Family Law area
Family law: Use family law to help the ones you care about! See information below or if you need fast, reliable online legal advice and help, click "ASK OUR LAWYERS" above. This area of law also covers: Elder and Juvenile laws.
Legal Tip of the Week
Divorce: free legal advice, forms
By Mary Allen [June 4th, 2023]
Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. In some states, divorce is called dissolution or dissolution of marriage. A divorce usually includes division of marital property and, if necessary, arrangements for child custody and support. It leaves both people free to marry again. A legal separation results when the parties separate and a court rules on the division of property, alimony, child support, custody and visitation-but does not grant a divorce. The money awarded for support of the spouse and children under these circumstances is often called separate maintenance (as opposed to alimony and child support). >> MORE
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FAQs
Your most common questions answered:
- Family law: Should I have a will?
- [January 21st 2018]
- It is always preferable to have a will. A will states your preference as to the disposition of your estate. A will can and should be changed as your circumstances and preferences change. Even if you take measures to avoid probate, you should have a will as a back-up. A person who dies with a will is said to have died testate. A person who dies without a will dies intestate. In either case, the person who dies is called the decedent, and the property the person leaves at death is called the his or her estate.
- What U.S. states allow common law marriage?
- [April 13th 2010]
- [Common-law marriage or common law marriage] All U.S. jurisdictions recognize common-law marriages where they have been validly contracted in another jurisdiction that still permits the common law contract of a marriage. Only a dozen jurisdictions, however, still permit marriages to be contracted in this way. They are: Alabama (AL), Colorado (CO), the District of Columbia (DC), Iowa (IA), Kansas (KS), Montana (MT), Oklahoma (OK), Rhode Island (RI) and Providence Plantations, South Carolina (SC), Texas (TX), and Utah (UT). Additionally, New Hampshire (NH) recognises common-law marriage solely for probate purposes.
- What is community property?
- [November 21st 2013]
- Community property is defined as property owned by a husband and wife residing in a community property state. Because of their marital status, both husband and wife have an undivided one-half interest in the community property. There are nine community property states: Arizona (AZ), California (CA), Idaho (ID), Louisiana (LA), Nevada (NV), New Mexico (NM), Texas (TX), Washington (WA) and Wisconsin (WI). In addition, Puerto Rico is a community property jurisdiction. Need more info? Click "Ask Our Lawyers" at the top of this page.
