Family Law Essays

CivilCourtsprefertoremainimpartialtowardsparentalreligiousbeliefsandpracticeswhen determiningwhatisinthebestinterestofachild.Yet,caselawmakesitclearthatthereligious practicesoftheparentsandtheproposedcourseofreligiouseducationmaybecomerelevantfactors forthecourttoconsiderindeterminingcustodyorvisitation.Recentstatisticsindicatethatthe divorcerateintheUnitedStateshasreachedfiftypercentandshowsnosignofdecline.Pollsshow thatAmericansarebecomemorereligiousandthatbi–religiousmarriagesareontherise.Whenthe parentinformstheattorneythattheopposingpartywillattempttousehisorherreligiousbeliefs, practices,orshowmorecontent

Themediator'sjobistohelpthespousesnegotiateanagreementthateachofthemconsidersfair enoughtoaccept.Bypersonallyparticipatinginthecreationoftheirownagreement,couplesin divorcemediationmaximizetheircontroloverthedissolutionoftheirmarriageThisreducesthe probabilityofpost–divorcedisputesandincreasesthelikelihoodofpost–divorcecompliance.

Moreover,thestressandanxietyassociatedwithseparationanddivorce,particularlyforchildren, canbereduced.Participationinmediationassistsparentsinaffirmingtheiraffectionandconcernfor thechildrenandcanreducethenormalfearsandanxietiesofchildrenconcerningthe "loss"ofoneparentResearchindicatesthatthesuccessfuladjustmentofchildren followingseparationanddivorceisdirectlyrelatedtothelevelofcooperationbetweenparentsand theircontinuedinvolvementinthelivesoftheirchildren.Mediationencouragesparticipantstosee themselvesandeachotherascapableparentswithacontinuingresponsibilitytoplantogetherfor thefutureoftheirchildrenastheynegotiateasolutionthatissatisfactorytobothparentsbynotjust lookingatafixedpiebutcreatingsolutionsthatarebeneficialtobothpartiesbyexpandingthepie especiallyconcerningissuesconcerningreligion.

Negotiationcanbedefinedasacommunicationsprocessusedtoputdealstogetherandto

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No-FaultDivorce

No–faultdivorcehasbeenalegaldevelopmentwhichhasbeenattheforefrontofmajordebatefor manyyearsnow.Thefirstmajordevelopmentinregardstono–faultwasPart2oftheFamilyLaw Act1996whichsoughttointroducedano–faultdivorcesystemintheUK,butthiswasneverfully implemented.Themainaimofthispieceoflegislationwastoreducetheamountconflictina broken–downmarriageandwastoprovideawayoutfortheseindividualswhichdidnotinvolvethe needfurtherconflict.

ThemostrecentdevelopmentinthisareaoffamilylawwastheintroductionoftheNo–Fault DivorceBilltoParliamentinOctober2015undertheten–minuterule.Thisbillsoughttointroduce aprovisionforthedissolutionofamarriageorshowmorecontent

Ifatleastonespousecandemonstratethatthemarriagehasirretrievablybrokenorthatthereexists irreconcilabledifferencesorincompatibilityadivorceisgranted.Consentofbothspousesisnot necessaryConsequently,eachspousepossessesarighttodivorceunderno–faultprinciplesDavid Emmerson,chairmanofResolution'slegalaidcommitteeandapartnerateastLondonfirmEdwards Duthie,said,'Divorceoughttobeassimpleaprocessasgettingmarried.Itshouldbenofaultandno details.'However,ifthisweretobethecasethentheinstitutionofmarriagewouldbenearnon–existentandthesanctitywouldbe

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FamilyLaw

Meta:Familylawistheareaoflawthatdealsdirectlywithissuesimpactingfamilies.Thiscan includecasesinvolvingmatterssuchasdivorce,adoption,andchildabuse.

Familylawisabroadfieldoflegalpracticethatencompassesmanydifferentissuesimpacting familytoday.Someofthelegalcasesthatwillfullunderthejurisdictionoffamilylawinclude: divorce,childsupport,adoption,custodyarrangements,paternity,terminationofparentalrights,and childabuseandneglect.

WhatIsTheJobofAFamilyLawyer?

Aswithotherareaoflaw,theprimarydutyofafamilylawyerwillbetoadvisetheirclientsoftheir legalrightsandrepresenttheminacourtoflaws.Formanyofthoseinvolvedinafamilylawcase, thiswillbeoneofthemoststressful...showmorecontent...

