Family Law
Family law addresses legal issues arising from family relationships, including marriage, divorce, child custody and support, adoption, and domestic violence. It also covers property division, spousal support, and the rights of unmarried couples. This category explores how family law varies across jurisdictions, reflecting different cultural and social values.
Adoption Law
Introduction Adoption is the legal process by which a person becomes the legal parent of a child who is not their biological offspring. Adoption creates a permanent parent-child relationship with all …
Brussels II ter Regulation (2019/1111)
The Brussels II ter Regulation (Regulation 2019/1111) is the cornerstone of EU judicial cooperation in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility. It recast and replaced the earlier …
Child Custody and Support
Introduction Child custody and support are among the most important and emotionally charged issues in family law. Custody determinations govern where a child will live and who will make decisions …
Child Protection Law in Australia
Introduction Child protection law in Australia establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in Brazil
Introduction Child protection law in Brazil establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in Canada
Introduction Child protection law in Canada establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in England and Wales
Introduction Child protection law in England and Wales provides the legal framework for the intervention of the state to protect children from significant harm. The Children Act 1989 (CA 1989), Part …
Child Protection Law in Japan
Introduction Child protection law in Japan establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in Mexico
Introduction Child protection law in Mexico establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in Nigeria
Introduction Child protection law in Nigeria establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the child. …
Child Protection Law in South Africa
Introduction Child protection law in South Africa establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the …
Child Protection Law in South Korea
Introduction Child protection law in South Korea establishes the legal framework for protecting children from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. The framework prioritizes the best interests of the …
Children Law in England and Wales
Introduction Children law in England and Wales is governed principally by the Children Act 1989 (CA 1989), which provides a comprehensive statutory code for the care, upbringing, and protection of …
Chinese Adoption Law
Adoption under the Civil Code Adoption (shouyang, 收养) is governed by Book V (Marriage and Family) of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, Articles 1093 to 1111. The Civil Code …
Chinese Family Law
Sources of Chinese Family Law Chinese family law is now codified in Book V of the Civil Code of the People’s Republic of China, which entered into force on 1 January 2021. Book V, comprising …
Chinese Inheritance Law
Chinese inheritance law is governed by Book VI (Succession) of the Civil Code (Articles 1119-1162), which replaced the Inheritance Law of 1985. The Civil Code preserved the basic structure of the 1985 …
Chinese Marital Property Regime
The Chinese marital property regime is governed by Book V (Marriage and Family) of the Civil Code, which replaced the Marriage Law (1980, amended 2001). The regime is based on the principle of …
Divorce
Introduction Divorce is the legal termination of a marriage. The law of divorce has undergone fundamental transformation over the past half-century, with the shift from fault-based to no-fault divorce …
Divorce and Dissolution in English Law
Introduction Divorce and dissolution of civil partnership in England and Wales were fundamentally reformed by the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020), which came into force on 6 …
Divorce in Russia: Family Code Provisions, Property Division, and Child Matters
Divorce in Russia is governed by the Family Code of the Russian Federation (Semeyny Kodeks Rossiyskoy Federatsii, SK RF), adopted in 1995 and effective from 1 March 1996. The Family Code establishes …
English Family Law
Sources of English Family Law English family law is derived principally from statute, supplemented by the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court and by an extensive body of case law developed by the …
EU Family Law
The Limited Competence of the European Union in Family Law The European Union possesses no general competence to legislate in substantive family law. The regulation of marriage, divorce, parental …
Family Law in Australia
Introduction Australian family law is a federal jurisdiction, derived from the Commonwealth’s constitutional powers over marriage (s 51(xxi)) and matrimonial causes (s 51(xxii)). The principal …
Family Law in Brazil
Introduction Family law in Brazil (Direito de Família) is primarily governed by the Brazilian Civil Code of 2002 (Articles 1,511-1,783) and the Federal Constitution of 1988, which revolutionized the …
Family Law in Canada
Constitutional Division of Powers Family law in Canada reflects a distinctive bifurcated jurisdictional framework. The Constitution Act, 1867 assigns Parliament jurisdiction over marriage and divorce …
