An attorney who represents Thomas Beatie, a transgender man in Arizona who gave birth to three of his children after changing his sex from female to male, has been denied a divorce. The Arizona judge said that state laws do not recognize same-sex marriage and that he is not allowed to grant a same-sex divorce…. Continue Reading
Category Archives: Medical Issues
Subscribe to Medical Issues RSS FeedNew Prenatal Paternity Test Could Lead To Legal Changes
Posted in Child Support, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Paternity, TechnologyThe issue of paternity is an important one. Not only does it matter emotionally, but it is also an incredibly important legal (and financial) issue that impacts significant rights and obligations. In cases where paternity is not definitively known, determining who the father is as quickly as possible can be crucially important. Until recently those… Continue Reading
Indiana Man Required to Support Artificially Conceived Children
Posted in Child Support, Children, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Paternity, Relationships, TechnologyAccording to a court in Indiana, one man going through a recent divorce must pay child support for his son and daughter even though they were conceived via artificial insemination from another man’s sperm. The Indiana Court of Appeals rejected the man’s argument that he should not have to pay child support given that his… Continue Reading
Disabilities and Discrimination in Child Custody Hearings
Posted in Child Custody, Children, D.S.S. Issues, Medical IssuesFor many parents in South Carolina, obtaining child custody can feel like an uphill battle. For example, men often feel like they have to fight harder to get equal time with their children than their former wives do. As much as we all would like to believe that discrimination does not exist in family law,… Continue Reading
Custody Fight Revolves Around Whether Woman is the Mother or Merely a Surrogate
Posted in Child Custody, Child Support, Children, Communication, Medical Issues, Paternity, Relationships, VisitationAs many people realize, whether you are part of a traditional marriage, in a same-sex relationship, or a single person who has always wanted a child, there are now many more options than there used to be for raising children. One option that has been utilized by those who have had trouble conceiving is in… Continue Reading
Stroke in Men Linked to Parents’ Divorce
Posted in Children, Divorce, Educational Resources, Medical Issues, SafetyEveryone knows that certain stressors make humans more susceptible to various medical problems. Stress-related conditions are usually preventable, but this depends on those affected knowing that there is a link between their stress and possible future harm. In that theme, researchers recently announced that they have discovered an association, though not a causal link, between… Continue Reading
Study Examines Impact of Divorce on Drinking
Posted in Divorce, Educational Resources, Marriage, Medical Issues, SeparationA recent article on ABCNews.com discussed a study which sought to examine alcohol’s role before and after marriage. The study, presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Sociological Association, looked at 5,300 people over a ten-year period and contained some surprising results. Lead researcher Corinne Reczek, assistant professor in sociology at the University of… Continue Reading
Drug Testing and Nasty Child Custody Disputes in South Carolina
Posted in Child Custody, Children, Jurisdiction, Medical Issues, Procedure, Psychological Issues, Research & InvestigationRecently, a family law expert, Henry Gornbein, wrote an editorial for the Huffington Post dealing with the effect of medical marijuana laws on custody disputes. The article concluded with a discussion about how even in states where medical marijuana is legal, a spouse possessing a valid medical marijuana card should still refrain from partaking while… Continue Reading
How to Handle Life Insurance During a South Carolina Divorce
Posted in Alimony, Assets and Debts, Child Support, Divorce, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Practice Tips, SeparationNegotiating a divorce settlement can be stressful, especially when tension is high and your spouse insists on contesting every last detail. One thing that often is last on people’s priority list, but which should not be overlooked, is life insurance. Insurance policies are standard parts of settlement agreements. The spouse who pays alimony or child support… Continue Reading
Legal Separation in South Carolina
Posted in Alimony, Assets and Debts, Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce, Financial Issues, Medical Issues, Separation, VisitationSomething many South Carolinians may not realize is that our state does not recognize a “legal separation.” Here, a couple is either married or not married. South Carolina does however have a very similar action known as a “Decree of Separate Maintenance and Support” which (despite the longer name) functions much the same way that… Continue Reading
The Effects of Divorce on Elder Care in South Carolina
Posted in Assets and Debts, Children, Divorce, Financial Issues, Marriage, Medical Issues, Relationships, SeparationA reality that many families are only beginning to face is the effect that divorce can have later in life on caregiving, especially for adult children and step-children. Taking care of older parents is hard enough; the only thing harder is having multiple sets of parents to watch after. This difficulty is compounded by the… Continue Reading
Court in Pennsylvania Awards Wife Custody of Frozen Embryos
Posted in Child Custody, Children, Medical Issues, Paternity, Relationships, SeparationAccording to a recent story on Philly.com, one Pennsylvania woman was recently made happy by winning custody over the frozen, fertilized eggs her ex-husband wanted to see destroyed. The recent decision by a Pennsylvania appeals court that upheld a lower court’ ruling in a Chester County divorce case. In the case a three-judge Superior Court panel said… Continue Reading
Autism and Divorce: The Hidden Cost of a Diagnosis
Posted in Children, Divorce, Medical Issues, Psychological Issues, Research & Investigation, SeparationAs a recent study showed that the prevalence of autism continues to increase, the question of how a diagnosis can affect a family and a marriage becomes even more important. The unique challenges faced by parents of children with autism can’t be ignored. One study published by Hartley et al. showed that parents who had… Continue Reading
Should Parents of Obese Children Lose Custody?
Posted in Child Custody, D.S.S. Issues, Medical IssuesChildhood obesity can lead to a host of health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, hypertension, high cholesterol, sleep apnea and orthopedic problems. Experts have begun to debate whether removing morbidly obese children from their parents will boost those children’s chances for a healthier life. Other experts say that parents’ share of responsibility in… Continue Reading
Importance of Parents Exchanging Healthcare Information About Their Children
Posted in Children, Medical IssuesIn child custody cases, each party’s parenting skills are frequently a key issue. One particularly important area in which this can be seen is with regard to the children’s medical care and health issues. For instance, parents can (and often do) argue over whether a child was taken to the doctor too much, too little, or… Continue Reading
Hair Strand Drug Tests
Posted in Medical IssuesAs you probably know, Britney Spears shaved her head this past week. Observers speculate that one reason she may have done so is to attempt to avoid a hair strand drug test in her ongoing custody case with her estranged husband, Kevin Federline. I mention this not because I plan to start covering celebrity breakdowns… Continue Reading