasts but her face also. In her late twenties, she looked much older. Shamsi found more and more reasons to be gone longer on his business trips seeking new wines throughout the Middle East. Larsa’s nights began to be characterized by loneliness, and her days were dominated by hard work and the demands of her children. The once beautiful girl had become most unhappy.

After an extended business trip, Shamsi came home one day with a great revelation, he had once again found new love. Revealing a very young and beautiful maiden to his family, he quickly announced he wanted a divorce from Larsa. The laws in Babylon under King Hammurabi were clear. Although a marriage consisted of only one man and one woman, a man could repudiate the marriage before a Babylonian Court after paying the Court a solatium of half a mina. The woman could be put to death under Babylonian law for repudiating her husband.

Larsa had no recourse but to accept the repudiation, and the only good news was that since she had given Shamsi children, the Hammarabi code would be kind to her. Shamsi was required by law to return to Larsa her dowry in full, give her custody of the children with no possibility of disinheritance, provide her spousal support and the children with child support for the rest of their lives befitting their lifestyle, and Larsa would have a share of Shamsi’s property with her children at his death. The children would share equally in inheritance of Shamsi’s property if he had children by his new wife. Larsa would not be allowed to be married again until Shamsi’s death. It was good news for Shamsi and his new wife that Larsa didn’t take matters into her own hands.

These events could have happened in Babylon more than four thousand years ago. Do they sound like they could have happened in Akron, Ohio today? After all, in the state of Ohio, the only reason required for divorce by either party is incompatibility. Isn’t that basically what Shamsi decided about his own marriage? You be the judge!

If you are having troubles in your marriage and are not familiar with our laws today, please don’t take matters into your own hands. Contact us right now at and we will put you in touch with a divorce attorney who can provide you with legal counsel on the current laws of divorce.

The traditional, Christian, wedding, and ceremonial vows go something like this: “Do you take this person to be your husband or wife to live together after God’s ordinance – in the holy state of matrimony? Will you love him or her, comfort him or her, honor and keep him or her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him or her your heart’s deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him or her as long as you both shall live?”

In our modern day, these traditional vows have been often modified to fit the nature and personalities of the participants, but in some conservative areas of our country, these vows are still a time honored tradition. The tradition grew out of a Judeo-Christian influence through Christian churches that hold to both Old and New Testament biblical teachings. That the words “God’s ordinance” are used in the traditional ceremony is not by accident.

Most Christians view marriage as a Holy sacrament that is ordained by God himself. An ordinance is a law, by definition, so, many Christian groups view this ordinance as a covenant or contract before God between two consenting adults. Since 84 percent of the United States population considers themselves to be affiliated with Christianity in some way, it is very probable you are familiar with this traditional concept on marriage, and you may even know someone who used similar vows in their wedding ceremony.

Our current laws on the legality of marriage has certainly been influenced by Judeo-Christian values throughout the United States. Fault divorce is what has come out of such a background. No-fault divorce in the United States did not come about until California passed their law on January 1, 1970.  A No-fault divorce is the dissolution of a marriage requiring neither a showing of wrong-doing of either party nor any evidentiary proceedings at all. Since the first No-fault law passed in California, all the states except New York has passed some type of No-fault statute. Although a No-fault divorce is readily available in most states today, Fault divorces are still a common occurrence simply because the two parties cannot always agree on how their property and children are to be divided when the divorce is final. Therefore, they often point fingers at one another to find fault.

When a Fault divorce occurs, the two opposing spouses are required to go to court before a judge or a jury. There are still eleven states that allow divorces to go to jury under certain circumstances.Only Texas, today, allows a jury to decide the fate of all the ramifications of divorce including the custody of children.

In places like Jacksonville and in other cities around Florida, the reason for a Fault divorce has to be stated on the legal document entitled Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, and then filed in the local court of jurisdiction. The appropriate lawful ground will be that which the parties agree upon and can substantiate, or that which the filing spouse desires to prove to the court. The dissolution of marriage grounds are that the marriage is irretrievably broken, or the mental incapacity of one of the parties. However, no dissolution shall be allowed unless the party alleged to be incapacitated shall have been adjudged incapacitated according to the provisions of S. 744.331 for a preceding period of at least 3 years.

Before No-fault divorces were so common, our nation relied on our Judeo-Christian roots to understand what we considered to be acceptable reasons for divorce, but today, with so much diversity within our borders, marriage has become a battleground for the separation of church and state. Our roots has taught us that marriage is a covenant contract that should be legally binding, and our existing laws reflect what our roots have taught us. Therefore, we perceive the marriage ceremony, regardless of who officiates over it, as a legal binding contract between two consenting adults, and it takes a legal action to undo what has been legally done. Likewise, there should be no wonder why Fault divorce reasons in our laws also reflect our roots, whether they are religious or secular.

Maybe you and your spouse have come to that place where you think things have gotten a lot worse than you could have possibly imagined, you think there is reason enough to divorce, and you cannot agree on how to go about ending your marriage in a friendly and No-fault way. If this is the case, you both are probably going to need legal advice. Contact us right now, and we will help you find a divorce lawyer in your area that can provide you with the legal help you are seeking.

Is there really any such thing as a friendly divorce? Actually, the good news is there can be. Ohio is a No-Fault Divorce state. That means, regardless of whether you live in a place like Cleveland or any other city within Ohio, you can readily and quickly obtain a divorce without a lot of legal complications, that is, if you and your spouse can agree to terms in a friendly manner.

