In family law, this term refers to two parties (ie. two people) living together with the understanding that there is no legal marital relationship.
family law
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Definition
The Supreme Court case that reaffirmed the aspect of Roe v. Wade (1973) that prohibited states from disallowing abortion prior to viability. However, the Court overruled two aspects of the Roe decision: (1) the trimester distinction...
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Definition
The condition or practice of having more than one spouse at the same time. Polygamy as a crime originated in the common law, and it is now outlawed in every state. As a crime, polygamy is often synonymous with bigamy (marrying one...
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The formal requirement of the performance of a marriage ceremony and the professional class that may marry a couple. Who may perform such a ceremony varies depending on the particular laws of the state. For example, in one state, a mayor, magistrate,...
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A uniform act that, as of September 11, 2009, has been adopted by every state except Massachusetts and Vermont and is the vehicle through which foreign child custody judgments are enforced. The act is designed to prevent jurisdictional forum shopping...
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The right of a non-custodial parent who is a party to a divorce or separation to visit with their children. In such cases, some courts look to the best interests of the child. Parents have due process rights to determine visitation by nonparents. In...
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Court order allowing visitation privileges for a parent or other relative of a child.
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A marriage that was for some reason never valid from the start and cannot be made valid. Common reasons for a court to find a marriage void ab initio are that the marriage is incestuous, polygamous, or a same-sex marriage.
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A marriage that is valid until declared invalid. The grounds for invalidation of marriage vary depending on state. Common grounds for voiding a marriage include that one of the parties is below the age of consent, a party was incapable of consenting...