family law

Civil union partners are partners who are in a marriage-like legal relationship. If a couple is in a civil union, they receive inheritance rights, employment benefits, property rights, parental rights, etc.

In the practice of law, a code is an organized compilation of existing laws. It is a collection of all the laws in force, including the enacted laws and case law, covering a complete legal system or a specific area. A code can make the formulation of legal principles and rules more concise, clear, and thorough, so that people can understand the rules more quickly and comprehensively.

Collaterals are relatives who descend from a common ancestor, other than direct ancestors and issue. Examples of one’s collaterals would be relatives such as uncles, aunts, or cousins. On the other hand, one’s ancestors are parents, grandparents, great-grandparents. 

[Last reviewed in July of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]

• property
• future interests

Common law marriage is a marriage without formal solemnization or without formalities such as a marriage license or ceremony. Although mere cohabitation is insufficient to establish a common-law marriage, cohabitation is generally required as an element in the formation of a valid common law marriage. Most states

Community property refers to assets acquired during a marriage by either spouse. These assets can include property, income and even debt. Not all states recognize community property.

Community property with the right of survivorship is an agreement where, after the death of a spouse, ownership of the property that is jointly owned by both spouses automatically passes to the other spouse.

• property

The term competent is used in various legal contexts, including procedure, evidence, and employment. More generally, it refers to the ability to act in the circumstances, including the ability to perform a job or occupation, the capacity to reason, or to make decisions.

A complex trust is one that does not fulfill the IRS conditions of a simple trust. The expression "complex" refers to the trustee's discretion rather than the trust's provisions being more complex. A complex trust must engage in at least one of the following three activities each year to be regarded as such:

Conjugal rights refer to the mutual rights and privileges between two individuals arising from the state of being married. These rights include mutual rights of companionship, support, comfort, sexual relations, affection, joint property rights and the like.