What is legal family law? Family law is the area of law that governs relationships between a husband and wife, parents and their children, grandparents and grandchildren, and also embraces relationships such as those between an employee and his employer or a partner in business with the same company. It is also responsible for adjudicating marriage and domestic partnerships, civil unions, and immigration issues. In these instances, the lawyer represents either one of the parties to the dispute, the aggrieved spouse, or the applicant for immigration status.
When and how did family law come into existence? Family courts began functioning in 1534, the first session of the English Constitution. This was the first national body devoted exclusively to civil matters, including laws regulating marriage, divorce, adoption, and property ownership. Prior to this time, there were local courts-town halls where local laws were practiced. The primary function of these courts was to settle disputes involving property, including who owned lands, and other property disputes. They also tried civil cases, including common-law suits and actions by individuals on their own behalf.
What is legal custody in family law? Custody is the responsibility, right, and power (most often, in the male’s hands) to make decisions about child custody, child raising, and religious upbringing of the children under his legal authority. A mother or father may appoint, through their Cain and Herren family law attorney Maui, a judge to make decisions about these matters. In many jurisdictions, the father or mother has the right, through their attorney, to participate in legal proceedings, to be represented in court, and to have access to legal counsel.
What is legal custody for mothers and fathers? In most jurisdictions, a mother has the legal right to care for her children. A father has the responsibility of financially supporting his family and generally has the care and supervision of his children. A father can lose this parental control if he cohabitates with his wife or a woman with whom he had sexual relations before the marriage. If a mother begins to live with a man other than her husband, she loses her parental rights.
What is legal custody for step-parents? A step-parent is a parent that takes the children or younger relatives of another parent and becomes a step parent. For step-parents, the best interest of the child is always considered and any infringements on that consideration are taken very seriously. A mother and father can have joint legal custody or sole custody over their children, depending on the situation.
What is legal custody for grandparents? Grandparents retain legal rights and responsibilities for the children regardless of the ages of the children. Depending on the relationship of the grandchildren to their grandparents, the courts can grant full legal and physical custody to the grandparents or allow the grandparents to have a substantial and continuing role in the life of the grandchildren.
What is legal custody for a step-parent? A step-parent is one who is not married or not biological. In family law, a step-parent has no right or responsibility for the children. He may visit them, but he is not legally responsible for them. However, if the step parent is abusive and neglectful of the children, he may be removed from the children’s custody.
What is legal custody for a foster parent? A foster parent is one who is not connected to the biological parents of a child or children. The children may live with the foster parents, go to live with them or be adopted by them. The courts can grant full legal and physical custody to the foster parents or establish guardianship over the children.