Sarah,afamilylawattorney,startsherdaywithreturnphonecallsandemailsfromclientsregarding matterssuchasdisputesoverchildcustodyarrangements.Muchoftherestofthemorningisspent preparingtogotocourtfordifferenthearingsandmotionsscheduledforlaterintheday.Shemany alsomeetwithaprospectiveorcurrentclient.Afterlunch,shethenspendsseveralhoursinfamily court.Someofthehearingsareshort–tenminutesorless–bothotherscanlastanhourortwo,or more

WhatKindofEmploymentOpportunitiesarethereinFamilyLaw?

Employmentopportunitiesinfamilylawaregrowing,inpartbecausedivorcerateshaverisen significantlyinrecentdecades.Thereisalsoafairlyhighturn–overrateinfamilylaw,asitcanbe anemotionallydifficultlegalfield.

Ifyouareinterestedinfamilylaw,youshouldtakemultiplefamilylawcoursesinlawschoolAfter youhavereceivedyourdegree,thereshouldbemanyopportunitiesavailabletointernatservice organizations,suchasthosethatofferprobonolegaladviceandrepresentation.

WhatKindofSkillsAreNecessaryinFamily

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AustralianFamilyLaw

"Societymovesaheadandthelawlimpsbehind"Discussthisreferringtocontemporaryissuesin familySociety'sopinionsareconstantly,andrapidlychanging,andconsequentlythisposes significantchallengestothefamilylawsysteminAustralia.Afamilyisasocialunitcontaining individualsrelatedbyblood,marriageorotherlegallyrecognisedrelationships.Familylawreforms havebeenimplementedoverthepastthreedecades,entailingtherecognitionofsamesexcouples Furthermore,astatutorypresumptionofsharedparenting–asinstigatedbysociety'stransitioning values–displaysthechangingnatureofparentalresponsibility.Notonlyaresociety'sviews progressing,butsurrogacyandbirthtechnologiesareshowmorecontent

Thus,theactcanbeunenforceableattimes,asseeninthearticle,"Notsoequalwhenitcomesto super"(StarObserver,Lamont,Ani,2008)Thatsaid,theactenablestheprotectionofindividuals' rightstobefreeofdiscriminationonthebasisofsexualpreferences.Furthermore,itmeetssociety's needstoseeequalityamongstsamesexrelationships,whichisevidentinasurveyconcluding72% ofSydneyresidentsareinfavourofgaymarriageLawreformisconsideredproactivewithrelation tosurrogacyandbirthtechnologies,asmethodsofconceptionmustbepermittedbeforetheyare conducted.Surrogacy,whichoccurswhenonewomanagreestofallpregnantandbearachildfora couple,isillegalinNSWwhenthewomanispaidafeeoraward,undertheAssistedReproductive TechnologyAct2007(NSW).Hence,surrogacymustbealtruistic.Furthermore,theSurrogacyAct 2010(NSW)nowcriminalisesaninternationaljourneyforcommercialsurrogacyThissuggeststhe lawissuccessfulinmeetingsociety'sneedsforchildrennottobeperceivedas,"commodities." However,thislogicisdisputed;whywouldonepayfora"commodity,"whichwillreapnofinancial gain?TheonlyreasonseemstobethepersonalrewardofbondingwithachildThus,thelegislation canspawn ...Getmorecontent...

AustralianFamilyLawEssays

Inthisdayandagetherearemanyvariationsofwhatconstitutesacoupleorfamilyincomparisonto manyyearsago.Longagotheideaofa'nuclearfamily'wasconsideredthenorm;itconsistedofthe conventionalhusband,wifeandchildren.Butasoursocietyprogressedthroughtheyearsthis definitionbecamelessconventionalandcriticismsweremade,thisdefinitionof'family'didnot accountforgayunions,soulparentsnordiditacknowledgetheprevalenceofextendedfamilyThe definitionoffamilyhaschangedovertime,ashavethesociallydefinedrolesofmothersandfathers. Withinthesevariedfamilyunits,situationsoccurinwhichdivorcesandseparationstakeplaceanda lotofthetimesthesetrickysituationsmayshowmorecontent

ThishistoricaldefinitionwasderivedfromthecaseofHydevHydeandWoodmansee(1866)and denotesmonogamous,heterosexualrelationships;thisrestrictionontheterm'marriage'has preventedtheparliamentfromlegislatinginrespecttode–factoandhomosexualcouples.However theVictorianParliamenthasdevelopedtheRelationshipsAct2008(Vic)whichrecognisesand registerstherelationshipsbetweentwopeoplewhoaren'tmarriedirrespectiveofonesgender Intheyear2010therewhere50,240divorcesgrantedinAustraliaalone.UndertheFamilyLaw Act(FLA)adivorcecannotbefiledwithinthefirsttwoyearsofthelifeofthemarriagewithout courtpermission,unlessacertificateisfiledwiththeapplication.Thiscertificatewouldstatethe twoindividualshaveconsideredreconcilingwithamarriagecounsellororanappropriateofficerof thefamilycourtTherearethreemaingroundsfordivorce,whicharelistedundersections48to50 oftheFLA;itisaskedwhetherthe'consortiumvitae',thelifebloodofthemarriagehasended.

