Introduction

This quick topic guide was created for students conducting introductory research in the area of family law. This guide, while not comprehensive, provides a listing of the more important, current and relevant materials available in this subject area.

Key Resources

Family Law Reporter

• "The only nationally oriented family law information service available, the Reporter is your most reliable guide to important new federal and state cases, legislation, trends, and issues."

Introductory Resources

Family Law: An Overview (Cornell Legal Information Institute)

• Provides an overview of family law including links to related statutes, judicial decisions, conventions and treaties, and key internet sources.

Treatises and In-Depth Resources

Family Law

• by David Westfall
  West treatise covering the legal topic of family law. Divided into three primary parts:
• Part 1 examines the sources of family law - in the Constitution, statutes, and judicial decisions, as well as in religious doctrine and the practices of law enforcement officers and social workers;
• Part II deals with marriage and alternative methods of family formation, including new meanings of "family" and an evolving framework for the legal relations between spouses in an ongoing marriage;
• Part III explores the legal aspects of parenthood, including custody and support issues that arise outside of the context of divorce.

Law of Domestic Relations in the United States (West Hornbook)

• by Homer Harrison Clark
  "Analyzes the law of domestic relations. In recent years, discrimination against women has been mitigated. The power to control personal relationships by contract has increased. Discrimination against illegitimate children has been removed, and the old fault-based grounds for divorce have largely been replaced by non-fault grounds. The financial aspects of divorce place more emphasis on divisions of property and less on alimony. Also discusses the jurisdiction that has developed from the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Act (UCCJA)."

Modern Child Custody Practice

• by Jeff Atkinson
  "Cited by the U.S. Supreme Court in Troxel, scrutinizing grandparent visitation, and also by the supreme courts of 11 states, Modern Child Custody Practice is the manual that:
• Treats the human dynamics as well as the legal aspects of child custody and support cases
• Analyzes each step of the custody proceeding, from the first client interview through the appeals process
• Describes how to most effectively use--or rebut--the testimony of mental health professionals
• Explains when joint or split custody is a viable alternative
• Thoroughly discusses visitation by the noncustodial parent, grandparents and stepparents
• Evaluates the type and degree of change required to modify custody
• Provides guidance for handling an out-of-state move by the custodial parent
• Sets forth the orientation and techniques used in mediation
• Includes forms, checklists, case examples, detailed citations and appendices
• Covers child custody jurisdiction, including a thorough analysis of the law, the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) and the Hague Convention"

State Legislative Summary: Children, Youth, and Family Issues

• by The National Conference of State Legislatures
  Annual publication documenting emerging child, youth and family trends and innovative policies in states legislatures. Publication compiles summaries of newly enacted state legislation in various highlighted issues including child support enforcement, child welfare, family laws, abuse and neglect, child care, early childhood education, child mental health, child support, enforcement, child welfare, family law, juvenile justice, substance abuse and control, welfare reform and public assistance, and youth-at-risk.

Associations and Organizations

American Bar Association - Section of Family Law

• The Mission of the American Bar Association Section of Family Law is to serve as the national leader in the field of marital and family Law.

Other Resources

Contemporary Women's Issues

• More than 1500 sources published by over 200 organizations around the world. Coverage begins with sources from 1992 and expands through the present with more than 150 periodicals in addition to non-periodical source publications. Sources provide information dealing with women's issues in over 190 nations.

FindLaw - Family Law

• FindLaw links to family law sources including web guides, news, cases, and law firm articles

Gender Watch

• GenderWatch is a full text database of publications that focus on the impact of gender across a broad spectrum of subject areas. GenderWatch supports programs in business, education, literature and the arts, health sciences, history, political science, public policy, sociology and contemporary culture, gender and women's studies and more. Publications include academic and scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, newsletters, regional publications, books, booklets and pamphlets, conference proceedings, and government, NGO and special reports.

Updated 9/26/2011 (JZ)