law

As an attorney and as a gay parent of 4 kids my first advice for parents is to know your rights and that of your children.

 How has the legal system dealt with the problem of women’s substance abuse during pregnancy?  There is no state which criminalizes drug use during pregnancy.

According to the EEOC, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, pregnant
employees or potential employees cannot be treated unfavorably because
of the pregnancy.

Many pregnant women are curious about the specific laws that protect
pregnant women in the workplace. An amendment to the Civil Rights Act of
1964 called the Pregnancy Discrimination Act was approved on October
31, 1978.

If your income is financially relevant, think through your post pregnancy plan carefully. Many mothers want to stay home with their baby for the first year, but not all mothers are in a financial situation that allows such a prolonged maternity leave and disability payments will not continue for one year.

Custody and access arrangements following separation and divorce have been the subject of much child development and divorce research.  Beneficial parenting plan options now consider children’s developmental and psychological needs, and provide alternatives for parents, courts and professionals to consider as they decide upon the shape of children’s future relationship with each of their parents.

Adoption was unknown at common law and therefore in the United States it required statutory authorization.  The first adoption statute was not enacted until 1851, in Massachusetts.

Commentators have stated that France and Sweden, for example, provide a more generous maternity and parental leave than is available here in the United States.

The two main federal statutes covering a pregnancy at work are the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. (States may have their own laws, adding an additional layer, which will not be addressed here).

When Sharon Bottoms lost custody of her two-year-old son in 1993, she was appalled by the decision of the court system.