Family Law Newsletters

Adoption and Safe Families Act - Permanency Plans and Hearings

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) requires states to conduct a permanency hearing within 12 months of a child's placement in foster care and at least every 12 months thereafter for as long as the child is in foster care. The date of the child's placement in foster care is the earlier of the following two dates: the date of the first judicial finding that the child is abused or neglected, or 60 days after the removal of the child from his or her home.

Adoption and Safe Families Act - Termination of Parental Rights

The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA) requires a state to file a petition to terminate a parent's parental rights to a child if:

International Adoption - Overview

The process of adopting a child from a foreign country is far more complicated than adopting a child who is a United States citizen. Prospective parents who wish to adopt a foreign child must comply with the laws of the child's home country, the laws of the United States, and the laws of the prospective parents' state of residence. Due to the legal complications inherent in international adoptions, persons who wish to adopt a foreign child should consult an experienced attorney or an adoption agency that specializes in international adoptions.

Paternity

Paternity simply means fatherhood. In a legal context, paternity is a legal acknowledgement that a man is the father of a child.

The Nursing Home Decision, Finding a Nursing Home, and the Cost

A nursing home is a facility that becomes a new home for an elderly person. The facility offers food, skilled nursing care, rehabilitation, medical services, personal services, and recreational activities.
The decision to place the elder person in a nursing home facility can be very taxing on the family members. The decision is even more difficult if the elder is reluctant to residing in a nursing home facility.