Does A Stepdad Have A Shot At Gaining Child Custody?

Question: I have raised my stepdaughter since she was 5 years old. I have supported her financially for the last 10 years as her biological father has been out of the picture her entire life. Unfortunately, my wife has started drinking heavily and I don’t think our marriage is salvageable. …

Divorce Dilemma: How To Deal With Your Kids’ ‘New Dad’

By “Dad X” Divorce is not the end of your life, although it may feel that way at times. Life does go on and for some, it starts over rather quickly and love is once again found and your children suddenly are faced with a stepfather (or stepmother as some …

Vacating Adoption In Cases Of Abuse

Question: My children are adopted by my soon-to-be ex-wife and are afraid of her. She rarely has anything to do with them since she abandoned us last year and has been verbally and mentally abusive to all of us. Since she is not the biological mother, can we vacate the …

Knowing And Understanding Stepparents’ Rights

According to a recent report from the Pew Research Center, less than half of U.S. kids younger than 18 live in a “traditional family” household. Today, 15 percent of children are living with two parents who are in a remarriage. According to data from the 2013 Current Population Survey, six percent …

A Stepparent’s Rights To Stop Abuse If The Children Aren’t His

Question: I have a young daughter that is biologically mine and a stepson who I have reason to believe are being abused at their mother’s house. My ex and I have a mutual friend who wrote me that she has witnessed both physical and mental abuse of the children. How …

Stepparent Providing Children’s Health Insurance Coverage

Question: My ex-wife is ordered to maintain health insurance coverage for our children. She is now remarried and wants to put our children on her new husband’s insurance. Can a stepparent add children to his insurance? Would there be any repercussions involved if they are covered by his insurance that …

Can A Stepparent Block A Right of First Refusal Clause?

Question: Per our child custody agreements, I share joint legal custody with my ex-wife though she has primary physical child custody. She has been hospitalized for weeks about 3 hours from where I live. Her husband – my child’s stepfather – is refusing to let me come take my child …

Can Stepparents Be Awarded Custody Or Visitation Rights?

Question: What are the child custody laws pertaining to stepparent visitation rights? Is there a chance that a stepfather could receive visitation with his stepchild post-divorce? The child’s biological father is no longer in the picture and the stepfather is the only Dad he knows. Can child custody agreements be …

Is Allowing A Minor Child To Have Sex Reason To Modify Child Custody?

Question: I’m looking for advice on divorce to handle a delicate co-parenting situation. My ex-wife has primary child custody of her daughter, my stepdaughter. While living in her home, my ex-wife is allowing her daughter (who is a minor) to have sex in the house. I am not of the …

How To Handle Co-Parenting Issues

Question: I need some marriage separation advice on how to handle my children’s sleeping arrangements and if there is an issue of child neglect while my wife and I are going through our divorce. She is allowing my minor stepdaughter, who is 17, to spend the night in the same …