Family Law for Paralegals

Book excerpt: Thoughtful and carefully-written, Family Law for Paralegals presents the nuts-and-bolts in a relevant historical framework with exposure to some of the most dynamic issues in family law today. The comprehensive coverage balances the basic issues of marriage and divorce with cutting-edge concerns such as non-marital families, child abuse and neglect, and same-sex marriage. Helpful real-life examples and sample forms show students what they will encounter in practice. Useful pedagogy helps students develop their critical thinking and writing skills, and a range of assignments in each chapter provides practice in research, analysis, memo-writing, and argumentation. Fresh new cases enliven the Sixth Edition. New material features changes in the law relating to same-sex marriage as well as technological innovations such as e-filings for divorce. A new discussion of divorce and military families is presented, and issues related to international families are explored. The Sixth Edition covers all the new rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA.) Features: nuts-and-bolts of family law in relevant historical framework with exposure to dynamic, contemporary issues comprehensive coverage fundamental issues of marriage and divorce cutting-edge concerns: non-marital families, child abuse and neglect, and same-sex marriage real-life examples and sample forms preview actual practice useful pedagogy helps students develop critical thinking and writing skills summaries key terms review and discussion questions range of assignments for practice in research, analysis, memo writing, and argumentation Thoroughly updated, the revised Sixth Edition presents: fresh new cases current changes in the laws relating to same-sex marriage new coverage of technological innovations, such as e-filings for divorce discussion of divorce and military families legal issues related to international families new rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)