In 2003, state courts began to address the constitutionality of state statutes limiting marriage to heterosexual couples. Currently, federal law does not recognise same-sex marriages. This book discusses the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriages; the effect of same-sex marriage on social security benefits and pensions; same-sex adoptions; and examines homosexuals in the U.S. military.

This short helpful guide on the intricacies of Child Custody is written with the needs and wants of men in mind. Direct answers to the most asked questions, with explanations that are in regular English, make this book readable and useful. The case studies, and the Essays for Fathers are bonus features, that highlight the law of Child Custody.

In divorce, deciding what to do with the house can become a source of strife, confusion, and financial ruin. Most are unprepared for the legal and financial ramifications about keeping or selling their home their most important financial asset. Divorce is stressful enough by itself. In the midst of other traumas, many divorcing people discover that they aren't just married to a spouse they're also tied to their home and a mortgage, too. Their most financially and emotionally important asset can become a source of strife, confusion, anxiety and all too often, financial ruin. As they discover, it's not enough to divorce their former partner; they must divorce the house a treacherous process, fraught with risks and unexpected challenges. Navigating it successfully requires expert help and the kind of practical information provided in this book. Few people fully understand the complexities of real estate transactions, let alone their long-term ramifications. These matters take on even greater weight when they occur in the context of a wrenching, perhaps acrimonious breakup. The House Matters in Divorceis a comprehensive guide written by an expert in divorce real estate that addresses all these issues, from the emotional impact to the dollars-and-cents details. It provides a framework of knowledge that will empower divorcing spouses to emerge financially sound and prepared for the future. The result is a well-rounded view of what divorcing partners can expect, and concrete advice on how to manage the process. Laurel Starks lives with her husband and two boys in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

This short helpful guidebook is written for men with questions about what to expect in a divorce. It uses a clear, direct style without confusing legal terms, to answer the questions most men ask, providing real-world solutions to everyday situations. This book is designed for a man to go directly to the answers he needs about Real Property, Pensions, and Child Support or Custody. The case studies section describes real cases and results.

This book provides all the legal guides for all States including a set of divorce legal forms package. For all other legal forms, court documents and legal forms packages not included, please visit our lowest priced site on the web today where all legal forms, court documents and legal forms packages are especially priced the lowest on the web today. http: //www.alllegaldocuments.co

This Probate book provides all the forms and legal guides to help you understand the probate process from start to finish. All the forms and court documents are also provided to help save you thousands of dollars in legal fees. For all other legal forms and/or court documents not included due to content and page limitation, we invite you to visit our lowest priced site on the web where all legal forms, court documents and forms packages are especially priced at $39.99. www.alllegaldocuments.com

Military Divorce Tips, for the service member, the soon-to-be-former spouse, and their attorneys, provides a solid foundation for a basic understanding of military divorce issues. This efficient reference tool provides quick insight to the complexities involved without delving too heavily into the U.S. Codes themselves. At the same time, attorneys are able to use the footnotes if sources are needed for litigation. An awareness of the basics can lessen the economic and emotional turmoil of divorce. Consultations with financial advisors and divorce lawyers will be more productive, less time consuming, and less expensive after reading the topics included in this book.

A Father's Right to Custody is the first book of its kind; written by a lawyer from a legal perspective, for the fathers, their lawyers, judges, and experts who want to understand the law and how it operates in a child custody decision involving a father's decision to raise his children when the mother of the child decides otherwise. The book details by each state the law that applies in that state for an initial child custody determination as well as a change or modification of child custody. A significant aspect of the book is that it also contains a summary of every case in the country that addresses Parental Alienation; again organized by state. The book also includes articles by the founding, and some of the current leading expert psychologists, on the subject to explain the elements of Parental Alienation. About the author: Julia Luyster is licensed to practice law in Florida and Washington D.C. and soon will be licensed in Minnesota. She hopes that this book will help and console the many fathers she has met or talked to who are separated from their children against their will.

This second edition collection of Legal Letters written by Attorney Andrew Agatston to Children's Advocacy Centers, child advocates and detectives builds upon the 2009 book, "The Legal Eagles of Children's Advocacy Centers: A Lawyer's Guide to Soaring in the Courtroom." It is critical for Children's Advocacy Center professionals, and others who work on behalf of children who have alleged sexual abuse, to have a thorough understanding of the legal system and the legal rules and requirements that directly affect their professional responsibilities. This book is a second collection of Legal Letters that Mr. Agatston has written to his "Legal Eagles" as part of his weekly List Serv that now has subscribers in 35 states.

