Nolo's essential guide to child custody & support

Basics of divorce

The big issues: child custody and support

When you separate

Annulment

The court process

Kinds of divorces

Parentage actions for unmarried couples

Divorce for same-sex couples

Basics of child custody

Physical and legal custody

Creating a parenting plan: out of court

Sample parenting plans

When parents cannot agree: going to court

Contentious issues

Making shared parenting work

Basics of child support

Who pays support?

How child support is calculated

How to estimate child support obligations

Deviating from the guidelines

Creating your own written agreement

Going to court for a support decision

Temporary support while the divorce is pending

Taxes and your children

Health insurance and medical child support orders

When you decide to divorce : the first month

Talking to the kids

Figure out immediate housing and custody issues

Make a temporary parenting plan

Start addressing money issues

Get organized

File court papers

How to get your agreements made into orders

Take care of yourself and your kids

Going to trial

Should you have a lawyer?

Getting a trial date

Issues in child custody trials

Issues in child support trials

Courtroom procedures at your trial

After the trial

Custody orders : living with, enforcing, and changing them

Sharing parenting after a custody hearing or trial

When the other parent violates a court order

When the other parent Is just annoying

When the kids don't want to go

If you suspect abuse

When the other parent doesn't take the children

Traveling with your child

Changing your custody arrangements

When one parent is out of state

If you move to another state : registering your custody order

Child support orders : living with, enforcing, and changing them

Arranging for payment

If you're paying support : changing the amount

How long child support lasts

When circumstances change

Enforcing support orders across state lines

If your spouse goes missing

Bankruptcy and child support

Worst case scenarios : kidnapping, abuse, and interference with custody

Kidnapping

Child abuse

Interference with parental relationship

Domestic violence

Supervised visitation for difficult situations

Custody and support in military families

Delaying court decisions : the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act

Custody and visitation

Child support

Medical benefits for children

Other benefits

Tax issues

Locating a service member

Serving papers on someone on a U.S. military base

Domestic violence and other abuse

The law : how to work with a lawyer and do your own legal research

Should you lawyer up?

Working with a lawyer

Looking for a lawyer

Paying a lawyer

If you have problems with your lawyer

Getting the other parent to pay your attorneys' fees

Help with self-representation : legal document preparers

Knowledge is power : learn the law

Quick guide to legal research

50-state charts

Residency requirements

Grounds for divorce

State child support calculators

Court and court-related websites

State custody best interest statutes

State custody modification statutes

State relocation statutes

State child support modification statutes

State child support enforcement agencies.