What Are Common Family Law Issues?

Family law in its definition encompasses a variety of different segments. I will not include divorce in my list because divorce in itself serves as a starting point for a lot of the most common issues in family law. When a married couple decided to get a divorce, here are the most common issues that arise:

1. Division of Property

When a couple separates, usually they must share any assets that were gained during the marriage. It does not matter who gained the assets, who’s name the property is under, both parties have equal rights to all of the assets accumulated after the marriage took place.

2. Spousal Support

In the case of a divorce, spouses might be responsible to support each other financially. Unlike in the division of property where marriage is a must in order to divide assets, in the case of spousal support former common-law partners, as well as former spouses, are entitled to spousal support. Spousal support is usually paid by one of the parties to the other in case of a big income gap. There are many other factors that impact the amount and eligibility for spousal support.

3. Child Support

All parents are required to financially take care of their children, as long as the children are dependent. This usually means until they turn 18, sometimes even longer. Child support is usually paid by the parent who spends less time with the children to the parent that cares for them on a full-time basis. Child support is meant to cover the cost of taking care of the children. The amount of child support is determined by looking at multiple factors, such as the income of the person that does not take care of the children, the number of children and many other factors.

4. Child Custody

When parents get divorced and both want to raise their children, child custody becomes a very sensitive issue. Aside from coming to an agreement of where the child/children are going to live, the parents have to agree on many other decisions such as schools, major life events, and overall values. If the parents cannot come to an agreement, the court systems may have to step in and help the parents agree on all matters.