Readers will find this fictional storyline approach to the study of family law to be a refreshing change. Legal theory, pertinent briefs, and practical exhibits in each chapter mingle with the experiences of a fictional character, Susan, who is a recent graduate in her first paralegal job. Readers are drawn in by the challenges, rewards and humor of a typical family law practice as Susan admirably fulfills her role as interviewer, researcher, writer, and motion and pleadings preparer. They get a flavor for legal trends across the country as cases have been carefully selected from various states. The Ethics Alert feature points to the very real and serious situations that paralegals and attorneys can face. Chapter summaries, review questions, key terms, industry resource lists and valuable online resources assist the reader in better understanding and retaining the wealth of material presented.

What is a family? What makes someone a parent? What rights should children have? In this Very Short Introduction Jonathan Herring provides an insight not only into what the law is, but why it is the way it is. It also looks at the future to consider what families will look like in the years ahead, and what new dilemmas the courts may face.

International law has become part of everyday family law practice, as lawyers everywhere are confronted with questions regarding the rights of 'mail-order' brides, the adoption of children from other countries, the abduction of children by foreign parents, and domestic violence victims seeking asylum. Indeed, globalization is transforming family law, even as families themselves are being redefined. This book provides a practical overview of such issues and also examines the ways in which culture shapes family law in different countries. It provides students with a useful introduction to challenging, complicated and fascinating issues in international family law. Finally, by incorporating a comparative perspective, it gives readers an opportunity to re-examine their own legal systems.

This is the first book to explore the canonical narratives, stories, examples, and ideas that legal decisionmakers invoke to explain family law and its governing principles. Jill Elaine Hasday shows how this canon misdescribes the reality of family law, misdirects attention away from actual problems family law confronts, and misshapes policies.

Rev. ed. of: Family law principles, policy, and practice. 2nd ed. c1999.

This volume examines the state of family law in America. Among its themes is the tension between individual autonomy and governmental regulation in all aspects of family law. It examines both conventional and new definitions of formal and informal domestic relationships.

Family Law is basically state law. While federal law mandates child support guidelines, state law sets them. While federal law prohibits parental kidnapping, state law determines what constitutes 'kidnapping,' and what distinguishes it from 'rescue.' From the prerequisites for entering into marriage through the grounds for divorce and the 'equitable' distribution of marital property, state law governs and state law varies, often widely. This book provides a cogent but comprehensive introduction to family law, for students as well as practitioners, as it is practiced in New York. New York deserves its own family law text for several reasons. First, family law in the state of New York is unique. New York was the last state to hold out against the 'no-fault revolution,' for example. In 2010, when it finally succumbed, it became one of the first states to provide a formula for temporary alimony. It is the only state which considers a degree (such as a law degree) acquired during marriage part of divisible 'marital property.' Like California, New York can be seen as a leader in family law reform. But it is often a leader with few followers. Family Law in New York explores these anomalies and offers some explanations.

A comprehensive resource on the complexities of the American legal system encompasses a broad spectrum of legal issues and concerns, including home ownership, consumer credit, wills and estates, family law, small business, and citizen rights, all presented in a straightforward question-and-answer format with sidebars, charts, graphs, and other features. 60,000 first printing.