Family Lawyer Course

Lesson 1 • Client Intake and Case Assessment

Teaches systematic intake procedures and initial case evaluation methods. Students can assess viability, identify issues, and set client expectations from day one.

Lesson 2 • Sources of Family Law

Surveys statutes, case law, and procedural rules that govern family matters. Students learn to locate and evaluate authoritative legal sources.

Lesson 3 • Overview of Family Law

Defines family law's subject matter, distinguishing it from other civil practice areas. Establishes the conceptual map students use throughout the course.

Lesson 4 • Court Systems and Jurisdiction

Explains how family courts are organized and how jurisdiction is determined. Students gain the ability to identify the correct forum for any family matter.

Lesson 1 • Recognition of Foreign and Out-of-State Marriages

Analyzes how marriages formed elsewhere are recognized across different legal systems. Students advise clients whose marriages cross jurisdictional lines.

Lesson 2 • Premarital and Postmarital Agreements

Teaches the requirements for enforceable premarital and postmarital contracts. Students can draft, review, and challenge these agreements on behalf of clients.

Lesson 3 • Cohabitation Agreements and Rights

Addresses the legal position of unmarried cohabitants and the use of cohabitation agreements. Students draft enforceable agreements protecting cohabitants' interests.

Lesson 4 • Legal Requirements for Marriage

Covers capacity, consent, and formality requirements that create a valid marriage. Students identify grounds for void and voidable marriages.

Lesson 1 • Initiating Divorce Proceedings

Covers pleading requirements, service of process, and initial court filings. Students prepare and file all documents needed to commence a divorce action.

Lesson 2 • Discovery in Divorce Cases

Explains discovery tools used to uncover assets, income, and relevant facts. Students design and execute a discovery plan tailored to divorce litigation.

Lesson 3 • Post-Judgment Motions and Appeals

Addresses remedies available after a divorce judgment is entered. Students identify grounds for modification, enforcement, and appeal.

Lesson 4 • Negotiation and Settlement in Divorce

Develops negotiation skills and settlement agreement drafting for divorce matters. Students craft comprehensive marital settlement agreements that withstand judicial scrutiny.

Lesson 5 • Grounds for Divorce

Compares fault-based and no-fault divorce grounds and their strategic implications. Students select the appropriate grounds based on client facts and goals.

Lesson 1 • Equitable Distribution Principles

Explains the factors courts weigh when dividing property equitably. Students construct arguments for favorable distribution outcomes.

Lesson 2 • Dividing Debts and Liabilities

Addresses allocation of marital debts and protection of clients from creditor claims. Students draft provisions that minimize post-divorce financial exposure.

Lesson 3 • Community Property Concepts

Introduces community property regimes as an alternative to equitable distribution. Students advise clients who have lived in or moved from community property systems.

Lesson 4 • Classifying Marital and Separate Property

Distinguishes marital from separate property and addresses commingling and transmutation. Students apply classification rules to complex asset portfolios.

Lesson 5 • Valuation of Marital Assets

Covers methods for valuing real estate, businesses, retirement accounts, and other assets. Students work with experts to produce defensible valuations.

Lesson 1 • Modification and Termination of Support

Covers the legal standards for modifying or terminating spousal support orders. Students identify triggering events and file appropriate motions.

Lesson 2 • Factors Governing Support Awards

Analyzes the statutory and case-law factors courts use to set support amounts. Students build evidence-based arguments for desired support outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Calculating and Documenting Support

Teaches income analysis, imputation of income, and financial documentation for support. Students prepare accurate financial affidavits and support worksheets.

Lesson 4 • Tax Treatment of Spousal Support

Explains the tax consequences of support payments for payor and recipient. Students structure support agreements to optimize after-tax outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Drafting Comprehensive Parenting Plans

Teaches the components of a detailed parenting plan that minimizes future conflict. Students draft plans covering schedules, holidays, communication, and decision-making.

Lesson 2 • Custody Modification Proceedings

Covers the standards and procedures for modifying existing custody orders. Students identify material changes in circumstances and prepare modification petitions.

Lesson 3 • Relocation and Interstate Custody

Addresses the legal standards for parental relocation and multi-jurisdictional custody. Students handle relocation requests and enforce out-of-state custody orders.

Lesson 4 • Best Interests of the Child Standard

Examines the statutory factors courts weigh in custody determinations. Students construct best-interests arguments supported by evidence and expert testimony.

Lesson 5 • Custody Evaluations and Expert Witnesses

Explains the role of custody evaluators, guardians ad litem, and mental health experts. Students effectively use and challenge expert opinions in custody proceedings.

Lesson 1 • Determining Income for Support Purposes

Covers income definition, imputation, and documentation for child support calculations. Students accurately determine each parent's income for guideline application.

Lesson 2 • Modification of Child Support

Explains the standards and procedures for modifying child support orders over time. Students file and defend modification petitions based on changed circumstances.

Lesson 3 • Child Support Guideline Frameworks

Explains income shares, percentage of income, and hybrid guideline models. Students apply the correct model to calculate presumptive support amounts.

Lesson 4 • Enforcement of Child Support Orders

Surveys administrative and judicial enforcement tools for unpaid child support. Students select and deploy the most effective enforcement remedy for each situation.

Lesson 1 • Assisted Reproduction and Parentage

Addresses parentage disputes arising from surrogacy, sperm donation, and embryo agreements. Students draft and litigate agreements governing assisted reproduction.

Lesson 2 • Strategic Case Management and Client Counseling

Develops holistic case strategy, client communication, and risk management for complex matters. Students integrate legal, financial, and emotional dimensions into a unified approach.

Lesson 3 • Domestic Violence in Family Proceedings

Covers protective orders, safety planning, and the impact of abuse on custody and support. Students represent survivors and respond to false allegations effectively.

Lesson 4 • International Family Law Issues

Examines cross-border custody disputes, international child abduction, and foreign divorce recognition. Students navigate international treaties and multi-jurisdictional enforcement.

Lesson 5 • High-Asset Divorce Strategies

Addresses the unique challenges of divorces involving significant wealth and complex assets. Students coordinate financial experts and develop comprehensive litigation strategies.