Adopting a child can be a rewarding and fulfilling way to grow your family. Importantly, there are several ways you can adopt a child — you can adopt from foster care, pursue the domestic adoption path, or adopt from another country. If you are considering international adoption, it’s essential to understand what the requirements are for that particular country and what process entails.          What is International Adoption? International adoption, also known as intercountry adoption, refers to the legal process associated with adopting a child fr ..read more

Coping with divorce stress can be a challenge — but it’s important to find ways to manage your emotions while going through the legal process of ending your marriage. There will be many emotional challenges from the time you begin the divorce process until you receive your final judgment. By finding healthy ways to deal with divorce anxiety, you can help ensure you focus on the positive as you move forward into the next chapter of your life.      Here are several ways to manage stress and anxiety during divorce:  Acknowledge Your Feelings Divorce can come with a w ..read more

Child custody can be one of the most contentious issues in a divorce. Parents might face disputes regarding parenting styles, living arrangements, parenting time, and many other issues. While these situations can be emotionally difficult for both parents and children, there are a few things you can do to avoid conflict in custody matters.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind to help ensure an amicable co-parenting relationship:                           &n ..read more

Having a last will and testament in place ensures your property will be distributed in accordance with your wishes when you pass away. However, you might be wondering what happens to property when there is no will. In cases where a person did not leave behind a will or any estate planning documents, state law will dictate the outcome.                                             ..read more

A trust is a crucial estate planning tool that can help ensure your assets are protected and passed to a beneficiary of your choice. While creating a trust can help to avoid probate and ensure your property is distributed in accordance with your wishes, it’s important to understand that there are a number of steps that are associated with managing the trust and distributing the assets in it. Trust administration is the legal process by which the trust assets are distributed according to the instructions provided in the instrument.     What is a Trust? A trust is a legal too ..read more

Frequent communication between a parent and child can help ensure they build a strong and healthy bond. Significantly, texting is a way children can remain in regular contact with their parents — regardless of the relationship their parents have with each other. If you share parenting responsibilities with your ex after you’ve divorced or parted ways, you may be wondering, “can I text my child while they’re with my ex?”  Can I Text My Child While They’re with My Ex? When parents no longer live together, each will spend time away from their children. Unfortunately, divorce or separation of ..read more

If you’re considering divorce, mediation can make the legal process much more efficient and cost-effective. But while this form of alternative dispute resolution works in most cases, it may not be a viable option for certain situations — such as those involving domestic violence or hidden assets. It’s essential to carefully consider the pros and cons of divorce mediation to determine whether it is right for your case.  What is Divorce Mediation? Divorce mediation is an alternative to litigation that can allow you and your spouse to part ways amicably and respectfully. In contrast with lit ..read more

Adoption, guardianship, and custody are three concepts in family law that are often confused. However, they are three separate legal processes in Oregon that have very different legal effects on a parent-child relationship.  Adoption: allows a non-biological parent to become a child’s legal parent with all of the rights and obligations that are available to biological parents and is permanent.  Guardianship: allows a non-biological parent to make decisions about a child’s living situation and daily needs, including school and medical decisions, and can be terminated.  Custody: a ..read more

A guardian may be appointed by a court for a child in cases where the child’s parents are unable to meet their best interests or are unwilling to care for them. Unlike with adoption, when a guardianship is established, the legal parent’s rights typically are not terminated by the court. Nevertheless, it’s essential to understand that a guardian has the same responsibilities to the child that a parent would — and specific obligations to the court that must be upheld.  If you are considering petitioning for legal guardianship of a child, it’s vital to be aware of your responsibilities. Unde ..read more

Child custody can often be a difficult matter for parents to resolve, even when the parties are amicable. Parenting coordination is a type of alternative dispute resolution that can assist parents with developing an effective parenting plan that will meet their family’s needs — and the best interests of their children. Importantly, by working with a parenting coordinator to implement a parenting plan, parents can rest assured that they will have a child-centric plan in place that protects each parent’s relationship with the child.      What is Parenting Coordination? P ..read more