Wendy R. Morgan

FAMILY LAW

What is Family law?

Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related matters and domestic relations, including:

• Divorce:
The action of legally dissolving a marriage or civil union.

• Marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships:
1. The state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law.
2: The state of being united to a person of the same sex in a relationship like that of a traditional marriage.

• Adoption:
The act or process of becoming a child's legal parent(s) and the act of terminating the biological parent(s) rights.

• Surrogacy:
The practice by which a woman (called a surrogate mother) becomes pregnant and gives birth to a baby in order to give it to someone who cannot have children.

• Child abuse:
Physical and or mental mistreatment of a child.

• Child abduction:
The theft of a minor child from the custody of their natural parent(s) or legally appointed guardian(s)

• Property settlements:
Court ordered division of property during a divorce or legal separation.

• Child custody and visitation:
Legal relationship between a parent and child; which gives the parent the right to make decisions for the child and duty to care for the child.

• Child support:
Money paid for the care of one's minor child.

• Paternity:
The legal area dealing with establishing a biological and legal parent relationship between a father and his child.

• Alimony or Maintenance:
An allowance made to one spouse by the other for support pending or after legal separation or divorce.

• Supervised visitation:
Court appointed person to watch and direct a parent during visitation.

• Family Bankruptcy:
Obtain financial relief from the Federal Court when qualified to do so.

• Grandparents Rights:
A legal right for grandparents to pursue to have court-ordered contact (or visitation) with their grandchild(ren).

• Orders of Protection:
An order of protection or restraining order is a Court order that requires a party to refrain from doing certain acts which the Court finds causes or caused imminent harm to the complaining party.

• Prenuptial agreement:
antenuptial agreement, or premarital agreement, commonly abbreviated to prenup or prenupt, is a contract entered into prior to marriage, civil union or any other agreement prior to the main agreement by the people intending to marry or contract with each other.

• Postnuptial agreements:
are similar to prenuptial agreements, except that they are entered into after a couple is married and can protect a spouse during their marriage as well as in the event of legal separation, divorce or both.

• Estate Planning:
Preparation and ability to direct how assets will be distributed and one's estate will be managed during the lifetime of an individual as well as after their death and to maximize tax benefits and other financial considerations.

If you have questions about Family Law, contact The Law Firm of Wendy R. Morgan to schedule your consultation with one of our experienced Family Law Attorneys.