Family Law for Paralegals

by Ehrlich, J. Shoshanna

• ISBN13: 9780735524439
• ISBN10: 0735524432
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: Wolters Kluwer

Summary

FAMILY LAW FOR PARALEGALS, Second Edition, helps you train your students for their future professional roles.

Table of Contents

List of Exhibits	p. xi
Preface	p. xxvii
Acknowledgments	p. xxix
Marriage	p. 1
Marriage: Regulating the Relationship	p. 1
Common Law Origins	p. 1
The Civil Law Tradition	p. 3
The Married Women's Property Acts	p. 3
The Move to Legal Equality	p. 5
Entrance Into Marriage: Choosing a Spouse	p. 7
Marriage as a Fundamental Right	p. 7
Restrictions upon Entry into Marriage	p. 8
Marriage Formalities	p. 18
Procedural Requirements	p. 18
Consequences of Failure to Comply with Technical Requirements	p. 20
Common Law Marriage	p. 21
Formation Requirements and Consequences	p. 21
Interstate Recognition	p. 22
Saving Devices	p. 23
Chapter Summary	p. 23
Key Terms	p. 24
Review Questions	p. 24
Discussion Questions	p. 25
Assignments	p. 26
Cases for Analysis	p. 26
Endnotes	p. 37
Premarital Agreements	p. 39
The Traditional Approach	p. 39
The Growing Acceptance of Premarital Agreements	p. 41
Legal Requirements	p. 42
Threshold Considerations	p. 42
The Fairness Requirement	p. 42
Sample Agreement with Explanatory Notes and Drafting Considerations	p. 50
Chapter Summary	p. 56
Key Terms	p. 57
Review Questions	p. 57
Discussion Questions	p. 58
Assignments	p. 58
Cases for Analysis	p. 59
Endnotes	p. 68
Legal Recognition of Nonmarital Families	p. 69
The Rights of Cohabiting Couples	p. 72
The Traditional Response: Beyond the Pale of the Law	p. 72
The Marvin Decision	p. 73
Comment on the Availability of Other Documents to Establish Rights Between Unmarried Partners	p. 78
Sample Cohabitation Agreement with Explanatory Text	p. 78
Domestic Partnership Initiatives	p. 84
Qualifications and Registration Requirements	p. 84
Eligibility for Benefits	p. 85
Beyond Tangible Benefits: Conferring a Status	p. 87
Looking at the Debate	p. 88
The Functional Family Approach	p. 89
The Braschi Case	p. 89
The Significance of the Decision	p. 90
Adult Adoption	p. 91
Chapter Summary	p. 92
Key Terms	p. 93
Review Questions	p. 93
Discussion Questions	p. 94
Assignments	p. 95
Cases for Analysis	p. 96
Endnotes	p. 109
Domestic Violence	p. 111
The Traditional Approach	p. 111
Early Reform Impulses	p. 113
The Present Legal Approach to Domestic Violence	p. 114
Obtaining Civil Orders of Protection Under Abuse Prevention Laws	p. 115
Qualifying Relationships	p. 116
Covered Conduct	p. 119
Available Remedies	p. 120
Court Procedure: Obtaining Protective Orders	p. 124
Enforcement	p. 128
The Federal Response to Domestic Violence: The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)	p. 133
Working with Victims of Domestic Violence	p. 134
Chapter Summary	p. 135
Key Terms	p. 136
Review Questions	p. 136
Discussion Questions	p. 138
Assignments	p. 138
Cases for Analysis	p. 139
Endnotes	p. 146
The Law of Divorce, Annulment, and Legal Separation	p. 149
Historical Overview	p. 149
Religious Underpinnings	p. 150
The American Experience	p. 151
Fault Divorce: Common Grounds and Defenses	p. 153
Divorce Grounds	p. 153
Defenses	p. 155
No-Fault Divorce	p. 157
The Underpinnings of Reform	p. 157
No-Fault Laws	p. 158
The Divorce "Counter Revolution"	p. 160
The Law of Annulment	p. 164
Distinguished from Divorce	p. 164
Grounds	p. 165
Consequences of an Annulment Decree	p. 166
Legal Separation	p. 168
Chapter Summary	p. 169
Key Terms	p. 170
Review Questions	p. 171
Discussion Questions	p. 172
Assignments	p. 172
Cases for Analysis	p. 173
Endnotes	p. 180
Child Custody	p. 183
Evolving Legal Standards	p. 183
Paternal Preference	p. 183
The Shift to Maternal Custody	p. 184
