The extraordinary recent increase in rates of cohabitation and non-marital birth presents a major challenge to traditional family law principles, and the legal rules governing cohabitation are thus among the most hotly contested areas of family law and policy today. In many nations, courts, legislatures, and law-reform bodies are "reinventing" common law marriage, seemingly without any sense of its history, doctrinal development, or limitations. The current law surrounding common law marriage is extremely complex. Professor Göran Lind has undertaken the demanding task of writing the most well-researched text on this topic to date. Separated into three Parts, Common Law Marriage covers the origins of the doctrine, its legal aspects in modern America, and the future of cohabitation law across the globe and in the 11 American jurisdictions that currently recognize common law marriage. It provides a cultural and historical history of the subject, from Ancient Roman Law to Medieval Canon Law, and analyzes over 2,000 American cases which have utilized the doctrine. This timely book is an excellent resource for scholars, legislators, and policymakers who are interested in the complex legalities of common law marriage.

A comprehensive guide to legal style and usage, with practical advice on how to write clear, jargon-free legal prose. Includes style tips as well as definitions.

Tax Aspects of Divorce and Separation discusses: valuation of property, including: business enterprises; deductibility of alimony and payments made to a third party.

"A book that covered the basic principles of contemporary law but was less encyclopedic, and one that bridged the gap between scholarship and practice"--Acknowledgments, p. [vii].

The book discusses existing legal regulations and rules in various states relating to the enforcement of premarital or postnuptial agreements regarding the parties' rights if they divorce.

A divorce can turn your life upside-down, both emotionally and financially. By using this guide through the complicated divorce process, you can protect yourself with knowledge of divorce laws and your legal rights. How to File for Divorce in Pennsylvania simplifies and thoroughly explains everything you need to know to successfully handle your own divorce. With easy-to-use forms and step-by-step instructions, this book makes filing for divorce inexpensive and hassle-free.

Newly revised in its Fourth Edition, the popular text; Family Law forParalegals offers a complete coverage of the basics of family law,combined with historical context and insight in topics of current interest.Engaging students with real-life examples and practical exercises centered onhot issues will induce excitement in the classroom and subsequently evoke apassionate response to the material covered in lecture.Instructors choose Family Law for Paralegals because:* this thoughtful and carefully written textbook offers paralegalstudents the nuts-and-bolts of the law, while also providing a relevanthistorical framework and exposure to some of the most dynamic issues in familylaw today* short historical overviews in each chapter give students ameaningful understanding of family law* comprehensive in coverage, the book covers basic coverage ofthe issues of marriage and divorce, as well as cutting-edge issues suchas non-marital families, child abuse and neglect, and same-sex marriage* helpful real-life examples enhance the textual discussionswhile sample forms show students what they will encounter in practice* clear pedagogy--including summaries, key terms, and review anddiscussion questions--helps students better understand the material and developtheir critical thinking and writing skills* a range of assignments in each chapter provides students withthe opportunity to practice different skills including research, analysis,memo writing, and argumentation* the Instructor's Manual includes teaching tips and a TestBankExciting changes to this Fourth Edition include:* new cases that keep the book fresh in its Fourth Edition* Internet references in each chapter* updated topical coverage, with important new developments,particularly in the areas of gay/lesbian rights and nontraditional familiesFamily Law for Paralegals, Fourth Edition uses clearly-written text andwell-crafted pedagogy to make the material easily accessible to students,while a comprehensive educational package supports the instructor's effortsgive their students a thorough understanding of family law as it applies today.An author website to support classroom instruction using this title isavailable athttp://www.aspenlawschool.com/ehrlich_familylaw4

This wide-ranging resource will help readers understand the history and current state of marriage and divorce in the United States, including their many cultural, economic, political, legal, and religious facets. Coverage includes information and insights on broad trends in relationships that are changing the landscape of American society, such as childcare, delayed marriages, blended families, and prevalence of marriage and divorce among various socioeconomic groups. In addition, the encyclopedia features in-depth entries covering high-interest issues that are shaping the character of marriage, divorce, relationships, and family life in the 21st century, including economic/legal topics (child support, prenups, divisions of assets in divorce, the wedding industry, no-fault divorce, legal representation in divorce, and economic independence as a factor in separations/divorce); other divorce factors (infidelity, parenthood, illness, domestic abuse, and child abuse); and a host of other legal/cultural issues, factors, and phenomena, both current and historical.

Unmarried heterosexual cohabitation is rapidly increasing in Britain and over a quarter of children are now born to unmarried cohabiting parents. This is not just an important change in the way we live in modern Britain; it is also a political and theoretical marker. Some commentators see cohabitation as evidence of selfish individualism and the breakdown of the family, while others see it as just a less institutionalised way in which people express commitment and build their families. Politically, 'stable' families are seen as crucial - but does stability simply mean marriage? At present the law in Britain retains important distinctions in the way it treats cohabiting and married families and this can have deleterious effects on the welfare of children and partners on cohabitation breakdown or death of a partner. Should the law be changed to reflect this changing social reality? Or should it - can it - be used to direct these changes? Using findings from their recent Nuffield Foundation funded study, which combines nationally representative data with in-depth qualitative work, the authors examine public attitudes about cohabitation and marriage, provide an analysis of who cohabits and who marries, and investigate the extent and nature of the 'common law marriage myth' (the false belief that cohabitants have similar legal rights to married couples). They then explore why people cohabit rather than marry, what the nature of their commitment is to one another and chart public attitudes to legal change. In the light of this evidence, the book then evaluates different options for legal reform.