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Family law covers rules for living together, prenuptial agreements, marriage, divorce, and mediation, along with the laws on child support, child custody and visitation, adoption, same-sex marriage, elder care, and senior law.
There are over 1,000 federal rights and benefits that come with being married, and whatever state you live in will also add its own marital rules to the federal rights. Here are the benefits and privileges of being married, including tax benefits, estate planning benefits, government benefits, and employment benefits.
Why are some divorces sensible and others catastrophic? The answer often depends on how much you rely on courts and lawyers to resolve divorce issues. The less you use the court, the less cost and heartache for everyone. But how do you avoid going the litigation route?
Generally, any adult who is considered a "fit parent" may adopt a child, but some states have special age or residency requirements for adoptive parents. Adoption agencies may have additional strict requirements. Some individuals or couples are likely to have more difficulty adopting than others.
If you are part of a same-sex couple, there are many things to consider before you decide to tie the knot -- through legal marriage in the states that allow it or marriage-like relationships in a number of other states. Think hard and get some good advice before you make this legal commitment.
If an adult becomes unable to handle day-to-day financial or medical decisions, someone else must step in. Durable powers of attorney for finances and health care clarify who can take over for the incapacitated person. Without these, family members must ask a court for permission to make decisions.
The odds of getting a sick animal at a pet shop are disturbingly high. More than half the out-of-state puppies sold in California pet stores were ill or incubating a disease, according to a survey commissioned by the state legislature. Here’s what you should ask a seller to disclose about a new puppy.
Name changes are not complicated, but you should use court proceedings (the "court method"), rather than the old "usage" method (with DMV and Social Security), to change your name. Today, because of identity theft and terrorism fears, most agencies won't change your records without a court order.
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