Synopses & Reviews
FAMILY LAW, sixth edition, provides a comprehensive introduction to modern family law for the paralegal, covering substantive and procedural law with a strong practical emphasis. In addition to fundamental principles of family law and nationwide legal practices, the book includes state-specific assignments to help you identify relevant laws and regulations in your area. Legal analysis exercises help you apply substantive law principles discussed in each chapter, while sample checklists, forms, documents, cases, and exhibits provide exposure to real-world tools and processes used by working professionals. New content for the sixth edition includes updated coverage of evolving legal issues such as same-sex marriage, adoption, fertility, stem cell research, material on legal ethics, and the role of technology in law.
Review
"It is very comprehensive...this comprehensiveness is much appreciated and necessary due to the complexity and depth of the subject matter. The second strength of the textbook is that Statsky presents the material in a very logical sequence which enhances the natural learning process of the students. Often, as a professor, I either have to rearrange my material to follow the order of a textbook's chapters, or to better facilitate student learning, I sometimes will teach a chapter out of sequence because the material doesn't logically build on previous material. Neither rearranging my material nor teaching chapters out of sequence is necessary with Statsky's Family Law, 5th ed., textbook. The text unfolds in an orderly progression from basic to more complex material and covers various family law themes in a logical way. The third strength of the textbook is its emphasis on the contractual aspects of marriage, dissolution, and other family law issues. Family law is fundamentally a type of contract law, and Statsky's textbook makes that very clear to students."
Synopsis
"Family Law, 5th Edition," is an excellent introductory guide for anyone with an interest in family law. It provides an in-depth overview of family law with a focus on the skills needed by a paralegal working in this area. Such skills include legal analysis, legal interviewing, legal investigation, and legal research for the family law practice. This updated fifth edition has been expanded to include new information on such current, hot button family law topics as homosexual marriage, child support enforcement, and surrogate parenting.
About the Author
William Statsky is a member of both the ethics committee and the advisory council for the National Federation of Paralegal Associations, as well as an instructor of online courses at Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, New Jersey. He is the author of numerous groundbreaking legal textbooks for paralegals and was a member of the transition team for then President-Elect Ronald Reagan. Mr. Statsky holds a master of law degree (LL.M) in urban affairs, as well as a juris doctorate degree (J.D.).
Table of Contents
1. Introduction to Family Law and Practice. 2. Ethics in a Family Law Practice. 3. Compiling a Family History. 4. Premarital, Postnuptial, and Cohabitation Agreements. 5. Traditional Marriage and Alternatives. 6. Annulment. 7. Divorce Grounds and Procedure. 8. Spousal Support, Property Division, and the Separation Agreement. 9. Child Custody. 10. Child Support. 11. Tax Consequences of Separation and Divorce. 12. The Legal Rights of Women. 13. Illegitimacy and Paternity Proceedings. 14. The Legal Status of Children. 15. Adoption. 16. The New Science of Motherhood. 17. Torts and Family Law. Appendix A. General Instructions for the Assignments and Projects in the Book. Appendix B. Computer Generated Reports: The Divorce of Margaret and Nelson Paris. Appendix C. Interrogatories on Financial Assets. Appendix D. Family Law in Your State. Glossary.