This book examines the potential impact of human rights in the way the law interacts with families. Traditionally family law has been dominated by consequentialist/utilitarian themes. The most notable example of this occurs in the law relating to children and the employment of the "welfare principle". This requires the court to focus on the welfare of the child as the paramount consideration. Hitherto the courts and, to a certain extent, family law academics, have firmly rejected the use of the language of rights, preferring the discretion and child-centred focus of welfare. However, the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights via the Human Rights Act now requires family law to deal more clearly with the competing rights that family members can hold. In addition, it is clear that, to date, the courts have largely ignored or minimised the different demands that the HRA imposes on the judiciary and, in particular, judicial reasoning. This book challenges that view and suggests ways in which the family courts may improve their reasoning in this field. No longer can cases be dealt with on the basis of a simple utilitarian calculation of what is in the best interests of the child and other family members - greater transparency is required. The book clarifies the different rights that family members can hold and, in particular, identifies ways in which it may be possible to deal with the clash of rights between family members that will inevitably occur. Whether this requires an abandonment of the utilitarian nature of family law, or a reworking of it, is a theme that runs throughout the book.

NOTE : This book is superceded by our 2nd edition, re-titled to "They're Your Kids Too: The Single Father's Guide to Defending Your Fatherhood in a Broken Family Law System" Our new edition includes new material (including on Parental Alienation), check lists, and a comprehensive directory of legal organizations in all 50 states - please order the new edition here: http: //www.amazon.com/Theyre-Your-Kids-Too-Fatherhood/dp/061551443X/ Or search Amazon for "They're Your Kids Too Defending Fatherhood"

Broken Family Law: In the Best Interests of the Minor Child, is Thomas A. Cherewick's contribution to anyone who has faced, or will be subjected to, the vagaries and unpredictability of the U.S. family law system. Two decades of being the Respondent in a child custody case give Cherewick the knowledge, expertise, and ammunition to deliver this no-holds-barred and highly enlightening book. More than a how-to guide, every section is about what works and what doesn't in a system that is flawed, often unfair, and undeniably broken. The author delivers important information about finding the right attorney and protecting oneself from setups, becoming well-versed in giving straightforward depositions and testimony, while juxtaposing against each informative point his frustrating encounters. Whether dealing with an ex, a divorce attorney, social worker or family law judge, Cherewick exposes how facts and the law are often manipulated for the good of one, often to the detriment of the child.

The 125 Questions every woman must ask
Helping readers to make rational decisions in an irrational time, this expert guide takes women through the practical issues of divorce--especially the things their lawyer may not reveal. When it comes to divorce, what you don't know CAN hurt you...and sometimes, women need more than just a lawyer's advice to help them through this complicated and confusing time. That's why divorce consultant Margery Rubin has created What Your Divorce Lawyer May Not Tell You, a unique guide for the woman working to stay afloat during one of the most difficult times of her life. Learn: - How to select the right lawyer and negotiate a price you can afford. - Why waiting to consult an attorney--even if you're not sure you're going to file for divorce--can be a costly mistake. - Where to look for important financial information that your spouse might be hiding. - How to build in "safeguards" to your custody agreement to prevent costly court battles later on. Packed with the author's expertise--gained first during the breakup of her own marriage to a top divorce attorney, and then as the founder of DivorceSource, a consulting firm dedicated to advising women on how to navigate divorce proceedings--this book gives women invaluable, step-by-step advice on everything they need to survive their marriage's end...and get on with the rest of their lives.

If you are like most people who are going through a divorce, you would prefer to keep things civil -- especially if you have children. Unfortunately, even relatively friendly breakups can become acrimonious once the courts get involved. Couples with the best of intentions find themselves paying their attorneys thousands of dollars to haggle over issues that, in the long run, really don t matter.

"Divorce Mediation from the Inside Out" presents a better option for couples who want to get on with their lives. Speaking from years of experience as a divorce mediator, Ora Schwartzberg explains why mediation not only costs substantially less than going to court, but also results in more relevant, fair resolutions. If you want to divorce with dignity and develop a blueprint for a satisfying life after your marriage ends, this book will set you on the right path.

This book examines the idea of 'parental responsibility' in English law and what is expected of a responsible parent. The scope of 'parental responsibility', a key concept in family law, is undefined and often ambiguous. Yet, to date, more attention has been paid to how individuals acquire parental responsibility than to the question of the rights, powers, duties and responsibilities they have once they obtain it. This book redresses the balance by providing the first sustained examination of the different elements of parental responsibility, bringing together leading scholars to comment on specific aspects of its operation. The book begins by exploring the conceptual underpinnings of parental responsibility in the context of parents' and children's rights. The analysis highlights the inherent constraints and limitations of 'parental responsibility' and how its scope has deliberately been curtailed in certain contexts. The book then considers what parental responsibility allows and requires in specific areas, for example, naming a child, education, religious upbringing, medical treatment, corporal punishment, dealing with any contracts entered into or property owned by the child, representing the child in legal proceedings, consenting to a child's marriage or civil partnership and the law's response to the death of a child. In the final section, the idea of the 'responsible parent' is considered in the contexts of child support, contact, tort, and criminal law.

