Family Law: Theoretical, Comparative, and Social Science Perspectives

Family Law emphasizes the issues and skills most relevant to domestic relations practice. The text employs a novel and dramatic organization with three substantive units that compare the legal treatment of the parent-child relationship vs. adult intimate relationships at stages of formation, regulation, and dissolution. In keeping with the modern reorientation of the field, Family Law reflects the transition "From Partners to Parents" beginning with the creation of parent-child relationship rather than marriage. Its geographical breadth delivers more comparative materials than other texts, using examples from a variety of cultures to provoke "why don't we do this?" considerations. Each student-friendly chapter and section begins with a clear summary of current law that orients the reader before examining legal texts in detail. This structure invites theoretical critique only after a solid foundation is laid. Statutes are core to the text which gives proper emphasis to the vital skill of statutory interpretation in todays practice. Up-to-date material provides more recent cases than any other textbook. With an empirical emphasis, Family Law draws from the significant literature in sociology, psychology, anthropology and other fields so that legal analysis is grounded in real-life application. Focused questions direct students to the heart of the analysis, often using headings before questions to alert readers to the type of analysis required, for example: statutory interpretation, policy, client counseling, and moral theory.

Features:

• Novel organization
  • three substantive units
  • compares legal treatment of parent-child relationship vs. adult intimate relationships
  • considers stages of formation, regulation, and dissolution
• Reflects modern reorientation of the field
  • in keeping with transition "From Partners to Parents"
  • starts with creation of parent-child relationship rather than marriage
• Geographical breadth
  • much more comparative material than current texts
  • examples from other cultures lead to "why don't we do this?" considerations
• Student-friendly organization
  • each chapter and section begins with clear summary of current law
  • orients students before examining legal texts
  • invites theoretical critique after foundation is laid
• Statutes at the core
  • proper emphasis on the vital skill of statutory interpretation
• Up-to-date
  • more recent cases than any other textbook
• Empirical emphasis
  • draws from sociology, psychology, anthropology, and other fields
  • grounds legal analysis in real world application
• Focused questions
  • direct students to the heart of the analysis
  • use headings to alert students as to the type of analysis required (e.g., statutory interpretation, policy, client counseling, moral theory)