Ruppert & Schaefer, P.C. Legal Blog

Legal Separation vs. Divorce: Which option is right for you?

Clients contemplating divorce often have questions about legal separation.  Typically, they want to know how legal separation differs from divorce, and which option is best for them.  What should you know about the two? Legal separation is, like a divorce proceeding, a legal proceeding that formally separates you from your spouse. To grant a legal separation, an Indiana Court must…

read more

What is a Certified Family Law Specialist?

You’re sitting in an office building, waiting to meet with an attorney about a family-law matter. While you wait, you notice various plaques and certificates on the walls. One catches your eye—Certified Family Law Specialist by the Family Law Certification Board.  What exactly is a Certified Family Law Specialist? In Indiana, certification in family law is individual and voluntary. An attorney…

read more

How to Pick the Right Divorce Lawyer

One of the most important decisions you can make in the divorce process is who your attorney will be.  For some, the divorce process can take many months or even years.  Having the right attorney to help you navigate the process can make all the difference. How, then, can you make the right choice? Thumbs Up Computer Key Meaning Approval…

read more

Appeals: What, When, Where and Why

So you’ve been to trial. You’ve received an order from the trial judge directing you to do (or perhaps not do) something. In the family-law context, the trial judge may have decided issues relating to custody, relocation, parenting time, child support, or marital property—just to name a few. What if you’re not happy with the result? What happens next? In…

read more

Do you need a premarital agreement? (Yes, you do.)

Wedding planning is a flurry of happy activity. Your to-do list might include the following: venue, flowers, guest list, band, honeymoon. We suggest you add one more item to that list: premarital agreement. Full disclosure: a lot of what we do at involves divorce.  We hope you never need assistance with the divorce process.  But if you ever found yourself…

read more

Mediation During Divorce

Divorce can be an emotional, exhausting, and expensive process.  But it doesn’t necessarily have to be. Certain methods of alternative dispute resolution are becoming increasingly popular in the divorce context.  Mediation is one of the most effective of those methods—so much so that some courts require parties to mediate at least once when seeking a divorce.   Why is mediation…

read more

Grandparent Visitation in Indiana

As a grandparent, do I have the right to see my grandchild? Attorneys are often asked this question. In Indiana, the legal response is maybe. Under certain circumstances, a grandparent residing in Indiana can petition a court for something called “grandparent visitation.” If one of the following is true, grandparent visitation may be appropriate: The grandchild’s parent is dead; The…

read more

Dealing With A Divorce

Divorce is a traumatizing and overwhelming experience. There are actions you can take to help cope with a divorce. See the enclosed video from James Publishing that explains some ways to cope and get through the divorce process. If you would like to consult with the attorneys at  to learn more about the divorce process, please call . Your futures is…

read more