Family Law for the Paralegal: Concepts and Applications, 3rd edition
Title overview
- Family Law for the Paralegal: Concepts and Applications 3/e offers the following features to enhance student learning:
- Focuses on the role of the paralegal more than any other family law text on the market:
- A discussion of the role of the paralegal is included in every chapter.
- Material on completing financial statements and uncovering hidden assets helps paralegals better perform these tasks.
- Practical guidance is provided regarding how paralegals relate to clients, carry out research tasks, assist with discovery initiatives, and complete drafting assignments.
- Teaches students through real world examples:
- Sample documents are provided throughout the text to introduce paralegals to documents commonly worked with in the employment setting.
- The text places a strong emphasis on family law in different jurisdictions by including many references to cases, statutes, and procedural variations in individual states.
- Paralegal Applications provide examples and exercises designed to reinforce chapter content, illustrate applications in the workplace, and promote critical thinking and class discussion.
- UPDATED! A modern perspective on family law:
- NEW! This is the first paralegal text on the market to consider the nature and implications of the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
- NEW! The text also includes discussions of the recent Elonis (free speech and cyberstalking) and Caputo (posthumous reproduction) Supreme Court cases.
- NEW! The chapter on parenthood discusses establishment of maternity and paternity and explores the rights of both gay and heterosexual parents.
- NEW! Information on the Uniform Premarital and Marital Agreements Act now recommended for adoption in every state is included.
- NEW! The text explores the Internet’s revolutionary effect on adoption.
- NEW! A section has been added on the role of GALs (guardians ad litem) especially in the context of child custody cases.
- NEW! The Section on e-discovery has an expanded emphasis on social media and related ethical challenges.
- UPDATED! Information on alimony has been updated to keep students aware of trends in forms of alimony and related issues.
- Pedagogical features engage students with the text:
- Focus on Ethics activities at the end of each chapter provide students with fact patterns for discussion weaving an emphasis on ethics in the family law context throughout the text.
- NEW! Chapter openers give brief introductions to chapter content.
- Drafting tips alert students to jurisdictional variations in documents such as premarital and separation agreements.
- Case Excerpts showcase a broad selection of current and landmark cases, most with accompanying questions designed to test student knowledge and pr
- This is the first family law paralegal text on the market to consider the nature and implications of the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell decision legalizing same-sex marriage.
- The text also includes discussions of the recent Elonis (free speech and cyberstalking) and Caputo (posthumous reproduction) Supreme Court cases.
- A section has been added on the role of GALs (guardians ad litem) especially in the context of child custody cases.
- The chapter on parenthood addresses establishment of maternity and paternity and explores the rights of both gay and heterosexual parents.
- Material on completing financial statements and uncovering hidden assets willhelp paralegals better perform these tasks.
- Information on the Uniform Premarital and Marital Agreements Act now recommended for adoption in every state is included.
- The text explores the Internet’s revolutionary effect on adoption.
- The section on e-discovery has been expandedwith an emphasis on social media and related ethical challenges.
- Information on alimony has been updated to keep students aware of trends in forms of alimony and related issues.
- New chapter openers give brief introductions to chapter content.
- Internet/Link Website References identify nearly 400 URLs for forms, statutes, cases, and resources related to chapter content and Appendices provide websites for locating forms and statutes for virtually every state.
- Paralegal tips have been moved into the page margins to improve narrative flow. These tips offer different perspectives and jurisdictional variations on topics and issues discussed in the text.
- Child-related chapters are now ordered in sequence.
Table of contents
1. Introduction to a Family Law Practice
2. Cohabitation and Premarital Agreements
3. Marriage
4. Annulment
5. The Divorce Process
6. Discovery and Financial Statements
7. Parenthood
8. Adoption
9. Child Custody
10. Child Support
11. Spousal Support
12. Property Division
13. Separation Agreements
14. Family Violence
APPENDIX A: National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility
APPENDIX B: Websites of Interest
APPENDIX C: State Websites for Forms and Statutes
Glossary
Index
Author bios
Mary E. Wilson is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to her law degree, she earned a Master’s in Education from Boston University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Middlebury College in English and Psychology. She is a member of the American Bar Association Family Law Section and is admitted to the practice of law in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Having retired as a full professor in 1997, she now is an adjunct faculty member at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts, where she teaches courses in the paralegal and criminal justice programs. In her more than thirty-five years of teaching at both public and private institutions, she has designed and taught a variety of behavioral science, education, and law courses. She has also directed a statewide training program for foster parents and social workers through the Massachusetts Community College system and has authored training manuals on child discipline and working with abused and neglected children. A former department chair, she has also served as a director and dean at Northern Essex.