Whenacoupleisdivorcingtherearemanyfactorstobetakenintoconsideration;suchas,division ofpropertyandotherassetsandmostimportantlychildren.Since2007theFamilyrelationship centrehasbeenthefirststopforfamilydisputes,thereareover60centres

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Self-RepresentedLitigants

SELF–REPRESENTEDLITIGANTS

NEWMEXICOSTATEWIDECONFERENCEPERSPECTIVESONTHEPROSE PHENOMENON:

SCRIPTFORAPANELDISCUSSIONNote:TheaboveScriptwaspreparedbyJohnGreacen, DirectoroftheNewMexicoAdministrativeOfficeoftheCourts,fortheNewMexicoConference onProSe,presentedinJanuary2001.TheScript,whilenotnecessarilyreflectingtheactual workshop,providesanexcellentsummaryof,andintroductiontothisimportantissue.

Amongtheissuesdiscussedbeloware: Fromthejudge'sandcourtstaffperspective:

·lackofunderstandingofrulesofprocedure,rulesofevidence,andcourtroomprotocolbyself–representedlitigants

·papersarenotcompleteorcorrectcausingdelayinthecourtroom showmorecontent

SelfHelpStaff:Ourdataisverylimitedatthispoint.TheSelf–RepresentedLitigantsWorking Groupdistributedsurveystothecourtslastfallinanattempttogathersomedataonself–representation.Many,butnotall,jurisdictionscontributedinput.Forthemostpart,resultsarebased onresponsesfromself–representedlitigantsinthedistrictcourtsandmetropolitancourt.The surveysrevealedthatmostself–representedlitigantswerefemale,54%werebetweentheagesof22 –40,and61%haddependents.66%oftheself–representedlitigantscompletedhighschool,and 58%reportedthattheylivedinanurbanarea.

Theracialandethniccompositionofself–representedlitigantswereself–reportedasfollows:38% Caucasian,47%Hispanic,6%NativeAmerican,and3%AfricanAmerican.

Oftheself–representedlitigantsinthesurvey,41%earnedlessthan$15Kannually.33%earned between$15Kto$30K.7%earnedbetween30Kto$45K,and6%earnedover45K.Incomedata wasnotavailablefor10%oftheself–representedlitigantsinthesurvey.

Moderator:Didthesurveysprovideanyinsightsintothetypesofcasesinvolved,orwhythe litigantschosetorepresentthemselves?

SelfHelpStaff:Theoverwhelmingnumberofsurveys(76%)involveddomesticrelationscases. 30%ofthelitigantsreportedthattheydidconsultwithanattorneyabouttheirsituation,but79% reportedthattheychosetorepresentthemselvesbecausetheycouldn'taffordan

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FamilyBreakdown

Manyproblemsaffectoursociety,andeachproblempresentsuswithdifferentchallengesand obstacles.Themostprevalentoftheseproblemsarecrime,poverty,andpooreducation. Collectively,societylookstowardthegovernmenttointerveneandfindasolutiontothese problems.Thisiseasilyillustratedbyreflectingbacktoourlastpresidentialelection.Thetwo candidates,GeorgeBushandAlGore,gavetheirviewsandoutlinedtheagendastheyhopedto implementinordertoresolvesociety'sproblemsMrGoreproposedthatwegivemoreeconomic relieftoindividualstoincreasetheireconomicstatus,therebyreducingtheneedforcrimeand providingmoreopportunityforenhancededucation.Thisbeliefshowmorecontent

Thelikelihoodthatayoungmalewillengageincriminalactivitydoublesifheisraisedwithouta fatherandtriplesifhelivesinaneighborhoodwithahighconcentrationofsingle–parentfamilies" Noonewillarguethatfamiliesareimportanttosociety,buthowcanonestopthecyclicaleffectof dysfunctionalfamilies.Sincethisisasocietalproblem,onemustaddresshowsocietycandealwith theproblemthroughgovernmentpolicy.Divorceisontherise.Societyusedtodefinemarriageasa union,beforeGod,betweenamanandawoman.Governmentlicensedthisreligiousuniontomake itabindinglegalcontract.Marriagewasseenasalifetimecommitment'forbetterorforworse'and therewerefewthingsthatwerestrongenoughtobreakthatbondTodayhowever,couplesare findingiseasiertogetdivorced.Governmenthasplayedaroleinthisbypermittingno–fault divorce,whichallowsunilateraldivorcefornoreasonatall.Ineffect,thecontractualobligationof themaritalunionhasbeentakenawayOursocietyhassufferedfromthisPeopletodayaremore interestedinthemselvesandtheirownfeelings,leavingthemblindtotheeffecttheiractionshaveon others,eventheirownchildren.Aschildrengrowupandseemoredivorces,orevenexperiencea divorceintheirfamily,theylearnbyexamplethatgivinguponamarriageisplausible,acceptable, andevenrewardinginsome

