Indiana court rules that pets are property in divorce
Indiana law may not reflect the role that pets play in families. The state Court of Appeals ruled in March that pets are still considered property in a divorce. Roxy the family pet This case involves a divorced couple from Lake County, their three children and a...
Spousal support can account for education and training
Indiana divorce cases can be complicated for many reasons. Finances are a primary concern. This is true whether it is a divorce of modest means or a high-asset divorce. Regardless of the financial circumstances, people need to know how the court will make its...
Why should you choose mediation for your divorce?
Divorce is one of the most difficult of life's transitions. Picking apart every aspect of your life, holding it up for inspection and dividing it between you and your spouse can be very hard. How you manage the divorce process can help make the process less awful. If...
Does wealth make arguments worse in divorce?
You may have heard that couples with higher assets or more financial wealth often face a rockier divorce. However, there is good reason to believe that this is not entirely true. While wealth does impact divorce, it may not be in the way you expect. Fighting within...
What is collaborative law?
When people collaborate, they have a common goal in mind and work together to achieve this end result. People can do this in academic settings, workplaces and within the legal realm. In a legal setting, people often collaborate to amicably undergo divorce and child...
Escaping an unfair premarital agreement in Indiana
Most experienced divorce attorneys in Indiana will urge their clients to sign a premarital agreement before they marry (or re-marry). Such agreements are binding contracts and cover such issues as child parenting time, child custody, spousal support and asset...
Will marital property always be equally divided in a divorce?
One of the most common topics for dispute in an Indiana divorce is how property will be divided. People who owned a home or homes; had joint bank accounts; accrued investments; had retirement accounts; had collectibles and more will want to walk away from the marriage...
Which factors do judges analyze when making custody decisions?
During a marriage in Indiana, couples share a life together. This includes sharing the responsibilities of raising their children. However, if the couple ever divorces, they will need to split the responsibilities as they separate the other aspects of their lives as...
Introducing Partner Paula J. Schaefer
1. How long have you been with the practice? Mike Ruppert & I started the practice in 1996. Before that, I was his employee and began working with him in 1993. 2. What is your hobby? I love to craft. I’m not ready to sell anything on Etsy, but I enjoy making things. My specialty areas are crochet, card-making…
Our Firm Congratulates Attorney Lauren Harpold
R&S is pleased to announce that Lauren Harpold has received her training as a Collaborative attorney and is available to take new Collaborative dissolution matters. , represents clients in the Indianapolis and Central Indiana area. Give our experienced law firm a call at with any family law questions. Your future is our concern!