Families come in all shapes and sizes. Today, blended families
are common, and many people find themselves becoming step-parents
to their new spouse's children.
Whether they are married or in a common-law relationship,
step-parents may be surprised to learn that upon separation they
may be treated as a "parent", legally, even if they never
married their step-child's biological parent or adopted the
child. This means they may be obligated to pay child support.
Did the step-parent "stand in place of a
parent"?
The law is concerned with the best interest of the child. The
courts do not want to leave a child without the support they need
and may have come to rely upon simply because the child's
parent and step-parent's relationship has broken down.