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Towhatextentisthisanaccuratesummaryofthelawonparentalresponsibility?Considerwhether compulsoryjointbirthregistrationinthecaseofunmarriedfatherswouldbeahelpfulreform.

TheChildren'sActdefinesparentalresponsibilityas"alltherights,duties,powers,responsibilities andauthoritywhichbylawaparentofachildhasinrelationtothechildandhisproperty".Thelaw doesnottellusexactlywhatthismeansbutinabroadsenseitisfairlyclearwhatismeantbythis 'Itismucheasiertodefinea'normal'family–ahusbandandwifeandthechildrenoftheirmarriage –thanitistodefinethepowersandshowmorecontent

Acaseofafouryearoldthatdidnotwantcontactwiththeirfatherandwasfearfulofhimthiswas takenintoaccountandtheorderforparentalresponsibilitywasrefused.Followingfromthetwo casesitshowsthatcourtswilltakeintoaccountboththechildandparentsviewbuttheywillalmost alwaysdecidewhatisbestforthechild.

'Thelatterareusuallydescribedassocialparents'.Whenitcomestoparentagenotallparentsare geneticallyinclinedwiththeirparentalresponsibility.Therearebothgeneticandnon–genetic families;bothwillhavethesameparentalresponsibilitiesaseachother–'bothhavedistinctive contributionstomaketothelifeofachild'.Whethertheparentsaregeneticoradoptivetheystill careforachildinthesamewayandshouldnotbejudgedanydifferentfromeachother.Whether youareanadoptiveparentorageneticparenttheyallfitintotheconceptofanuclearfamily

'Beingaparentisnotjustamatteroflanguagebutsomethingwhichconfersalegalstatus'.

"Unlikethemother,theunmarriedfatherhasno'automatic'parentalresponsibility."

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LawandSocietyFamiliesofLawUnit3–WrittenAssignmentTamiDaniels03/28/2011Unit3 Essay–PartTwoNameofCountry:GreatBritainFamilyoflawfollowed:CommonlawHow disputesaresettled:Litigation,Arbitration,andMediationHowcasesarehandled:Adversary system;caselawtakesprecedenceInthissection,discussthefollowing:Howwouldyourfriend's theftbedealtwithunderthelawinthiscountry?InGreatBritain,theTheftActof1968isanActof theParliamentoftheUK.ItgovernsmostofthegeneralpropertyoffensesinEnglishlaw.Theftis definedasapersonshallbeguiltyoftheftifhedishonestlyappropriatespropertybelongingto anotherwiththeshowmorecontent

Adecisionwillbedrawnfromhere.Thisprocessischaracteristicoftheinquisitorialmodel.Ina caseoftheft,suchaspettytheft,itisconsideredamisdemeanorandundercivillawitwouldinvolve investigationbycivilservantscalledprocurators(LawandSociety,p57).Thecasewouldbetried undercivillawandadefendantincivillitigationisneverincarceratedandneverexecuted.Alosing defendantinacivillitigationisonlyexpectedtoreimbursetheplaintiffforthegoodsstolen

Punitivedamagesareusuallyneverawardedunlessthedefendanthadmaliciousintentorgross negligence.Ifdamagesareawardedandthedefendantdoesnothaveassetsorinsurance,the plaintiffwillreceivenothingeventhoughthecourtawardedmonetarydamages (http://www.rbs2.com/cc.htm).Identifyanyotherfactorsforconsideration.Wouldthefactthatyour friendisfemaleimpacthertreatmentunderthelawinthiscountry?InFrance,thefactthatsheisa femalewouldnothaveanimpactontheoutcomeofhercrime.Thesameprocesswouldapply whethersheisfemaleormale.Incivillaw,thewrongdoerisnotpunished;heonlysufferssomuch harmasisnecessarytomakegoodthewrongheorshehasdone(http://wwwrbs2com/cchtm)The criminallabelyouwouldhaveimposeduponyouseemstobesufferingenough,formost,under civillaw.When

