Lecture Eleven: Family Law and Trusts & Estates

This lecture covers essential topics in Family Law and Trusts and Estates, focusing on marriage, divorce, child custody, and property division. It provides a comprehensive overview of legal requirements, implications of common law marriage, and the processes involved in divorce and alimony.

Takeaways

Family Law and Trusts and Estates are frequently tested on the bar exam.

Marriage is not just a private contract but a public civil status.

Common law marriage is recognized in a minority of states.

Divorce can be no-fault or fault-based, affecting property division.

Alimony is designed to prevent a decline in living standards post-divorce.

Legal separation allows spouses to live apart while remaining married.

Property division varies by jurisdiction, either community property or equitable distribution.

Factors influencing alimony include the duration of marriage and standard of living.

The putative spouse doctrine protects those who believed their marriage was valid.

Understanding void versus voidable marriages is crucial for legal analysis.

Family Law, Trusts and Estates, Marriage, Divorce, Legal Separation, Alimony, Common Law Marriage, Property Division, Bar Exam, Legal Standards