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Family law is a comprehensive body of law that deals with family relationships. It stipulates the rights and obligations of parties in domestic relations. Family law covers a wide range of topics, including marriage, divorce, child custody, visitation, alimony, and adoption.

Marriage, civil union, and domestic partnership are different kinds of legal statuses recognized by family law. Marriage is a legal relationship between two persons, in which the parties, the husband and the wife, are bound by the rights and obligations stipulated in the marital contract. A civil union is a legal relationship between a same sex couple. Civil unions are also known as civil partnerships. The rights and obligations in a civil union are similar to those in a marriage. In a domestic partnership, partners live together and have a common domestic life, but without being bonded by marriage or a civil union.

Adoption is governed by domestic relations law procedure. Adoption is a legal process in which legal rights, privileges, and parental responsibility of a child are vested in a person who is not a natural parent of the child. By the process of adoption, an adopted child becomes an heir to the adopted family.

Family law also governs the emancipation of minors. A minor's emancipation is the legal process by which a minor achieves independence. A minor who leaves parents' household can petition a court of law to be emancipated. Emancipation of a minor terminates the responsibility of a divorced parent to provide child support.

Family law further covers offenses like paternity fraud and domestic violence. Paternity fraud is an offense in which a mother intentionally and fraudulently names a person to be the biological father of her child, with the knowledge that he is not the biological father. Domestic violence is assault committed against related persons. It includes assault committed against a spouse, parents, and children.

Family law also deals with matters related to the dissolution of marriage through procedures like divorce, legal separation, and annulment. Divorce is the absolute termination of a marital relationship. Divorce dissolves the legal duties and responsibilities of the marital parties.

Annulment is another type of termination of the marital relationship in which a court declares a marriage null and void. Distinct from divorce, an annulled marriage is regarded as invalid from the beginning. These days, people prefer an uncontested divorce to end a marital relationship. In an uncontested divorce, people agree to the divorce without court assistance. Marital separation brings about other domestic issues like:

• alimony or spousal support
• child support
• child custody
• shared parenting and parental responsibility
• visitation rights
• marital property settlements

If you are wondering how to divorce, what are the procedures involved in the dissolution of marriage, or if you are searching for divorce papers and forms, your quest ends here. The US Legal Forms website contains information on how to file for divorce and state-specific divorce forms. Divorce forms and divorce papers in our website can be downloaded and filled out with ease. Our website further contains state-specific family law forms in specific areas like child custody. visitation, alimony, shared parenting, emancipation of minors. and adoption .

A restraining order or protective order may be requested in cases, usually involving a threat of harm. A restraining order or protective order may be requested as part of dissolution or domestic violence proceeding.