Expert Witnesses in Child Custody Proceedings

The rules of evidence employed by the courts in legal actions set out the qualifications for expert witnesses, which may be said in a general way to consist of a level of education, training, or experience that has created in such a witness a degree of knowledge about a particular scientific or technical subject that is greater than the knowledge of such a subject possessed by people lacking such education, training, or experience. Unlike most witnesses, whose testimony in court proceedings is limited to factual matters actually known to them, expert witnesses are permitted, based on the factual evidence that has been presented in court, to express their opinions on issues related to the technical subjects within their areas of expertise. Extensive use of expert witnesses is made in both civil and criminal proceedings in the United States.

Liens to Enforce Child Support Obligations

Where a past due child support obligation has been reduced to judgment, a lien can be placed against property owned by the parent who owed the child support, and the state agency or custodial parent can execute on that property to collect the amount owed.

Appointment of an Attorney to Represent the Child in a Custody Case

In hotly contested custody cases, where the parents cannot agree on anything, courts often will appoint an attorney to represent the child or children of the parties to help resolve the custody issue. The decision to appoint an attorney is within the discretion of the court.

Suspension or Denial of Licenses for Child Support Arrearages

In order to improve the effectiveness of child support collections, states are required to enact laws to deny or suspend the driver's license or professional license of anyone found to have failed to pay his or her child support obligation.

Putative Father's Right to Visitation

Parents have a natural right to the companionship of their children. In order to experience that companionship, parents and children must have time to be together. This is generally a non-legal issue. When the child's parents are not married, the child's father is called the putative father because he is reputed to be the father of the child. A putative father may also be known as the child's natural father or biological father. To be the child's legal father, the putative father must prove his paternity before a court. The proof could be a paternity test result or acknowledgment of the child as required by statute. Once paternity is acknowledged the father has a right to visitation with his child, so long as it is in the child's best interests.