Family Law: The Essentials

FAMILY LAW: THE ESSENTIALS, Third Edition, provides a concise, accurate introduction to key legal concepts and practical paralegal skills, along with excerpts from real-world cases, forms and checklists you can apply on the job, and tips and techniques for professional success. The Third Edition includes new and updated material on current trends and topics in this dynamic field, including legal ethics, technology, domestic violence, fertility and reproductive science, stem cell research, adoption, domestic partnerships, same-sex marriage, and changing definitions of family. Supported by a full range of available learning supplements, this trusted guide is an ideal resource for formal courses or self-study, and a reliable reference for practicing paralegals.

1. Introduction to Family Law and Practice. 2. Premarital Agreements and Cohabitation Agreements. 3. Traditional Marriage and Alternatives. 4. Annulment. 5. Divorce Grounds and Procedure. 6. Spousal Support, Property Division, and the Separation Agreement. 7. Child Custody. 8. Child Support. 9. Tax Consequences of Separation and Divorce. 10. The Legal Rights of Women. 11. Illegitimacy and Paternity. 12. The Legal Status of Children. 13. Adoption. 14. The New Science of Motherhood. 15. Torts and Family Law. Glossary. Index.