Temporary Child Support Awards

Many states provide for temporary awards of child support, pending a full evidentiary hearing after the parties have had a chance to obtain necessary information to establish the income of each parent and expenses of the child or children. Temporary support may be ordered in some situations before there is a paternity adjudication.

Child Support Arrearages

The federal government provides financial assistance to states to collect local and interstate child support obligations. States have enacted a wide variety of methods to collect child support from those who are obligated to pay and fail or refuse to do so.

Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act

Under the Federal Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act, the home state of a child has jurisdiction to establish custody and visitation of the child. That state court continues to have jurisdiction over custody issues, and all other state courts are required to give full faith and credit to the court orders of the home state.

Joint Legal Custody Awards

"Joint legal custody" means that both parents share the right and the responsibility to make the decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of a child.

Child Custody Modification Agreements

Whether the issues of custody and visitation were agreed upon by the parents or determined by a court after a custody hearing, the parents may later agree to modify the court order as to who has legal custody, who has physical custody, who has rights of visitations, and the terms and periods of custody and visitation.