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FamilyLawEssays

Familylaw

Changestofamilylawasaresponsetochangingvaluesinthecommunity/roleoflawreformin achievingjustoutcomesforfamily/effectivenessoflegalandnon–legalresponsesinachievingjust outcomesforfamilymembers

Thefamilylawact1975introducedmajorchangetodivorcelawon14groundsofinfidelity,cruelty anddesertion.In1975sawamajorreforminfamilylaw,asthefamilylawactintroducednofault divorcemeaningthatneitherpartyweretoblameforthebreakdownofthemarriage.Onepartyhad totelltheotherandseparateforaperiodof12months,thenapplyforanapplicationwithfamilylaw courtfordissolutionofthemarriage.Thechangeinlawwasareactiontochangingsocialvalues depictedfromshowmorecontent

Ifacouplecanreachanagreementonhowpropertyistobedividedbeforegoingtocourttheycan applyforaConsentOrder.InNewSouthWalesdefactocouplescanapproachtheDistrictcourtto gainapropertysettlementRecentchangestolawallowforthefutureneedsofthedefactopartners tobetakenintoaccountinpropertysettlements.Problemscanoccurwhenpartnerhidespropertyor sellspropertytofriendatlowpricebeforethedivorce.

Domesticviolenceoccursbetweenfamilymembers;marriedordefactocouplesandortheir childrenTherehavebeencaseswherewomenhavebeensubjecttodomesticviolenceandhave killedtheirspouse,(R.vHeatherOsland1996).'Batteredwoman'ssyndrome'isacomplexof psychologicaladaptationsthatleadwomentokill,whichcannowbeusedasself–defenceand provocation

Thecourtsarebecomingmorewillingtoacceptevidenceof'BWS'asapartialdefenceformurder, evidenceofgrowingrecognitionbythelawoftheeffectsofdomesticviolence.Amendmenttothe Crimesact1990meantthatchildrenandadultswouldbeprotectedfromabuse.Legislativeresponse todomesticviolencewasthecreationofthePeriodicDetentionofPrisoners(domesticviolence) Amendmentact1982(weekenddetentionsforoffenders)

TherehavebeensignificantamendmentstotheNewSouthWaleslegislation;thecrimesact1990 wasamendedin1994tomakestalkingand

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TheImpactofDepartureFromTheEUWillImpactFamilyLaw

WhilethecountryisstillreelingfromtheEUreferendum,weneedtotakeamuchcloserlookat howdeparturefromtheEUwillimpactfamilylawinEnglandandWales.

FamilylawisnotastrangerinthesenseoftakingstepstomoveawayfromtheEUwhichwilltake quiteabitofunravelingfromtheEUlegislation.Thesamecanbesaidregardingmanyofourother lawsWithoutadoubt,thiswilltakequitesometimeandtheprocesswillprobablydragoutforquite sometime.Althoughthelong–termimpactsofBrexit,ordepartureoftheUKfromtheEU,maynot befullyfeltforquiteawhile,therearemanyconsequencesinregardtofuturedivorcesfromtheEU.

NigelShepherd,...showmorecontent...

Bearinmind,intheabsenceofthisimportantEUlegislation,thiswillleadtoevenmoreuncertainty regardingwhohasthejurisdictiontohearthecase.Ithasbeeniteratedthatthecourtswillhaveto fillthevacuumwithsomethingthatwouldbesimilartoBrusselsIIinordertoaddressthesituation.

Addingtothis,theBrusselsIIaallowsanorderthatwascreatedinEnglandtorecognisedandis enforceableinotherjurisdictionsOrdersthatarecommonlyaffectedbytheEUlegislationincludes childcustody,otherarrangementsandmatrimonialordersthatneedtobeaddressedbythenew legislationinordertostayenforceableacrosstheborders.

KeepingagreementsmadebetweenmultinationalcouplesinadivorcearegovernedbyBrusselsIIa whichallowsforamoreuncomplicatedapproachforenforcementacrossdifferentjurisdictions.The enforcementoftheseagreementswillneedtobeaddressedinlightofanynewlegislationandwill havethegreatestimpactonmatrimonialpropertyandwhoownswhatindifferentcountries.

OtherArisingIssues:

AlthoughfamilylawisnottheleadingvictimofdeparturefromtheEU(orBrexit),therewillstillbe agreatdealofuncertaintyleadinguptotheformalBrexitwhilenegotiationscontinuewiththeEU andthiscouldtakeanumberofyears

Inatimeofgreatuncertaintyforcouplesdivorcing,therewillbeevengreateranxietiesandfears thatwillariseOna

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