Family Law for the Paralegal: Concepts and Applications provides a thorough introduction to the basics of family law and procedure, addressing all key areas most commonly encountered in a family law practice. While the overall approach of the text is generic, each chapter provides opportunities for students to consider issues through the lens of individual jurisdictions and cases. 

The Third Edition offers an up-to-date perspective on family law. It incorporates coverage of the impact of marriage equality on areas such as parenting and custody and it highlights ways in which the Internet has revolutionized adoption, discovery, and family violence. This interesting and readable text helps prepare students to enter the workforce with strong cognitive and practical skills.

Mary E. Wilson is a graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to her law degree, she earned a Master’s in Education from Boston University and a Bachelor’s Degree from Middlebury College in English and Psychology. She is a member of the American Bar Association Family Law Section and is admitted to the practice of law in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Having retired as a full professor in 1997, she now is an adjunct faculty member at Northern Essex Community College in Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts, where she teaches courses in the paralegal and criminal justice programs. In her more than thirty-five years of teaching at both public and private institutions, she has designed and taught a variety of behavioral science, education, and law courses. She has also directed a statewide training program for foster parents and social workers through the Massachusetts Community College system and has authored training manuals on child discipline and working with abused and neglected children. A former department chair, she has also served as a director and dean at Northern Essex.

1. Introduction to a Family Law Practice

2. Cohabitation and Premarital Agreements

3. Marriage and Emerging Alternatives

4. Annulment

5. The Divorce Process

6. Discovery and Financial Statements

7. Parenthood

8. Child Custody

9. Child Support

10. Spousal Support

11. Property Division

12. Separation Agreements

13. Family Violence

14. Adoption

APPENDIX A: National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibility

APPENDIX B: Websites of Interest

APPENDIX C: State Websites for Forms and Statutes

Glossary

Index