A new opinion was issued by the Minnesota Supreme Court related to third-party and grandparent visitation. The reported opinion was Rohmiller v. Hart, A10-138 (Minn. 02/29/2012). In the case, the mother of a two-year-old child was killed in an accident. When the mother was killed, the child lived with the maternal grandparents in the State…
In Minnesota, the law requires all divorce couples to file their legal paperwork in the same fashion. It doesn’t matter if you are a lawyer or not. Everybody files the same paperwork, pays the same fees, and follows the same rules. It’s just that lawyers know this and others don’t. According to Minnesota Statute 518.005,…
As reported by The Telegraph, wealthy couples are turning towards arbitration to settle their divorce disputes. My take? Bravo! Rather than utilize the courts for divorces, the couples are instead seeking alternative measures to settle their disputes. According to one lawyer, James Pirrie of the Family Law in Partnership: “Court queues are growing – meaning…
A person wanting to apply for a Dakota County marriage license can go to the Dakota County website for further information. Marriage licenses in Dakota County are currently available at: Administration Center – Hastings Northern Service Center – West St. Paul Western Service Center – Apple Valley
The federal government is pushing a new bill that would have a significant affect on Minnesota child custody laws. As reported by Military.com, the House of Representatives Arms Services Committee is lobbying the Pentagon for support on military servicemembers’ child custody rights. The committee is seeking support from Leon Penetta on the proposed “Servicemember Family Protection Act.”…
Under Minnesota Statute 517.01, Minnesota marriages are a civil contract. So what does that mean and why is it important? In lawyman’s terms, a marriage is a contractual relationship between a man and a woman where the couple makes certain promises to one another and, in turn, those promises are recognized by the State of…
Minnesota Public Radio and the Minnesota Star Tribune report that lawmakers in Minnesota have approved a bill to strengthen Minnesota child neglect laws. Governor Mark Dayton said that the law would protect the elderly and children who were victims of neglect. Under the new law, caretakers can be charged with a felony rather than a misdemeanor if…
In a recent article in the Minnesota Bench and Bar, attorney Tom James wrote a nice piece about the relationship between two different family laws in Minnesota and their possible conflict with each other. As James point out, Minnesota divorce lawyers need to be aware that Minnesota Statute 518B.01, which is the order for protection (OFP) statute, has…
