Family Law

Library Research Guide

Family law refers to the statutes, court decisions, and provisions of the federal and state constitutions that relate to family relationships, rights, duties, and finances. Family law in the United States consists of fifty individual state law systems and federal laws. (West's Encyclopedia of American Law). The legal issues involve in marriage, divorce, child custody, paternity and child support, domestic violence, and other family law matters.

Adoption

• Uniform Adoption Act
• National Council for Adoption (http://www.ncfa-usa.org)
• The Adoption and Safe Families Act: P.L. 105-89
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (http://www.calib.com/naic/)

• The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act: P.L. 93-247, P.L.
• Prevent Child Abuse America (http://www.preventchildabuse.org)
• Juvenile Delinquency

Child Support/Custody:

• Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction (and Enforcement) Act
• Uniform Interstate Family Support Act

• Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act
• Uniform Premarital Agreement Act
• Uniform Marriage Evasion Act
• Uniform Divorce Recognition Act
• The Defense of Marriage Act: P.L. 104-199

• The 1994 Violence Against Women Act (http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/nyw/victim_witness/html/violence_women.htm)
• The Gun Control Act of 1994: P. L. 103-322
• The Federal Domestic Violence Laws and the Enforcement of These Laws (http://www.vaw.umn.edu/documents/ffc/chapter5/chapter5.html)

• Age Discrimination in Employment Act: P.L. 90-202
• The Americans with Disabilities Act: P. L. 101-336
• The Social Security Act: 42 U.S.C. Section 1396 et seq.
• National Senior Citizen Law Center (http://www.nsclc.org/)

• The Code of Alabama 1975: Title 30, Title 13, and Title 22

Books

• Gale Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (REF KF387.G27 2003)
• Nolo's Encyclopedia of Everyday Law (REF KF387.N65 2002)
• The Education Law and the Public Schools (REF KF4119.G3)
• Search more books by using "domestic relations, family violence, abortion" as a subject under the library catalog

• Law and Contemporary Bulletin (Per. K12.A89)

Case Law

• Cases can also be accessed at Campus Research -- formerly Westlaw Campus

H. Wang
April 2003