Reference Material and Informational Links
Family Law
Family Law
In general, once a Judgment has been entered in a divorce or other family law matter, it is usually possible only to modify terms of custody and parenting time, child support, and spousal support.
In addition, in general, such matters can only be modified if there have been substantial, unanticipated, and material changes in circumstances. Child support can also be reviewed and modified if appropriate once every three years, even if a substantial and material change is not demonstrable prior to the review.
A divorce is NOT the fault of the children. Sometimes, however, children feel that they are in some way to blame, or that the divorce is in some way their fault.
This can be true for very young children, as well as for children who are well past the age of adulthood. It can be important for parents of children of all ages to remember this, although, of course, the way in which the following is articulated, and the way one interacts with children of different ages, will differ.
Oregon does not recognize common law marriage, in general. Common law marriages may be recognized if entered in a state or country that does recognize them, but in most cases you have to actually have been married in order to be divorced.
Many people live together without marriage, of course, and what some people call domestic partnership dissolutions are not uncommon.
If a couple lived together for a time, and acquired assets during that time, and then got married, matters may be somewhat more complicated.
Divorce and family law includes a wide range of topics. In addition to divorces, family law includes matters such as grandparent visitation, modifications of custody, modifications of parenting time (visitation), modifications of child support, modifications of spousal support, and other matters.
Other issues handled by family law attorneys include filiation (proceedings to determine legal parenthood), child support and back child support in filiation situations, and the like.
There may be good reasons for some families to depart temporarily from the existing parenting plan for their children during the Coronavirus/COVID 19 pandemic.
There is some confusion as to how the school closures caused by the Coronavirus/COVID 19 pandemic will affect parenting time.
Generally, a parent can structure his or her time during visitation with a child (or during primary parenting time, if the parent is the primary residential parent), without much input from the other parent.
Many people are worried by the Coronavirus/COVID 19 pandemic, and are limiting their social contacts, and abiding by guidelines for social distancing.
It is not uncommon for people who have married late in life, or who are living with a significant other to whom they are not married, to want to protect that other person, and make sure that the other person has a place to live as long as they need it, while also ensuring that their own child