Frequently Asked Questions And My Answers To Them
At Portland A. Schnitzius, Attorney at Law, in Fishers, I receive many questions from prospective clients. My name is Portland Schnitzius, and I am a family law attorney with over 30 years of experience serving Hamilton County. Please read below to help you answer some of the questions you may have about your situation.
How much does a divorce attorney cost?
At your initial consultation, I will assess the complexity of your case and set the amount of the retainer. A retainer is a deposit against future legal work. I offer flexible options for retainers, including payment plans and layaway.
What are the various types of adoptions?
There are four different types of adoptions.
- Agency sponsored adoption
- Stepparent adoption
- Grandparent adoption
- State-sponsored adoption
Courts require parties seeking to adopt to hire counsel. Only in other types of family matters can you typically represent yourself.
How do these types of adoptions differ from one another?
In an agency sponsored adoption, the agency matches the prospective adoptive couple with the biological mother and baby. The agency will typically perform a home study. In a stepparent adoption, the child is being adopted by a stepparent with the consent of the biological parents. A stepparent adoption may also be appropriate if one of the biological parents passes away. A grandparent adoption comes about due to the death of the parents or placement by the Indiana Department of Child Services in a termination of parental rights case. In the event that a child is placed with a family and the permanency plan becomes adoption, I will work with the Indiana Department of Child Services to finalize the adoption. This is what is considered a state-sponsored adoption.
Do I have to go to court for my divorce?
Not necessarily. Only a small percentage of Indiana divorces are finalized in a courtroom. Terms of a divorce can be settled between the parties themselves and their attorneys or through mediation or a combination of these methods.
How does Indiana determine child support?
Courts determine child support by calculating each party’s gross weekly income, the amount paid for the child’s health insurance on a weekly basis, day care expenses and the amount of overnights spent with each parent. Judges still have discretion, so you should have a support and custody lawyer to advocate for your rights.
Ask Me More Questions In Person
These are probably only a few answers you need. To get more information, please set up an initial consultation at my law office in the Indianapolis metro area. Call 317-953-2995 or send me an email to begin.