The Modern Best Interest Test	p. 185
The Primary Caretaker Presumption	p. 197
Allocation of Custodial Rights and Responsibilities	p. 199
Physical and Legal Custody Distinguished	p. 200
Sole and Joint Custody Distinguished	p. 200
Taking a Closer Look at Custodial Arrangements	p. 201
Parenting Plans and Education	p. 202
The Joint Custody Controversy	p. 203
The Noncustodial Parent	p. 205
The Legal Status of a Noncustodial Parent	p. 205
Visitation Rights	p. 206
Interview Checklist	p. 206
Post-Divorce Custody and Visitation Disputes	p. 210
Disputes About Custody	p. 211
Disputes About Visitation	p. 211
Relocation Disputes	p. 212
Determining Custodial and Visitation Rights of "Nonparents"	p. 213
Grandparents	p. 214
Stepparents	p. 216
Co-Parents	p. 218
Chapter Summary	p. 220
Key Terms	p. 221
Review Questions	p. 221
Discussion Questions	p. 223
Assignments	p. 224
Cases for Analysis	p. 225
Endnotes	p. 246
Child Support	p. 249
Historical Overview	p. 250
The Administrative Framework for the Establishment and Enforcement of Child Support Orders	p. 251
The Federal Office of Child Support Enforcement	p. 251
At the State Level: The IV-D Agency	p. 251
Eligibility for IV-D Services	p. 251
Locating Absent Parents	p. 252
Child Support Guidelines	p. 253
Enforcing the Support Obligation	p. 270
Data Collection and Sharing	p. 271
Interstate Cases	p. 274
The Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA) and the Full Faith and Credit for Child Support Orders Act (FFCCSOA)	p. 275
Enforcement Under State Law Procedures	p. 276
Criminal Nonsupport	p. 276
Contempt	p. 277
Modification and Adjustment of Support Awards	p. 277
Modification Based on Changed Circumstances	p. 278
The Review and Adjustment Procedure	p. 279
Duration of the Parental Support Obligation	p. 279
Termination of Support Prior to Majority	p. 280
Extension of Support Beyond Majority	p. 281
Tax Implications	p. 282
Characterization of Child Support Payments	p. 282
The Dependency Exemption and Child Tax Credit	p. 283
Chapter Summary	p. 284
Key Terms	p. 285
Review Questions	p. 285
Discussion Questions	p. 287
Assignments	p. 288
Cases for Analysis	p. 290
Endnotes	p. 296
Spousal Support	p. 299
Historical Overview	p. 299
English Roots: Alimony and Fault	p. 299
Alimony on the Eve of the No-Fault Reform Era	p. 300
Impact of No-Fault Reform	p. 301
Property Division as the Primary Distributive Event	p. 301
Shifting the Focus from Moral to Economic Considerations	p. 301
Degendering the Support Obligation	p. 302
Shifting from an Assumption of Female Economic Dependence to an Assumption of Economic Self-Sufficiency	p. 302
Critique of the "Clean Break" Approach	p. 302
Support Determinations	p. 304
Factors to Be Considered	p. 304
Interview Checklist	p. 306
Support Models	p. 307
The Professional Degree Cases	p. 309
The Availability of Medical Insurance	p. 313
Post-Divorce Modification and Termination of Support	p. 313
The General Concept	p. 313
Modifiability of Specific Types of Support	p. 314
Specific Situations	p. 315
Agreement of the Parties to Prohibit Modification	p. 317
Enforcement of Support Awards	p. 317
Bankruptcy and the Support Obligation	p. 318
Tax Consequences	p. 319
The Basic Rule of Includibility/Deductibility	p. 319
Chapter Summary	p. 321
Key Terms	p. 322
Review Questions	p. 322
Discussion Questions	p. 324
Assignments	p. 324
Cases for Analysis	p. 326
Endnotes	p. 334
Division of Marital Property	p. 337
Overview of the Two Marital Property Systems	p. 337
The Community Property Approach	p. 337
The Common Law Approach	p. 339
The Property Distribution Process	p. 341
Defining Property	p. 342
Classification of Property	p. 345
Valuation	p. 351
Distribution	p. 353
Tax Consequences	p. 358
Chapter Summary	p. 359
Key Terms	p. 359
Review Questions	p. 360
Discussion Questions	p. 362