It is important to note that a history of domestic violence in a relationship may very well hinder any attempt at a  friendly divorce and may even exacerbate the problem, so, if the history exists, it is not recommended by this author you try a No-Fault Divorce without legal counsel.

Once the shock, hurt, and anger have subsided from the initial realization your marriage is over, the time may be right for you and your spouse to seriously look at a No-Fault Divorce. If both parties are mature and reasonable, there is no reason for anything unfriendly to occur, but what both will have to do to accomplish a goal of a friendly divorce is first to forget the reason you are getting a divorce. In this case, the reason for getting the divorce is what one or both of you might think is what caused the divorce.

If the differences are irreconcilable, the reasons only become stumbling blocks to a friendly solution. Therefore, it is impervious that both parties are willing to move on with their lives looking forward to a new life, and they need to stay away from unproductive accusations about why the marriage failed and whose fault it was. If you can both get by this fact, you stand a reasonable chance of successfully obtaining a friendly divorce.

When both of you resolve to avoid accusations, then, it is time to meet in order to discuss the details of the marriage dissolution. There are basically three subjects you will need to discuss in detail in order to dissolve the marriage in a friendly manner, so, staying on subject is very important. The three subjects you need to discuss include your community finances, assets and children. Since each of these are complicated subjects within their own rights, it would probably be wise to resolve the issues associated with each subject one at at time. If you can come to a friendly agreement on these three subjects, the rest of a No-Fault and friendly divorce includes placing the information you have gathered together on state documents, the primary document entitled a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage, signing the documents, and filing them with your local Court of  Common Pleas in Cuyahoga County. Once filed, Ohio does not have a waiting or ‘cooling off’ period, so, when the Court issues a Decree of Divorce, the divorce is final.

A No-Fault or friendly divorce is not for everyone. Sometimes, two people can not get by their shock, hurt, or anger, and sometimes they just can’t agree on the dissolution of their finances, assets, or the custody of their children.  When this happens, it may be time for you to consider getting a professional counselor to help untangle the legal complications you may face. Contact us and we will help you find a divorce attorney who can answer any legal questions you may have in your situation.

When minor children are involved in a divorce, the Ohio courts will do everything possible to help lessen the emotional trauma the children may be experiencing. In determining the best interest of a child, the court will consider all relevant factors, including:

• The wishes of the child’s parents regarding the child’s care;
• The child’s wishes and concerns as to the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities concerning the child;
• The child’s interaction and interrelationship with the child’s parents, siblings, and any other person who may significantly affect the child’s best interest;
• The child’s adjustment to the child’s home, school, and community;
• The mental and physical health of all persons involved in the situation;
• The parent more likely to honor and facilitate court-approved parenting time rights or visitation and companionship rights;
• Whether either parent has failed to make all child support payments;
• Whether either parent previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to any criminal offense involving any act that resulted in a child being an abused child or a neglected child;
• Whether the residential parent or one of the parents subject to a shared parenting decree has continuously and willfully denied the other parent’s right to parenting time in accordance with an order of the court; and
• Whether either parent has established a residence, or is planning to establish a residence, outside this state.

Whether you are in  Youngstown, Warren, or some other city in the Ohio, going to a Child Custody Court can be a very intimidating experience the first time when you don’t know what to expect. It does not have to be that way. Following these five simple suggestions can save you a lot of stress and worry in the long run:

1. Be prepared to go to court. Courts are institutions that try to operate on factual information. Take copies of proof of income such as an IRS tax statement or a pay roll stub. Also, make sure you take a copy of any health insurance premiums you pay on you children.
2. Appearance in any Court is very important, especially first time appearances. The Judge may not know you, and he or she has only your appearance to start sizing your parental abilities, so, appear to be worthy of what you will ask of the Court. Lean toward being clean and professional rather than flashy and uncouth. If you do not appear to take an interest in your own hygiene, the Judge may get the impression you won’t take interest in the hygiene of your children either.
3. Be on time to your court appearance. Leave your home in plenty of time to reach the Court destination and remember to allow for the screening process at the front door. Your case will most likely not be the only case on the docket, so, being late will make everyone else late. Your being late will make a lasting impression on the Judge, but it will most likely not be a good one.
4. Unless the Judge orders it, do not take your children to Court. Although the Court proceedings are about them, small children do not need to hear what goes on in the proceedings, it is not their business. If the experience can be intimidating for adults, think of how scary it might be for the children. The process is sometime long, and children demand time from you that you will not have during the Court proceedings. So, make arrangements for your children to be attended to in some other place than the Court proceedings.
5. Go to Court with a positive attitude. In most all Custody Courts across the United States, the courts have a vested interest in helping you solve a  most difficult situation. They want to do what is best for both parents and children. Going to Court with a negative disposition will leave a lasting impression of the wrong kind and will not help you get what you want. Your child and you both deserve to come out of the process with a bright future, so, be positive, courteous, and respectful. The Court will most likely respond in like kind.

Whether or not you are represented by counsel in your Court appearance, applying these five simple suggestions will go a long way into helping you relieve the stress and worry over your situation. Sometimes you can handle these problems on your own, but sometimes, it is best to have supportive counsel in the form of a divorce Lawyer who specializes in child custody cases. He or she will give you the legal knowledge required to provide the confidence you will need to have a positive attitude for your Court appearance. If you feel you need this kind of help, contact us and we will help you locate the right divorce Attorney in your area for you.