Family

Understand the legal process for becoming a child's permanent parent, including the rights transferred, and the steps involved.

Understand how to get, correct, or replace official records that prove your identity, citizenship, and family relationships.

Learn about child abuse and neglect to understand the signs, legal definitions, reporting requirements, and how the system works to protect children and support families.

Understand what financial help may be available and how expenses are considered in child support and custody decisions.

Learn about child custody and visitation to understand how decisions are made about where a child lives, who makes decisions for them, and how parents share time after separation or divorce.

Child support is vital for children's well-being. It provides funds for a stable, healthy life.

Learn about dividing (partition) a home with another owner to understand how co-owners can legally split or sell shared property when they don't agree on what to do with it.

Understand the legal process for ending a marriage, including how courts handle property, custody, and support issues.

Learn how to recognize domestic violence and abuse, and what legal protections and resources are available to help you stay safe.

Learn about elder abuse to recognize the signs, understand the legal protections in place, and find out how to report and prevent harm to older adults.

Understand how a young person can gain legal independence from their parents before turning 18.

Learn how to handle family-related legal issues after a disaster, such as custody changes, protective orders, missing family members, and accessing benefits for children or dependents.

Learn about foster care to understand how children are temporarily placed with licensed caregivers when their parents can't safely care for them and what rights and responsibilities foster parents have.

Learn how to get a restraining or protection order to legally keep someone away from you if you're experiencing abuse, threats, or harassment.

Understand how a court can appoint someone to make personal, medical, or financial decisions for a person who can't manage on their own.

Understand how the government can take a parent's federal or state tax refund to pay past-due child support.

Understand what happens when minors are involved in criminal proceedings or face school discipline, including their rights, possible detention or sentencing, and how to get advocacy or support.

Learn about marriage and civil unions to understand the legal rights, responsibilities, and benefits that come with formalizing a relationship under state law.

Understand the legal process for updating your identity documents to reflect your correct name or gender, and what forms, fees, and court steps may be involved.

Learn about parental rights and termination to understand when a parent has legal rights and responsibilities for a child, and the situations where those rights can be legally ended.

Understand how legal fatherhood is established, why it matters for child support and custody, and the steps to confirm or dispute it.

Learn about taking care of sick or disabled family members to understand your legal options for support, decision-making, and long-term planning.

Learn about your right to take time off work for family or medical reasons under laws like FMLA, including who qualifies, how to request leave, and job protections during leave.

Learn about trusts to understand how they can manage and protect assets during your life and after death, often avoiding probate and offering more control than will alone.