Father's Parental Rights Law Center

12/18/2019

We are moving to a new office location, effective Dec. 20, 2019. Our new address is: 3428 NW 178th, Edmond, OK 73012.

06/07/2019

Meet the father fighting for paternity leave

https://www.today.com/video/meet-the-father-fighting-for-paternity-leave-61480005887

In 2017, Derek Rotondo and wife Marlie were expecting their second child. But when Derek asked his employer, JPMorgan Chase, for primary caregiver leave, he was denied. Derek and his wife share their story on the 3rd hour of TODAY.

06/06/2019

Infant Visitation Schedule

One common question I am asked is: What kind of visitation should a new parent have with a newborn/infant? Different courts throughout the state of Oklahoma decide this issue differently. There is no uniform schedule set in stone for courts to follow. Advisory Guidelines exist; however, judges are also not required to follow these. Many different factors are weighed by the court when deciding how parents should have contact with an infant. The main intent of this type of visitation is so the child can bond with the parents. The Advisory Guidelines initially restrict overnights. However, if both parents were "regularly involved in all aspects of care giving" and the child has already bonded with both parents, then overnights should be "reconsidered" (see Advisory Guidelines, pages 3 - 4). Importantly, the Guidelines note that gender is not the consideration, but instead "the parent's desire to be [and history of actually being] responsibly involved in the care and development of their child" (page 4). Courts are encouraged to make an individual determination, and the Guidelines further advocate frequent contact with both parents: "Separations of more than three or four days from either parent will interfere with a healthy attachment to that parent" (page 6). A complete copy of the Advisory Guidelines is available online from the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network. Visit my website www.tamraspradlin.com for a link to this publication if you would like to read more.

05/24/2019

Ideas for facilitating contact when a parent is long-distance:

Sometimes it is unavoidable to have a residence in another state or a residence that is many miles away from your child(ren)'s primary residence. Below are some things you can do to stay as connected as possible.

If your children are in school, find out about school events and extracurricular activities directly from the source - especially if you have difficulty getting that information from the other parent. If you know the times of activities and practices, etc., you will be better able to determine the time for your phone calls.

Try setting up a specific day/time to call. Use video communication instead of just telephone calls.

Keep a journal to document your calls and important things you want to remember to tell your child(ren), or things that you learn about them.

Send photos, letters and/or cards.

Don't wait for the other parent to let you know about things, be proactive. Sign up for any parent portals or school e-mail lists, and make sure you receive grade reports.

Oklahoma Law allows both parents to have school and medical information about your child(ren) unless there is a protective order. Even though you may reside far away, you can still be present and receive important information about your child(ren).

05/15/2019

Do you have difficulty communicating with and/or exchanging information with your ex? Do you wish there was a way to have written messages checked for negative content before sending? There is a program called "Our Family Wizard" you might want to learn more about. It has messaging and calendaring features for children's activities and parenting schedules. Having this information available in one location could help reduce misunderstandings. You can give your attorney access to monitor the communication. They have a military discount and also an application process for people with financial hardship. A "tone meter" alerts the sender to language that could be perceived as improper or upsetting to the recipient, so there is an opportunity for the sender to change it. Sometimes a written message comes across in a way that was not intended, so the "tone meter" might help with that issue. The photo below appears on their brochure, which is available to download on their website.

05/07/2019

Do you know about MEDIATION? Mediation is a way to resolve your family law case that is an alternative to trial. The parties (and their attorneys) will meet with a trained mediator who is a neutral person both parties have agreed upon. The parties can meet in the same room, or in separate rooms depending upon your particular situation. Only the parties and their attorneys can attend, unless special permission is granted for a third party. The mediation is confidential, and cannot be used in any way at court. The mediator's role is to facilitate an agreement on issues including custody, visitation and property division, for example. If mediation fails, then the case can be set for trial. Most mediators have special training, although some also have legal training. Some Judges will require a mediation before they allow you to set your case for trial. Also, some Decrees require that the parties attempt mediation before a new Motion to Modify is filed.

04/29/2019

Do you need a VICTIM PROTECTIVE ORDER (VPO) or do you know someone who needs one? Oklahoma has provided online guidance and self help forms for all individuals seeking protection from Domestic Violence. The Oklahoma Supreme Court Network has Forms available for you to file a Victim Protective Order, and the website contains an instructional video. Visit my website for additional information about the Oklahoma law related to VPO's. Please be aware that filing and serving a VPO is a red flag time for a person in a Domestic Violence situation. Please educate yourself and be prepared. For more information, contact the Oklahoma Safe-Line at 1-800-522-SAFE (7233).

