Unless you have encountered some sort of family related issue or perhaps a domestic problem, you will probably not be aware of the vast array of services and issues that family law encompasses. This sector within the legal system caters for all topics from divorce,inheritance disputes to custody of children, custody agreements and adoption. Formal names for the persons that represent the families and the other people directly involved are family lawyers, a family law solicitor, or family solicitors.

Family law |is very important given that it helps families resolve sticky situations. Whenever a husband and wife, civil union, or a domestic partnership comes to an unfortunate end there are often children, real estate, money and personal assets in contest that the involved parties will fight over. Each involved party finds some form of legal representation to assist them obtain their fair slice of the assets held by the couple. When children are brought in to the equation, parents usually sue for full or joint custody. Often the parents will not be able to come to an agreement on who get custody, it is then down to the legal system to make a final decision based on the presented facts. This will involve (in many cases) one parent being given full custody whilst the other parent will be granted visitation rights. The Judge may well grant some form of shared custody of the children in some form of split. This would necessitate a legal agreement to be drawn up that specifies who has access to which child on what days. This will often require quite a detailed agreement to make it perfectly clear who has access and to stop misinterpretation of the access leading to further disputes. It is quite common for a couple to use the same family solicitor to help them resolve family issues. However, when things are really messy it is often better to seek separate representation to ensure that your interests are fully covered.

When a divorce is inevitable and there is no way of resolving the issues then the couple will have to go through the family law process. The final verdict from the court will fix the split of property, assets and custody arrangements. The court will also set matters related to alimony. The family court system will be able to deal with topics covering spousal abusive behavior (physical or verbal), child abuse, legitimacy and child abductions. The areas cover a wide spectrum and really are a anything that relates to a married or legally bound couple. The court has strong and far-reaching powers over a couple. This includes the ability to grant or retract parental rights. These powers extend to forcing parties to seek help, attend classes or counseling to resolve their problems. The court can also enforce some form of community service as 'punishment' for the offenses made. The Family Law system is an essential feature of the law. Its aim is to try to resolve issues in the first instance and then take measures to ensure that no further harm can be done to involved parties.