Assignments	p. 363
Cases for Analysis	p. 365
Endnotes	p. 373
Jurisdiction	p. 375
Overview of Subject Matter and Personal Jurisdiction	p. 375
Subject Matter Jurisdiction	p. 375
Personal Jurisdiction	p. 376
Jurisdiction and the Divorce Action	p. 377
Does the Court Have Jurisdiction to Dissolve the Marriage?	p. 377
Does the Court Have Jurisdiction to Award Support?	p. 378
Does the Court Have Jurisdiction to Divide Property?	p. 379
Does the Court Have Jurisdiction to Determine Custody?	p. 380
Chapter Summary	p. 384
Key Terms	p. 385
Review Questions	p. 386
Discussion Questions	p. 387
Assignments	p. 387
Cases for Analysis	p. 388
Endnotes	p. 397
The Divorce Process	p. 399
The Initial Client Interview	p. 399
The Emotional Context	p. 400
Conducting the Client Interview	p. 400
The Divorce Action: Initial Steps and Discovery	p. 410
The Initial Steps	p. 410
Discovery	p. 427
The Middle Phase: Moving Toward Resolution or Trial	p. 448
Motions for Temporary Relief	p. 449
Approaches to Dispute Resolution	p. 457
Reaching a Resolution: The Separation Agreement	p. 463
The Divorce Hearing	p. 479
The Uncontested Case	p. 481
The Contested Case	p. 482
Post-Divorce Proceedings	p. 484
Post-Trial Motions	p. 484
Appeals	p. 485
The Complaint for Modification	p. 487
The Complaint for Contempt	p. 490
Chapter Summary	p. 490
Key Terms	p. 493
Review Questions	p. 494
Discussion Questions	p. 497
Assignments	p. 498
Endnotes	p. 501
Children of Unmarried Parents	p. 503
The Emerging Legal Status of Children of Unmarried Parents	p. 503
Common Law Status: A Child of No One	p. 503
Early American Reform Efforts	p. 504
Constitutional Developments	p. 505
Establishing Paternity	p. 512
Paternity and Legitimation Distinguished	p. 512
The Adjudication of Paternity	p. 512
Following the Determination of Paternity	p. 518
Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity	p. 518
Paternity Claims Involving Sperm Donors	p. 521
Sperm Donation and the Married Couple	p. 521
Sperm Donation and the Unmarried Woman	p. 522
Chapter Summary	p. 523
Key Terms	p. 524
Review Questions	p. 524
Discussion Questions	p. 524
Assignments	p. 526
Cases for Analysis	p. 527
Endnotes	p. 537
Child Abuse and Neglect	p. 541
Historical Overview	p. 542
The Colonial Period	p. 542
The Emergence of the Privatized Family	p. 543
Child Rescue: Preventing Curelty to Children	p. 543
The Child Protective System	p. 545
Defining Abuse and Neglect	p. 546
The Reporting of Suspected Abuse or Neglect	p. 550
Screening and Investigation	p. 551
Substantiated Cases: Federal Law and the "Reasonable Efforts" Requirement	p. 552
Removal of a Child	p. 554
Chapter Summary	p. 556
Key Terms	p. 557
Review Questions	p. 557
Discussion Questions	p. 559
Assignments	p. 560
Cases for Analysis	p. 561
Endnotes	p. 572
Adoption	p. 575
Historical Overview	p. 575
The Distinction Between Agency and Independent Adoptions	p. 577
Agency Adoptions	p. 577
Independent Adoptions	p. 578
The Adoption Process	p. 579
Adoption Based on Parental Consent or Relinquishment	p. 579
Adoption Based on the Involuntary Termination of Parental Rights	p. 582
The Adoption Placement	p. 583
The Adoption	p. 586
The Changing Nature of Adoption: Open Adoption and Access to Adoption Records	p. 587
Open Adoption	p. 588
Access to Adoption Records	p. 588
Adoption in Specific Situations	p. 589
Stepparent Adoptions	p. 590
Same-Sex Couples and Second-Parent Adoptions	p. 591
Adoption and Unwed Fathers	p. 592
Transracial Adoption	p. 596
Adoption Abrogation and the Tort of Wrongful Adoption	p. 598
Chapter Summary	p. 599
Key Terms	p. 600
Review Questions	p. 601
Discussion Questions	p. 603
Assignments	p. 604
Cases for Analysis	p. 605
Endnotes	p. 613
Glossary	p. 617
Index	p. 637
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