Family law

Family law

Law that deals with family-related issues such as spousal abuse, legitimacy, adoption, surrogacy, child abuse, and child abduction.

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Family law

The person who starts a case that uses petitions rather than complaints to start the case. In family cases, the terms petitioner and respondent are used in domestic violence cases and dissolutions. ...

custody and visitation plan

Legal services; Family law

The plan describing how the parents will be involved in their children's life, recognizing that children of different ages have different needs and that the plan will also change if one or both of ...

bifurcate

Legal services; Family law

To separate legal issues for decision. The judge usually issues one final order that decides all of the issues in a case. For example, in a divorce case, the final decree ends the marriage, divides ...

file

Legal services; Family law

The complete court record of a case.

final decree

Legal services; Family law

The final decision in a case, which is generally issued by the court after the trial. A final decree is the same thing as a decree. In certain circumstances you may wish to appeal this order, in ...

pension

Legal services; Family law

A series of periodic payments, usually for life, payable monthly or at other specified intervals. The term is frequently used to describe the part of a retirement allowance financed by employer ...

protective order

Legal services; Family law

A court order which is meant to protect a person from another person. There are three types of protective orders that you can request depending on your relationship with the opposing party and the ...