NALA News from the Advanced Certification Board Family Law – Child Custody, Child Support and Visitation Set for Release November 15!

NALA has announced that the first of four Advanced Paralegal Certification courses for those working in the area of Family Law is set for release this week. If you are a NALA Certified Paralegal, you can take this course to earn your advanced certification AND 20 CLE. If you aren’t a NALA CP, you can still take this program but you will earn a certificate of completion instead. If you earn your Certified Paralegal designation within 12 months, you can convert your certificate of completion to an advanced certification.

Interested in learning more about duties and responsibilities of paralegals working in this area?  Click here or … if you already work in this area, check out these practice tips!

You can learn more about the APC programs by clicking HERE.

The course begins with the framework of applicable state, federal, and constitutional law, followed by discussion of paternity, child custody jurisdiction and determinations; visitation rights and factors; child support obligations, guidelines, and jurisdiction; enforcement and modification of custody, support, and visitation orders within and without the state of origin; state regulation of the parent-child relationship; and common litigation issues.

Family Law – Child Custody, Child Support and Visitation is organized into 8 modules. Module headings are:

* Parents and Children: Legal Framework
* Paternity
* Custody
* Visitation
* Child Support
* Enforcement and Modification
* Special Issues: Parent, Child, and State
* Litigation

Upon successful completion of this course, including all course requirements, qualified Certified Paralegals will receive an Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP) credential in Family Law – Child Custody, Child Support and Visitation.

The APC Certification Board has determined that an ACP designation in Family Law will be awarded to Certified Paralegals who complete the following courses:

* Child Support, Visitation and Child Custody
* Division of Property
* Adoption and Assisted Reproduction
* Dissolution Case Management – to include critical information related to management of a case from intake to decree. This would include information related to litigation of the case, reading tax returns and unusual instances such as dissolution of same sex marriages.

Successful completion of all 4 courses will lead to a certification in Family Law. The next course to be released is Division of Property slated for release in mid-2013.