Family law is a set of laws that govern the legal responsibilities of individuals that share a connection that is domestic. These laws are in the form of statues or case precedents. Said cases involve individuals or parties that are related by marriage or blood.
These laws also extend to those that are related distantly or causally. As these cases are emotionally charged, it is always advisable to retain a legal counsel for any or all family law cases.
A majority of family law cases involve the termination of a marriage or romantic relationship. These cases are carried by lawyers that specialize in family laws or divorce, child custody/support, and alimony. If a marriage that lasted only for a short period of time is canceled, an annulment is done. For same-sex couples, individual rights may exist.
A common issue in many divorce cases is the division of property. The law that concerns with the division of property varies from state to state. If a couple cannot agree on the default rules, they can opt out by hiring a lawyer to draft a prenuptial agreement.
Prevention of abuses such as the likes of emotional or physical also comes under family laws. These laws aren’t restricted to current/former spouse and children. The jurisdiction also extends to older members of the family, members in a relationship and roommates. In order to prevent further abuse, the court may mandate a restraining order.
A widespread dispute in family courts is the issue of child custody as parents care for the children’s safety and wellbeing.
This is especially hard in the event of a divorce or breakup. The problem is usually because of the fact that the parents become distrustful of each other at times like these. In such an event, the judges assume authority over the decision of who takes the child by taking what is best for them into consideration.
The custody can either be shared or assigned to one of the parents. The schedule is split between weekend and weekdays and in the event of a holiday, the days will be alternated. This is done in a manner where the child’s life isn’t disrupted.
The parents also have a duty, and this is legal in nature. In order to change the initial set amount of money given in child support, one must prove that the circumstances have changed since the order was initially drafted. These may include the parent being disabled or loss of employment.
