Law Commons^™

The "Enlightened Barbarity" Of Inclusive Fitness And Wrongful Death: Biological Justifications For An Investment Theory Of Loss In Wycko V. Gnodtke, Ryan Shannon

University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform

Wrongful death laws should permit and encourage courts and juries to consider the survivors' investment in decedents when determining wrongful death damages, given new biological justifications for this theory of loss. The investment theory of damages, which permits an award of damages based on the investment of financial resources relatives make in one another, originated in Michigan's courts in the early 1 960s, but as of present day has been largely abrogated. In the context of modern understandings of evolutionary biology, including kin selection theory and sociobiology, the investment theory of recovery accords with the goals of corrective justice as …

High-Income Child Support Guidelines: Harmonizing The Need For Limits With The Best Interests Of The Child, Laura Raatjes

Chicago-Kent Law Review

Providing for the needs of children of separated parents lies at the heart of state child support laws. But what about providing for the special needs of children of high-income obligors and ensuring consistency in a system often marked by unpredictability and high emotions? This Note examines the manifold problems that discretionary high-income child support decisions can cause: inequitable settlement, increased litigation, injured family structures, and inconsistent decisions. This Note also proposes a solution: to set higher thresholds for triggering a high-income analysis and to require high-income parents to contribute to post-secondary educational trusts. Finally, this Note explains that, as …

Domestic Relations, Barry B. Mcgough, Elinor H. Hitt

Mercer Law Review

This survey period saw continued evolution of domestic relations law through changes in legislation and case law. Legislation passed in the 2009 Session of the Georgia General Assembly took effect during this survey period, and the Georgia Supreme Court continued to accept non-frivolous appeals in divorce cases, which provides guidance to those interested in domestic relations law.

• PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS
• PLEADINGS
• CHILD CUSTODY
• CHILD SUPPORT
• ALIMONY
• DIVISION OF PROPERTY
• ADOPTION
• TRUSTS

Community Property And Family Law: The Family Law Act Of 1969, Aidan R. Gough

Cal Law Trends and Developments

The year 1969 marked the decade's principal accomplishment in family law, the passage of the Family Law Act. The last several years have seen a sharply rising discontent with our traditional procedures for handling the dissolution of marriages, and numerous reform proposals have been advanced both in this country and abroad.

The Family Law Act brings some of these proposals to fruition; it marks the first legislative eradication of marital fault as the governing principle of divorce in any American jurisdiction. Because the passage of the new law virtually eclipses the past year's decisional developments in family law and community …

Community Property And Family Law, Arthur M. Sammis

Cal Law Trends and Developments

Probably the most important development in the field of community property law during the past year was the legislation affecting causes of action and damages for injury to the person. Several cases dealing with integrated property settlements are of importance in clarifying problems relating to support provisions, modification, and enforcement. Developments in the case and statutory law dealing with the parent and child relation have emphasized the continuing trend toward liberality in the legitimation of children. Three major areas in this field have received attention and are worthy of comment. The conclusive presumption of legitimacy set forth in Evidence Code …

Octomom And Multi-Fetal Pregnancies: Why Federal Legislation Should Require Insurers To Cover In Vitro Fertilization, Camille M. Davidson

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

On January 26, 2009, Nadya Suleman, dubbed Octomom by the media, delivered octuplets after using in vitro fertilization. The same day, Congressman Anthony Weiner of New York introduced the Family Building Act of 2009 in the United States House of Representatives—a federal mandate requiring insurers to provide coverage for in vitro fertilization. The octuplets are no longer headline news, but issues associated with in vitro fertilization are still newsworthy. In this paper I propose that Congress should take a serious look at the Family Building Act of 2009. After addressing some additional issues, Congress should pass legislation mandating that insurers …

On Same-Sex Marriage And Matters Of Conscience, Mark Strasser

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

No abstract provided.

A Spouse By Any Other Name, Deborah J. Anthony

William & Mary Journal of Race, Gender, and Social Justice

This article will investigate current state laws regarding the change of a husband’s name to his wife’s upon marriage. Given that tradition, and often law itself, discourage that practice, the lingering gendered norms that perpetuate the historical tradition will be explored. Components of this article will include a brief historical analysis of the origin of surnames and the law as it has developed on that issue, including an examination of the place of tradition in the law both empirically and normatively. A discussion of the psychological importance of names in the identities of men versus women will be addressed, as …

Community Property And Family Law, Arthur M. Sammis

Cal Law Trends and Developments

Important developments in community property and family law in California in 1967 were largely the result of legislative enactment, although several important decisions were rendered by the appellate courts of California. Those cases and statutory revisions making significant changes in the law will be discussed here under appropriate headings.

