Family Law

This is FindLaw’s collection of Family Law articles, part of the Corporate Counsel Center Law Library. Collectively, these laws deal with matters of significant impact on family relationships, particularly adoption, divorce, custody, and abuse. While some family law matters may be handled without counsel, processes such as divorce and child custody often require the skill and expertise of a skilled attorney. Family law also involves the prevention of physical, emotional and sexual abuse. Law articles in this archive are predominantly written by lawyers for a professional audience seeking business solutions to legal issues. Start your free research with FindLaw.

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Family Law Articles

Name Changes in Pennsylvania

The Judicial Change of Name Act gives Pennsylvania courts control of requests for name changes. Anyone who wishes to change his or her name commences the process by filing a petition requesting the change. The intended name change must be advertised ...
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Naming A Guardian for Your Children

It is wise for parents to name legal and physical guardians of their minor children to serve in the event of their deaths. But the creation of a guardianship by a parent is not always controlling. Pennsylvania law provides that all custody cases ...
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New Child Support Enforcement Law

Due to broad changes in child support enforcement laws, it will be now much easier for a spouse who is dependent upon child support to enforce support orders. On August 22, 1996, President Clinton signed the Welfare Reform Act. This Welfare Bill ...
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New Jersey Alimony Law

In New Jersey, the Court may award permanent or rehabilitative alimony or both to either party, and in so doing shall consider, but not be limited to, the following factors: Any other factors which the court may deem relevant. When a share of a ...
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New Jersey Family Law: Grandparent Visitation Rights

All fifty states have enacted what is often called a "grandparents' visitation statute", which allows grandparents - and sometimes siblings or other people - to petition the court for the right to spend time with a child, over the objections of the ...
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New Shared Custody Support Guidelines

The Virginia General Assembly amended Section 20-108.2 of the Code of Virginia which sets forth guidelines for the determination of child support. Under the accepted statutory scheme for determining child support, the Virginia Child Support ...
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No Longer a Tug-of-War- Doctors and Attorneys Can Work Together for the Benefit of Their Patients and Clients

Doctors and other medical professionals are the main care providers for seriously disabled patients. But just as a physician turns to lab technicians, imaging experts, nurses and others perform related services, physicians ought to turn for help in ...
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Non-Tax Reasons For Having an Estate Plan

Under current federal law, a person may pass everything he or she owns to a surviving spouse without paying any federal estate, gift, or generation-skipping taxes. In addition, a person may currently pass up to $675,000 to anyone other than his ...
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Opening Meeting Laws

QUESTION 28. -CAN THE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONS VOTE BY SECRET BALLOT FOR THEIR CHAIRMAN? Yes. By specific statute County Boards of Commissioner must vote in the open and their votes recorded by individual except for their vote on who shall serve ...
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Ophthalmological Malpractice Cases

At a local auto mechanic's shop, a man pounds on a crank shaft with a ballpeen hammer in an attempt to loosen a part. Suddenly, a tiny piece of metal flies off and hits his unprotected eyes; he is not wearing goggles. It hurts and he presents ...
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