04/05/2019

Actions Where Minor Child Involved - Court-Ordered Educational Programs

Co-parenting Class required for all Divorcing Parents in Oklahoma: Oklahoma law now requires all parents of minor children to attend a Co-Parenting class before a Divorce is granted. Parents should attend the class either before a temporary order is entered, or within forty-five days after a temporary order is entered by the judge in their case, and their certificate must be filed with the court. The class shall focus on the impact of divorce upon children, and the parties can attend separately or together. The full text of the law is found at 43 O.S. 107.2: http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=71819
The program must also include education about domestic violence and ways to reduce parental conflict. Oklahoma county requires that this class be attended in person rather than online. All courts are permitted to set their own compliance requirements. This law is mandatory for all divorcing parents, and may also be required in the court's discretion for parents with Paternity cases. Waivers may be granted only in special circumstances with good cause established to the court. A course that complies with this requirement is Co-Parenting for Resilience, offered by the OSU Extension Office. Learn more about their program at this link: https://humansciences.okstate.edu/fcs/coparenting/

A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, in all actions for divorce, separate maintenance, guardianship, paternity, custody or visitation, including modifications or enforcements of a prior court order, where the interest of a child under eighteen (18) years of age is involved, the cou...

03/29/2019

Common Law Marriage: Is this legal in Oklahoma? Yes, Oklahoma recognizes Common Law Marriage. With tax season approaching, your marital status on income tax returns is something you should be aware of when it comes to Common Law Marriage. If you have not been ceremonially married, and you say you are married on your tax returns, then you have represented under oath that you are married. There are other factors to be considered by the court, and the existence of a Common Law Marriage must be established by the legal standard of clear and convincing evidence. If you have met the criteria for a Common Law Marriage, you are just as married as you would be if you had a ceremony, and you will have to file for Divorce to dissolve the marriage.

02/21/2019

Happy Thursday! Do you have a recent attorney experience at Father’s Parental Rights or with any of our attorneys? We'd love for you to give us a review on our page. We use this data to measure our success and look for opportunities to improve. We value your time and thank you for choosing Father’s Parental Rights!

04/15/2018

Ask OKDHS - Child Welfare Services

http://www.okdhs.org/library/news/mk/Pages/comm07202011c.aspx

Q: What is CPS or Child Welfare?A: Child Protective Services (CPS) and Child Welfare refer to OKDHS services that identify, treat and prevent child abuse and neglect. These services are provided to protect the safety of children and help families with any difficulties that put the safety of their ch...

01/08/2018

Happy Monday! Do you have a recent attorney experience at Father’s Parental Rights or with any of our attorneys? We'd love for you to give us a review on our page. We use this data to measure our success and look for opportunities to improve. We value your time and thank you for choosing Father’s Parental Rights!

12/01/2017

Holiday hours:

We will be closed from Monday December 25th to Monday January 1st. We will re-open Tuesday January 2nd at 8:30am.

11/16/2017

Legal Update:

In August, 2017, the Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals decided a case involving the adoption of a child. The adoption occurred five months after birth, and the father was not given notice. He was actually told he was not the child’s father. When he found out the truth, he tried to establish parental rights, but it was too late. Father had only three months from the date of the adoption decree to object.

11/02/2017

Do you have a recent attorney experience at Father’s Parental Rights or with any of our attorneys? We'd love for you to give us a review on our page. We use this data to measure our success and look for opportunities to improve. We value your time and thank you for choosing Father’s Parental Rights!

10/24/2017

We have three AMAZING attorneys here that are ready to help you with your case! Please call our office to book your appointment now! (405) 752-6000

10/23/2017

Happy Monday!

Are you seeking an attorney for your divorce or child custody needs? If so, please give our office a call to speak with our legal assistant for information about retaining one of our attorneys! (405) 752-6000

10/20/2017

OSCN Found Document:RICHARDS v. RICHARDS

Legal update from attorney Tamra Spradlin:

The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals decided a case involving relocation on August 18, 2017. In that case, the court changed custody from the mother to the father after the mother moved the children over 100 miles away. The opinion can be read online at the below link.

http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/deliverdocument.asp?cite=2017+ok+civ+app+41

401 P.3d 1175Case Number: 114612Decided: 08/18/2017Mandate Issued: 09/20/2017DIVISION ITHE COURT OF CIVIL APPEALS OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA, DIVISION I

10/20/2017

Father's Parental Rights Law Center updated their business hours.

Father's Parental Rights Law Center updated their business hours.

10/20/2017

Contact Oklahoma Father's Rights Attorneys Jay F. McCown and Tamra A. Spradlin

http://www.fathersparentalrights.com/contact-us.html

For information about retaining an attorney, please contact us through our website!

Contact form for Oklahoma Lawyers Tamra A. Spradlin and Jay F. McCown at the Father's Parental Rights Law Center

09/25/2010

Father's Parental Rights Law Center

Attorneys Helping Dads with their legal rights.

09/25/2010

Attorneys Helping Dads

We help Dads who are going through a divorce or child custody battle. If you need help with your visitation or child custody rights, please contact us.