Family law

Family law

Law that deals with family-related issues such as spousal abuse, legitimacy, adoption, surrogacy, child abuse, and child abduction.

Industry: Legal services

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Family law

A professional who is appointed to actually represent your children in the case. This means that he or she becomes a party to the case and may not always agree with the parents about what is in the ...

Hearsay

Legal services; Family law

Hearsay is a statement that is not made in the courtroom and that is presented to the judge as a true statement. Most hearsay cannot be evidence, but there are many exceptions to this rule. These are ...

Judge

Legal services; Family law

The specially trained and qualified person who runs a courtroom, decides all legal questions, and decides entire case in areas such as family law where there is no jury.

Pre-hearing brief

Legal services; Family law

A written summary or statement explaining your position or a particular issue to the judge. The pre-hearing brief states the facts, evidence, and legal arguments that you plan to present at a hearing ...

Appeal

Legal services; Family law

A losing party may ask a higher court to review a lower court's decision - this is called "taking an appeal. " Appeals normally focus on questions of law as applied in the case, not questions of ...

Venue

Legal services; Family law

The local court where your case should be filed. Jurisdiction is controlled by strict rules, but venue is often left to the discretion of the judge.

Settlement

Legal services; Family law

An agreement of all terms reached through negotiation by parties involved in a legal dispute. If you think you have settled your case, you may file a motion to request a hearing to put your ...