Tulsa, OK Divorce & Family Law Blog by Stange Law Firm, PC

What makes up a family and what can happen to the family dynamic has changed in Oklahoma over the years. Sometimes these changes require children to go into foster care temporarily and sometimes the temporary situation becomes permanent. In those cases, the children may become eligible for adoption. A recent report showed that adoption of foster kids is up nationwide. A family law practice can offer assistance in the adoption of foster children.

Two statistics that are heartening concerning the number of children looking for new families is that in 2018 there were over 63,000 foster children adopted and that number was up nearly 25% from 2014. The other statistic revealed that the number of children leaving foster care, from 2014 through 2018, increased from 21% to 25%. One sobering fact is that most families are interested in adopting young children and 50% of the children adopted were under the age of 5.

Marriage is typically entered into with a vow that is not supposed to be broken except by death. While the overall divorce rate has declined in Oklahoma in recent years, almost half of all marriages still end in divorce. The reasons for divorce may be different in each case and most people acknowledge that a couple should not remain in an unhappy marriage nor remain together for the sake of the children. There are other myths that largely do not hold true.

Property division and finances are among the most important issues to understand when confronting divorce proceedings. It is often recommended that couples who are separating establish separate finances as soon as possible. This can aid in budgeting and financial planning, though money that was earned during a marriage is considered joint property and is subject to property division. Oklahoma is an equitable distribution state, which means assets are to be divided fairly though not necessarily equally.

The decision to divorce is seldom made lightly in Oklahoma. When marriage vows are made it is with the intent that the couple will remain together, raise a family and enjoy old age together. When this becomes an unrealistic possibility, the decision to end a marriage can be a very difficult one. It can be made all the more difficult when there are children involved and child custody becomes an issue that must be solved.

In reaching an agreement regarding children it is important to keep the children's best interests at heart. It has been shown that children do best when good relationships with both parents are maintained. In order to facilitate that outcome, it is important that parents remain civil to each other when talking to their children and also when talking to each other in the presence of the kids. It is a good idea to remain geographically close to each other so that family routines are disrupted as minimally as possible. This is important for shared custody arrangements where every attempt should be made to keep kids in the same school and close to their friends.

In Oklahoma and elsewhere, marriage is a contract entered into by two people who are intent on forming a partnership that they believe will endure for the rest of their lives. In roughly 50% of cases, the end comes sooner as about half of all marriages eventually end in divorce. Marriage is hard and full of ups and downs. When do the ups and downs give way to the need for divorce?

The toughest questions can involve the well-being of children. Many couples believe it is better for the children to remain together. If the tension in the home is such that it is impacting the quality of life of the kids, divorce can be better for them in the long run. Prolonged exposure to parental conflict can have a long-term effect on a child's development. Maintaining a healthy relationship with each parent separately is a better option.