divorce

A divorce formally dissolves a legal marriage. While married couples do not possess a constitutional or legal right to divorce, states permit divorces because doing so serves public policy.

A divorce agreement is an agreement written for a divorcing couple that settles issues, such as how property will be divided, child custody, child support, child visitation, and alimony.

Domestic relations is a reference to the field of family law, which governs relations within a family or household.

Domestic violence is addressed in both criminal law and family law and is typically defined by statute.

Egelhoff v. Egelhoff, 532 U.S.

Some states have a statute, known as the Enoch Arden Doctrine, for when a spouse, believing for a certain period of time that the other spouse is dead, marries another. If the original spouse returns, the marrying spouse may get a divorce or a legal exemption so that the marrying spouse can remarry.

• family law

Equitable distribution is a principle in divorce law governing the allocation of marital property between spouses. In states that use equitable distribution, courts try to achieve a fair allocation of property based on a list of factors or guidelines set forth by state law.

An ex parte divorce is a divorce that is granted within a jurisdiction where only one of the spouses is validly domiciled. It is valid even if one spouse never resided within the jurisdiction where the divorce was granted or subject to personal jurisdiction.

• family law

Extreme cruelty is a type of fault divorce where a spouse claims the other spouse committed some form of physical or mental cruelty against them.

A family is a group of people that are connected by either genetics or legal systems. This might include biological parents, children, siblings, or any extended blood relatives. Those not connected by consanguinity might become family through legal methods such as marriage, adoption, or fostering.