Melissa Heinig
Attorney · Cooley Law School
Failing to Pick Up Your Child After an Activity
Children are more involved in activities now than in the past. Besides being active in school, a child may be involved in multiple sports, different camps, and after-school clubs. But what happens when parents drop the ball and fail to pick up the child on-time? ... READ MORE
Dealing With Child Services
Whether you're a free-range or helicopter parent, the law allows you to raise your children how you desire. But, what happens when preying eyes or nosy neighbors disagree with your methods and ask child services to step in and investigate? It's never easy when someone questions your parenting ability, but with the right information, you can get through an investigation with ease. ... READ MORE
What Are the Rights of an Adopted Person?
Most adoption cases focus primarily on what's best for the child, but not necessarily the child's rights. Continue reading to learn more about adoptee rights. ... READ MORE
Rights of Birth Parents and Grandparents After Adoption
Adoption is never an easy choice. Whether you're choosing to place your child for adoption, or a court is threatening to terminate your parental rights due to abuse or neglect, you should know your legal rights. As a biological parent, do you have rights after an adoption? Continue reading to learn more. ... READ MORE
Child Support, Social Security, and Workers' Compensation
If you're going through a divorce or a breakup, and you have children, you should expect that along with child custody and visitation issues, you're going to need to work with your ex and the court to deal with child support payments. Do you know what the court considers to be income for purposes of child support calculations? ... READ MORE
Child Support, Gifts, Inheritances, and Trust Funds
Child support becomes necessary during divorce, or when unmarried parents end a relationship. In order to determine the appropriate amount of support, courts will consider your income. Continue reading to find out whether income also includes gifts, inheritances, or trust funds. ... READ MORE
Divorce: Modifying Child Support FAQs
Family law courts typically calculate child support by considering a number of factors, including the parents' incomes and how much time the child spends in each household. Although circumstances may change over time, they may not warrant a child support modification. Continue reading to learn more. ... READ MORE
Effect of Trust Funds on Child Support
After a divorce or separation, both parents must continue to financially support their children, which means you may be responsible for making a monthly child support payment to your ex. It’s essential to understand what judges consider when setting a child support amount. Learn whether trust funds will impact your child support obligation or award. ... READ MORE
Grounds for Divorce: Incompatibility
Although one spouse’s affair or abusive behavior can often cause a divorce, that’s not always the case. Many marriages end because spouses feel they simply aren’t compatible anymore. Is that enough of a reason for the court to grant you a divorce? ... READ MORE
College Expense Obligations for Noncustodial Parents
There’s no question that most career counselors today impress a need for higher education in our young people. But the question remains: who should pay for your child’s educational expenses after a divorce? ... READ MORE