For the purposes of this research guide “family law” is defined in its broadest sense, including husband and wife, parents and children, the nontraditional family, and the issues of marital property, divorce, custody, support, and family violence. Unlike most other legal topics, family law research centers on the legislation of the fifty states. There are international conventions, Federal constitutional rights, and uniform and model laws, but there is not a single family code. Researching a topic in family law may require looking at specific state codes and court decisions, uniform laws, treatises, local continuing legal education titles, and journal articles.
N. Currier, c1847, Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division
Database Access Note: access to certain databases linked to in this guide may be restricted to members affiliated with the U of M Law School or the U of M Twin Cities campus. Please see our Databases Directory for further information on access privileges.