Drawing from a wide range of material and socio-legal methods, this collection brings together original essays - written by internationally renowned scholars - investigating emerging patterns in the shape and form of the legal regulation of domestic relations. Taking as a focus the theme of 'caring and sharing, ' the collection includes chapters which reflect on: the changing contours of what we think of as 'domestic relations' * the impact that legal recognition carries in making visible some relationships rather than others * the potential for normative values carried within patterns of legal recognition and regulation * intersections between private law and public policy * the role of private law in the allocation of responsibility and privilege * the differential impact of seemingly progressive policies on economically vulnerable or socially marginal groupings * tensions between family law models and models carried within other fields of private law * and, unusually, architectures in law and the built environment designed to facilitate broader accounts of domestic relationships. This thoughtful, provocative, and wide-ranging collection will be a must for anyone, whatever their discipline background, interested in the insights and potential offered by a fresh engagement with the complexity of domestic relations and the law. It will also appeal to the general reader as it addresses topics of human interest, such as family, intimacy, and caring. (Series: Onati International Series in Law and Society

With many couples separating each year, the question of how to determine the financial and property consequences of such separation has always been a problem area within family law. Should the principles be the same for married and cohabiting couples? Should the division of assets reflect the parties' own expectations or norms imposed by society? These are just two of the questions which the essays in this collection seek to explore. Recent cases in the House of Lords have seen willingness on the part of the judges to seek out empirical studies to inform their deliberations, but if the law is to engage with empirical data then much more information is needed, both about the arrangements people make during their relationships, and about the impact of the law when a relationship breaks down. This inter-disciplinary work brings together leading academics in the fields of law, economics, sociology and psychology in an attempt to provide some of the missing empirical information. Part I sets out the legal framework and identifies the importance of empirical studies for this area. Part II examines how couples (whether cohabitants or spouses) manage their money during their relationships. Part III then considers the impact that the law currently has on separating couples - examining how legal principles translate into reality and what their consequences are for the parties. Finally, Part IV considers the issue of legal rationality: it may be rational for the law to be shaped by patterns of behaviour, but how far will individual couples allow their behaviour to be shaped by the law?

The role of the law in settling family disputes has been a matter of particular debate over the past twenty-five years. In keeping with the general public perception, the media has been largely critical about the role of lawyers in family law matters, sustaining a general lack of confidence in the legal profession, and a more specific feeling that in family matters lawyers aggravate conflict or even represent a female conspiracy. The climate in which family lawyers practise in England and Wales is therefore a harsh one. The authors of this path-breaking study felt it was time to find out more about the contribution of barristers in family law cases. They therefore embarked on a careful study of the Family Law Bar, its characteristics, what its members do, and how their activities contribute to the management or resolution of family disputes. Much of the study is comprised of an in-depth examination of the day-to-day activity of members of the family law bar through observation of individual barristers as they performed their role in the context of a court hearing, In attempting to answer questions such as whether our family justice system is excessively adversarial, or whether family barristers earn too much from human unhappiness, or indeed whether those working in the front line of child protection earn enough, the authors reach some surprising conclusions.'The barrister is both mentor and guide for the client' is how they begin their conclusion; 'we hope that we have shown that society should value their contribution better' is how they finish.

These essays explore the nature and limits of individual autonomy in law, policy and the work of regulatory agencies. Authors ask searching questions about the nature and scope of the regulation of 'private' lives, from intimacies, personal relationships and domestic lives to reproduction. They question the extent to which the law does, or should, protect individual autonomy. Recent rapid advances in the development of new technologies - particularly those concerned with human genetics and assisted reproduction - have generated new questions (practical, social, legal and ethical) about how far the state should intervene in individual decision making. Is there an inevitable tension between individual liberty and the common good? How might a workable balance between the public and the private be struck? How, indeed, should we think about 'autonomy'? The essays explore the arguments used to create and maintain the boundaries of autonomy - for example, the protection of the vulnerable, public goods of various kinds, and the maintenance of tradition and respect for cultural practices. Contributors address how those boundaries should be drawn and interventions justified. How are contemporary ethical debates about autonomy constructed, and what principles do they embody? What happens when those principles become manifest in law?

Learn to resolve problems divorcing couples often face, including disagreements over physical and legal custody, the primary residential schedule, child access and visitation, telephone contact, day care dilemmas, holidays and vacations, interacting with school officials, teachers, doctors and therapists as well as access to medical and educational records, sports involvement, participation in special events and extracurricular activities, financial woes and parent to parent communication difficulties. A uniquely informative, child focused, thought provoking, inspirational and lightly entertaining book full of sound and sensible legal, parental, practical and situational guidance. The author survived his own gut wrenching high-conflict child custody battle and shares his knowledge and wisdom to immediately and effectively assist you. The collaborative divorce model is introduced and many valuable resources, including sample parenting agreements and collaborative contracts, are included.