General Family Law

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal labor law that requires most employers to give certain employees job protection and unpaid leave for specific actions. The FMLA became...

Both the U.S. federal government and individual states have child protective laws in place designed to protect minors from physical and emotional harm. These laws include prohibitions against...

Without a birth certificate it's difficult to get important items like a driver's license, a Social Security card or a passport. A birth certificate proves who you are and confirms that you're a...

A death certificate is a document that tells you when, where and how a person died, as well as their place of burial. The Illinois Division of Vital Records began filing death certificates in...

You need to obtain a death certificate in Pennsylvania. Perhaps it's for insurance purposes or to settle an estate. If you're eligible to receive Social Security payments from the deceased person...

Death is a somber occasion that can become even more stressful if you can't find all the paperwork you need for an insurance policy or to close out an estate. Among other things, the death...

Rather than a birth certificate, Americans born abroad must obtain a Consular Report of Birth Abroad to apply for a passport or otherwise prove their citizenship. It is suggested that parents...

Affidavits are important legal documents. They act as proof that a matter is what the affiant (the person who writes or signs the affidavit) says the matter is. If the affiant makes an untruthful...

Abortion laws change almost daily in our country, largely because of a 1992 court ruling that gave states the right to determine some of their own abortion laws. These laws are constantly being...

Knowing the right time to speak to an elderly relative about going to a nursing home is a difficult and complex matter. Even if you are sure that the time is appropriate, your elderly relative may...

Do you have a relative or friend that requires assistance with daily tasks but cannot find anyone to help them? Many people become conservators of family members too old or sick to function from...

You can legally change the middle name of child in the state of Colorado as long as the child lives in the county where you're filing a petition. If the child is a subject of a child support case,...

In most of the United States before the Civil War, married women had no control over personal or real property, wages or their inheritances. Anything a woman owned became her husband's property at...

To get a UK citizenship and passport for a descendant, you must first be a UK citizen by birth or be a naturalized British citizen. If you have a British mother and were born between 1961 and...

Employers historically have not been eager to assist women in their roles as employee and mother. In fact, before 1974, many companies fired women if they became pregnant or imposed mandatory...

Many men who face divorce do not know their rights as fathers. As a result they are separated unnecessarily from their children. Other men who perhaps are not married to the mother of their...

Your birth certificate is the original evidence of your legal existence, and it is normally filed on the day of your birth or within a few days thereafter. Since possession of an authorized copy...

Garnishment -- the withholding of a person's wages or assets to satisfy a debt -- is a costly and time-consuming process that varies by state. Garnishments must be issued by a court and can be...

Prior to attending law school the potential attorney must possess a bachelors degree. It is not necessary to have any other graduate degrees or to adhere to any single major subject. Though some...

A juvenile petition concerns a child under 18 years old. The petition might be used to determine custody. The petition may be regarding the child's delinquent behavior. The petition could be for...

Adults in professions that involve children are called "mandatory reporters of neglect and abuse." This means that if they suspect child abuse, they are obligated to file a report with their local...

Nearly everyone born in the United States since 1920 has a birth certificate on file with the Department of Vital Records in the state in which he was born. Birth certificates can be used to...

Five tips for gracefully navigating divorce court.

If you were born in the state of South Carolina, you may find yourself in need of obtaining a copy of your birth certificate. This may be because your original was lost or destroyed. Whatever the...

Times have changed with regard to the definition of marriage. The struggle for same-sex partners to gain the same marriage rights and benefits as opposite-sex partners has raised questions about...

It used to be that extended families lived in the same town for generations. Children lived near their grandparents, and enjoyed a close relationship with them. In today's mobile society, children...

The rules regarding restraining orders vary among states, and they are sometimes referred to as protective orders and peace orders as well as restraining orders. Restraining orders are generally...

There are four kinds of joint title married couples can have in California. Learn what they are here.

Family law issues vary and involve everything from adoption to divorce. Most common family law questions relate to issues leading up to and following divorce, including child support, legal...

In order for assets to be part of a living trust, they must be listed in the living trust documents and ownership of the assets must be titled in the name of the living trust. Once ownership of...

Like abortion, gay marriage is a very divisive issue in America. For this reason some states have passed laws to provide a compromise so that same-sex relationships have some or all of the rights...

Child endangerment encompasses violence against children, neglect of their basic needs, and acts and omissions that may ultimately lead to harm, even if no actual injuries occur. Although the...

Can you file for a California divorce? WHERE should the divorce be filed? Find out here.

Restraining orders are awarded with the intent of protecting victims from an abuser, attacker or stalker who has hurt them in the past. The process of obtaining a restraining order varies from...

Spousal abuse is a common occurrence in this country and is routinely an issue in divorce and custody actions. But as much as it is asserted in those actions, there is little understanding of just...

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, "An estimated 1.3 million women are victims of physical assault by an intimate partner each year." Because of the prevalence of...

Each state has unique laws governing marriage. In Maryland, a person must meet specific age and relationship requirements, acquire a license and marriage certificate, and pay fees to attain a...

Fathers paying child support have certain visitation rights to their children if the court does not order sole custody for the mother. Courts only order sole custody to one parent if the other...

While there is no one set price to replace a birth certificate, there is a price range. For individual prices, the requester must contact his state records office or office of vital records and...

A guardian is a person appointed to make decisions for another person. A guardian is appointed by the probate court. The guardian makes decisions for a ward. The guardian can decide both health...

Vital records such as birth certificates, death records and marriage licenses are available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A birth certificate is written for each United...