The Law Dictionary for Everyone
Getting married symbolizes more than just an emotional commitment, it entails a life-long commitment to mesh lives, commingle assets, and parent children. Ending a marriage through divorce also has life-long consequences, both legal and financial, as well as consequences for any children of the marriage. Because separating joined lives can be difficult and messy, each state has specific steps that […]
Read moreChild Protective Services (“CPS”) is a governmental agency tasked with receiving and investigating reports of child abuse or neglect. The Child Protected Services agency in each state must identify children who are being abused or neglected, monitor domestic violence that relates to children, and remove at-risk children to a safe environment when necessary. The agency also helps maintain preventive programs […]
Read moreIn law, the term “abandonment” may be used in a variety of legal issues, from contract law to real estate law, referring to the giving up or renunciation of an interest, privilege, possession, or right, with the intent of never reclaiming it. As the term applies to matters of Family Law, an individual may abandon a marriage, spouse, child, or […]
Read moreMarriage is the legal or formally recognized union between two people as partners in a relationship. Getting married requires the couple obtain a marriage license in the jurisdiction in which the marriage takes place, and involves a wedding ceremony of some type. Many states recognize what is known as “common law marriage,” which refers to a relationship in which two […]
Read moreCohabitation refers to situations in which two people live together, and are involved in an emotional and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is commonly used regarding unmarried couples who choose to live together without officially getting married. Over the years, social values have changed in the U.S., making this an increasing popular option for people in a long term or […]
Read moreAdoption is a legal process that establishes a relationship between a parent and a child that is recognized by the law. After an adoption takes place, the parent is legally and morally responsible for the child in every way. The adoptive parent may be either have a blood relation to the child, or have absolutely no relationship at all prior […]
Read moreThe Latin term in loco parentis, which means “in place of a parent,” or “instead of a parent,” refers to situations in which someone other than a biological parent takes on the role of parent to a minor child without formally adopting the child. This situation applies to legal guardians, stepparents, grand parents, and other situations in which an individual […]
Read moreThe term domestic violence refers to abusive behavior in any personal relationship that allows one partner to intimidate, or to gain power and control over the other. This is often thought of to occur between married spouses or in other intimate relationships, but actually refers to any family relationship, or persons living in the same home. Domestic violence includes physical, […]
Read moreEmancipation is a family law term that describes the process by which a child may become independent of his parents or guardians for legal purposes. The judicial process of emancipation confers on the minor the responsibility for his own welfare, assuming he is self-supporting. When a minor is granted emancipation from parents, he takes on the rights, privileges, responsibilities, and […]
Read moreCommunity property is a family law term used to refer to all of the personal and real property that a couple acquires during their marriage, which legally belongs to both spouses. If the couple divorces, the community property must be divided and distributed to the parties. The goal in most cases is to achieve an equitable division of the community […]
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