Family law

Family law governs legal relationships within families, including marriage, parentage, separation, and adoption. It defines rights and duties among family members and procedures for resolving disputes.

Marriage: A legally recognized union that creates rights and obligations between spouses. Marriage establishes a legal relationship regulated by family law.
Family court: A court that hears disputes involving marriage, children, parentage, and related family matters. Family courts commonly apply family-law procedures and remedies.
Civil law: A legal tradition based primarily on comprehensive written codes and statutes. Civil-law systems organize family rules differently from common-law jurisdictions.
Best interests of the child: A legal standard requiring decisions about a child to prioritize the child's welfare and needs. Courts often use this standard when deciding custody and related disputes.
Parentage: The legal relationship between a child and a parent, established by birth, adoption, or other legal rules. Parentage determines who holds parental rights and responsibilities.
Child support: Financial payments by a parent to help meet a child's living and care costs. Support orders enforce parents' financial duties after separation.
Common law: A legal tradition in which judicial decisions form a major source of law alongside statutes. Common-law courts shape family-law doctrines through precedent.
Marital property: Property subject to division between spouses under applicable marital-property rules. Property rules determine the economic consequences of divorce.
Child custody: Legal arrangements governing a child's care and decision-making after parents separate. Custody rules allocate parenting responsibilities when a family separates.
Alimony: Court-ordered financial support paid by one former spouse to the other after separation or divorce. Spousal-support rules address financial obligations after a marriage ends.

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