Divorce Definitions

Paternity The determination of who the father of a child is in order to arrange child custody and child support in the event of a divorce. Contested Divorce A divorce where the parties are unable or unwilling to come to a mutual agreement. Abandonment When a parent leaves a child without enough care, supervision, support, or parental contact for an excessive period of time. Reimbursement Alimony Reimbursement alimony, as the name implies, is designed to reimburse one spouse for expenses occurred by the other. Buccal Swab A recognized form of genetic testing used to determine paternity, which involves a q-tip type instrument for collecting saliva from individuals submitting to testing. Temporary alimony A type of alimony payment that is made to one spouse pending separation or divorce proceedings. Residual Physical Custodial Rights A custody agreement when one parent is awarded visitation by a pre-arranged schedule worked out between the parents or the courts. Annulment The legal dissolution of a marriage. In an annulment, the marriage is treated as though it never existed. Domestic Violence Petition This form serves as your application for a protective order; after obtaining one from the courthouse clerk, completing and returning it, it will be reviewed by a judge. Reasonable visitation A form of visitation in which the parents work out a schedule of visitation for the non-custodial parent.

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	Did You Know?
	In divorce actions, mediators often are involved in custody and visitation disputes. In some jurisdictions (particularly large urban areas), courts require mediation of custody and visitation disputes. The mother and father must talk with a court-appointed mediator to try to resolve the problem before putting their case before a judge. The mediator cannot force a resolution, but the parties can be told to try mediation before coming to court to ask a judge to decide the issue.