Divorce or Custody
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AK - Divorce - § 25.24.160. Judgment | Alaska became the first state to allow judges to provide for “well-being” of pets in divorce actions. Governor Bill Walker signed HB 147 into law on October 2016, and becoming effective January 17, 2017. The law amends AS 25.24.160 contained in Chapter 24 on Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage. The amendment states: “[i]n a judgment in an action for divorce or action declaring a marriage void or at any time after judgment, the court may provide . . . (5) if an animal is owned, for the ownership or joint ownership of the animal, considering the well-being of the animal." Courts in most states have limited awarding pets in marriage dissolution based on traditional property classifications with only a few cases considering a pet's "best interests." This law is unique in that it gives the judge the authority to go beyond a traditional property paradigm for pets when dividing marital property. |
AKERS v. SELLERS |
This Indiana case involves an action in replevin by John W. Akers against his former wife, Stella Sellers. The controversy at issue was ownership and possession of a Boston bull terrier dog. At the time of the divorce decree, the dog was not part of the property division and was instead left at the marriage domicile in custody of the former wife. Appellant-Akers claimed that legal title and the dog's best interests rested with him and unsuccessfully brought a suit in replevin in the lower court. On appeal, this Court held that there was no sufficient evidence to overturn the lower court's determination. The judgment was affirmed. |
Amparo Directo D.A.- 454/2021 - Mexico | |
Arrington v. Arrington |
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Assal v. Barwick (Kidwell) | |
Ballas v Ballas |
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Bennett v. Bennett |
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Brief Summary of Pet Custody During Divorce | This is a brief summary of the emerging issues involved in pet custody during divorce. The summary explains how case law is slowly evolving to consider the unique challenges in awarding ownership of pets during a divorce. The handful of recent statutes that allow judges to consider a modified "best interests" model when awarding pet custody are also discussed. |
Brief Summary of Pet Custody in Divorce |
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CA - Divorce - § 2605. Care and ownership of pet animal | This California law, effective January of 2019, allows to court to enter an order, at the request of a party, for a party to care for the pet animal prior to the entry of a final order. The existence of an order providing for the care of a pet animal during the course of proceedings for dissolution of marriage or for legal separation of the parties shall not have any impact on the court's final determination of ownership of the pet animal. |