Child Support for The Incarcerated, Growing Crops as Marital Assets, Funds for Family Courts

The following were published in The Indiana Lawyer:

Child support abatement starts on petition date:

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a trial court order setting the date in which an incarcerated man can receive an abatement in his child support, finding the date the man filed his order was when it could be first applied. The ruling could open the door for the Indiana Supreme Court to decide when an abatement can take effect.

In In re the marriage of: Gary Becker v. Heather Becker, No. 49A04-0804-CV-205, Gary Becker appealed the trial court order modifying his child support.

COA: Growing crops go in marital pot

The Indiana Court of Appeals ruled today that crops growing in the ground that haven't been harvested are considered marital assets. This is the first time Indiana courts have ruled on the issue.

In In Re the Marriage of: James R. Webb v. Nancy J. (Webb) Schleutker, No. 49A02-0707-CV-568, James Webb appealed the trial court decision to include soon-to-be harvested crops in the marital pot. The trial court issued its dissolution decree in February 2007, and included crops growing in August 2005 at the time Nancy Schleutker filed for divorce.

Grant available for Family Court Project

A one-year grant of up to $40,000 is available to launch a Family Court Project. The grant is an opportunity for county governments to get funding for a project that provides judicial coordination of multiple cases involving the same family.

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The deadline for grant proposals is Sept. 1. Olesky is available to help counties with the application process and work with applicant counties in person. For questions about the grant or for assistance in developing a grant proposal, contact Olesky at (317) 233-0784 or lolesky@courts.state.in.us. More information about the Family Court Project can be found at http://www.in.gov/judiciary/family-court/.