Family Law in Japan
The Constitutional and Statutory Framework Japanese family law is codified in Book IV (Family) of the Civil Code (Minpo, Articles 725–881). Post-World War II reforms (1947) dismantled the prewar ie …
Family Law in Mexico
Introduction Mexican family law is largely governed by state civil codes, as family matters fall within state legislative jurisdiction under the federal system. The Federal Civil Code serves as a …
Family Law in Nigeria
Introduction Family law in Nigeria is characterized by legal pluralism, reflecting the coexistence of English statutory law, customary law, and Islamic law governing marriage, divorce, child custody, …
Family Law in South Africa
Introduction South African family law is a dynamic and evolving field that regulates marriage, divorce, parental responsibilities, and children’s rights. The law has undergone fundamental …
Family Law in South Korea
Introduction South Korean family law is codified in Part IV (Family) and Part V (Succession) of the Civil Code (민법), governing marriage, divorce, parent-child relationships, adoption, and inheritance. …
French Divorce Law: Grounds, Procedure, and Financial Consequences
French divorce law is governed by the Code civil (Articles 229 to 285-1) and the Code de procédure civile. The law was significantly reformed by the Law of 26 May 2004 (effective 1 January 2005), …
French Family Law
Sources of French Family Law French family law (droit de la famille) is codified in Book I of the Civil Code (Code civil), which originally entered into force on 21 March 1804 under the title Des …
French PACS (Pacte Civil de Solidarité)
The Pacte Civil de Solidarité (PACS) The Pacte Civil de Solidarité (PACS) is a contractual form of civil union introduced by the loi du 15 novembre 1999 (Law No. 99-944) to provide a legal framework …
French Succession Law: Forced Heirship, Testament, and Liquidation
French succession law (droit des successions) is governed by the Code civil (Articles 720 to 892) and is characterised by the principle of réserve héréditaire (forced heirship), which protects certain …
German Child and Parent Law
Parent-Child Relationship The legal relationship between parents and their children is governed by Sections 1589-1698b BGB (Book 4, Family Law). The German constitutional framework places the best …
German Family Law
Constitutional Framework German family law (Familienrecht) is grounded in Article 6 of the Grundgesetz (GG), the Basic Law of 1949, which places marriage and the family under the special protection of …
German Marriage and Divorce Law
Marriage Requirements German marriage law is codified in Book 4 of the Burgerliches Gesetzbuch (BGB, Sections 1297-1588), supplemented by the Marriage Act (Eheschliessungsgesetz, EheSchlG). The …
Maintenance Regulation (EC 4/2009)
The Maintenance Regulation (Council Regulation No 4/2009 of 18 December 2008) establishes a comprehensive regime for the recognition, enforcement, and cooperation in matters relating to maintenance …
Marriage and Civil Partnership in English Law
Introduction Marriage and civil partnership are the principal legal frameworks for recognising and regulating relationships in English law. Marriage has historically been governed by both …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Australia
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Australia governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Brazil
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Brazil governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Canada
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Canada governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Japan
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Japan governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Mexico
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Mexico governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in Nigeria
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in Nigeria governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in South Africa
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in South Africa governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage and Divorce Law in South Korea
Introduction Marriage and divorce law in South Korea governs the formation, recognition, and dissolution of marriages. The legal framework has evolved significantly to reflect changing social norms. …
Marriage Law
Introduction Marriage is a fundamental legal institution in the United States, governed primarily by state law. While marriage has historical roots in religion and social custom, it is a civil …
Parental Rights and Child Protection in Russia: Deprivation of Parental Rights and the Dima Yakovlev Law
Parental rights and child protection in Russia are governed by the Family Code of the Russian Federation (Semeyny Kodeks, SK RF), federal laws on child protection, and regional legislation. The legal …
Russian Family Law
Sources of Russian Family Law Russian family law is codified in the Family Code of the Russian Federation (Semeyniy Kodeks Rossiyskoy Federatsii), adopted by the State Duma on 8 December 1995 and …
US Family Law
Constitutional Framework Family law in the United States is principally a matter of state law, reflecting the federal structure of the Constitution and the Tenth Amendment’s reservation of …