| Parent-Child Tort Immunity |
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| The doctrine of parental immunity for torts against a child is an American invention. The immunity was judicially created to advance specific policies, mainly the preservation of family harmony and the right of parents to raise their children as they saw fit and the prevention of collusive suits. The immunity was adopted in almost every jurisdiction in the United States. More... |
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| Same-Sex Marriages, Civil Unions, and Domestic Partnerships |
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| Although many people interchange the terms same-sex marriage and civil union, they are actually two different and distinct concepts. A same-sex marriage is defined as a marriage between two individuals of the same gender. A same-sex marriage involves a certain legal status for the couple. Further, each state has its own requirements with respect to marriage. More... |
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| Marriage of Underage Children |
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| In most states, a person must be 18 in order to marry; however, in many states a minor 15 years or older may get married with legal permission from a parent or guardian. You have to be 16 to get married with parental consent in the State of New York. If you are under 16, you need a court order giving you permission to marry. More... |
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| International Adoption - Advance Processing |
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| The United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recommends that all prospective parents file an application for "Advance Processing" before they identify a foreign child to adopt. Advance Processing is a procedure whereby the USCIS pre-approves the prospective parents' application to adopt a child. More... |
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| Pretrial Motions in Divorce Actions |
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| Often times divorce actions require litigation. If the parties decide that litigating the case is the only way to resolve the disputed issues, parties may need to file pretrial motions. A pretrial motion is a motion filed by either party requesting that the court take some action. Some issues need to be determined prior to the final conclusion of the case.
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