While some private adoption agencies charge for the approval process, training and evaluation, the states social services foster and adoption services are free. In some cases, a fee may be required for a physical evaluation. Regardless of agency, according to adopt.ky.gov, In Kentucky, "there are 8,084 children in out of home care with an average [...]
Guardianship is a legal process used to protect individuals who are unable to care for their own well-being due to infancy, incapacity or disability. When the Ward, or person that requires a legal guardian to care for them, is in need of special protection, the court will appoint a legal guardian to take care of [...]
in the United States, and most of the Western Civilization, more than 90 percent of people marry. Healthy marriages are good for couples’ mental and physical health and also good for children. Growing up in a happy home decreases the likelihood of mental, physical, educational and social problems. Unfortunately, about 40 to 50 percent of married [...]
Adoption affects the child, the birth parents and the adoptive families. It has become a blessing for thousands of families each year. More and more, women are choosing adoption. They understand the benefits of adoption and want what is best for their child. Because of open adoption, relationships can be ongoing between these women and [...]
Here are some adoptions statistics: 62 percent of children adopted privately are placed with the adoptive family when they are newborns or less than one year old. 100 % of all birth mothers have the right to choose the amount of openness they want in their child’s life. 21 percent of private adoptions are transracial. [...]
I get asked all the time what family court is like? Does it feel like a criminal court? Can I plead the fifth? Guilty or not guilty? Family court in Kentucky is different than other courts and uses a case management system. It’s focused on one family, one judge, and one court. According to Ky.gov, [...]
I recently heard a story about a divorced couple with two children. The former spouses adopted the state guidelines for their divorce which stated the mother retained full custody while the father had every other weekend, one evening on opposite weeks, and a full week a year for vacation. For a short time, everybody followed [...]
Today, more than any other time I know of, couples are doing more DIY dissolutions and divorces. Nothing wrong with that – until something goes wrong. I think it’s great when couples can agree to disagree and separate and move on with their lives. Unfortunately, a lot of DIY sites don’t make it as easy [...]
I think Estate Planning is often one of the most overlooked necessities. We always seem to come up with higher priority items like college savings plans, retirement plans, what kind of coffee to get on the way to work. Well, it's important. That's why I am sharing a great resource from the folks over at [...]
I was recently asked about common law marriage in Kentucky, specifically about what it takes to get a divorce. If you asked almost anybody, they would say that people are considered married if they live in the same household for a certain number of years. In Kentucky, that just isn’t the case. Common law marriage [...]
