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.
Juvenile Litigation with Respect to Institutional Confinement Facilities
There are many juveniles that are confined to public and private institutions. Many of the institutions have deplorable conditions. Juveniles are often held in dingy cells or small, dark rooms and are confined for hours, days, or weeks. Often times juveniles are deprived of exercise, recreational activities and schooling. Sometimes juveniles are even supervised by untrained or inadequate staff as well.
Divorce and Wiretapping and other Interceptions of a Spouse's Electronic Communications
Divorce is a difficult time for both parties involved. States have different types of divorce and different requirements associated therewith. Some states have no-fault divorces and others have fault-based divorces. If the parties reside in a fault-based divorce state, information such as whether the opposing party was unfaithful, abused his wife, or engaged in other improper or illegal conduct may be admissible.
Postmarital Agreements
A postmarital agreement, or postnuptial agreement, is an agreement executed by a husband and wife after they are married.
International Adoption - Home Study
United States immigration laws require prospective parents to undergo a "home study" before they can adopt a child from a foreign country. A home study is an investigation into the prospective parents' fitness to raise an adopted child. A home study is conducted by an individual or agency that is licensed by the prospective parents' home state.
