Subjects:

Family Law

Contents:

PART I. The family and family law

1 Introduction - family Law and its changing dimensions

PART II. Adult relationships

2 State intervention in personal relationships

3 Nullity and its consequences

PART III. Family property

4 Acquisition of rights in the family home

PART IV. Relationship breakdown

5 Domestic violence

6 Ending relationships

7 Financial consequences of ending relationships Part 1 and Part II

PART V. Death of a partner

8 Death and its consequences

PART VI. Parents

9 Parents - rights and responsibilities

10 From clean break - to open adoption

PART VII. Parents and children - private disputes

11 Adolescent rights - autonomy and participation

12 Children's welfare and private disputes

PART VIII. Protecting children

13 In the child's best interests - the jurisdiction of wardship

14 Child protection - public law procedure

15 Protecting children from 'significant harm' - interpreting the law - court orders

PART IX. Money matters

16 Financial provision for children

This first edition of Family Law offers a fresh, clear and concise introduction to the subject. Designed to map directly onto mainstream university courses, the book provides an overview of the major issues and debates in family law in England and Wales. Current changes are explained and critically evaluated.

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards begin by discussing the changing definition of family. They cover both adult relationships and child issues. In addition to marriage, divorce, family property and death of a partner, Family Law deals with issues such as civil partnership, domestic violence and the role of the state in children's upbringing.

• Concise critical analysis of family law makes this text suitable for use on all undergraduate law courses
• Clear writing style and user-friendly structure enables students fully to understand this controversial area of law which has changed greatly in recent years
• Highlighted summaries at the beginning of each chapter enable students to access the key points of study quickly and easily
• End of chapter further reading lists and self-test questions allow students to research the subject in more depth, and to test their progress and understanding
• Phil Bates originally announced as the author in 2003 - isbn 0406929548