That "Thorny Issue" Redux: California Grandparent Visitation Law In The Wake Of Troxel V. Granville, Joan Catherine Bohl

Golden Gate University Law Review

This article is about Troxel's practical impact as it has played out in the laboratory of the California court system. To understand Troxel's effect, one must first understand the legal and social landscape that preceded it. Accordingly, the first section of this article explores the political and societal origins of grandparent Visitation statutes. It also reviews the basic types of grandparent visitation statutes and the arguments made on each side of a typical pre-Troxel grandparent visitation suit. The second step in understanding Troxel's effect is to understand the decision itself. Troxel is a plurality opinion. Although the individual concurrences and …

Posthumously Conceived Children And Social Security Survivor's Benefits: Implications Of The Ninth Circuit's Novel Approach For Determining Eligibility In Gillett-Netting V. Barnhart, Karen Minor

Golden Gate University Law Review

Part I of this Note describes the technology of assisted reproduction, the requirements and purpose of the Act, and the challenges that arise when interpreting the Act using the variety of state statutes. Part II describes the instant case and explores the reasoning of both the district court and the Ninth Circuit. The implications of the decision are discussed in Part IlI.

Family Law - Guardianship - The Uniform Adult Guardianship And Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act: A Uniform Solution To An Arkansas Problem, Stephen Rauls

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Unfettered Discretion: Criminal Orders Of Protection And Their Impact On Parent Defendants, David Michael Jaros

Indiana Law Journal

The last two decades have witnessed an astonishing increase in the use of the criminal justice system to police neglectful parents. Recasting traditional allegations of neglect as criminal charges of endangering the welfare of a child, prosecutors and the police have involved criminal courts in the regulation of aspects of the parent-child relationship that were once the sole province of family courts. This Article explores the legal implications of vesting judges in these cases with the unfettered discretion to issue protective orders that criminalize contact between a parent and her child.I argue that procedures for issuing protective orders that were …

Color Conscious: The Unconstitutionality Of Adoptive Parents' Expression Of Racial Preferences In The Adoption Process, Colin Schlueter

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Family Law And Estate Law - Reproductive Technology - Use Of Artificial Reproductive Technologies After The Death Of A Parent, Lisa Medford

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Protecting The Child's Best Interest: Defending Second-Parent Adoptions Granted Prior To The 2002 Enactment Of California Assembly Bill 25, Diana Lauretta

Golden Gate University Law Review

Sharon S. v. Superior Court is pending review before the California Supreme Court. This case may nullify second-parent adoptions granted in California prior to the enactment of Assembly Bill 25, which gave same-sex domestic partners the statutory right to adopt their partner's children. Section I will examine the factual history and majority and minority opinions in Sharon S. Next, Section II of this comment will survey the history of adoption law and California Assembly Bill 25. Finally, Section III of this comment will consider differing state court opinions regarding second-parent adoptions. Section III will also offer remedies to counteract potential …

Discovering Donors: Legal Rights To Access Information About Anonymous Sperm Donors Given To Children Of Artificial Insemination In Johnson V. Superior Court Of Los Angeles County, Jenna H. Bauman

Golden Gate University Law Review

In the Johnson case, six-year-old Brittany, a child conceived through artificial insemination, was diagnosed with a genetically-transmitted kidney disease originating from the child's anonymous sperm donor. The case documents the parents' struggle to obtain personal medical information regarding the anonymous donor. It also illustrates the donor's fight, with the full support of the sperm bank, to maintain his anonymity at all costs. This Note discusses the court's decision in Johnson v. Superior Court of Los Angeles County, et al., in which it held that children created through artificial insemination should be allowed access to information about their anonymous sperm donor …

“For Any Reason”: Paper Promises To Protect Service Members, Tami Martin

Legislation and Policy Brief

In short, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) is the law that prohibits lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals from serving openly in the military. Despite the fact that the Obama Administration has yet to fulfill the campaign promise of ending DADT, many believe the question is more "when" than "if" it will be repealed. Much attention has focused on ending the policy, but it is also important to consider what might happen after repeal. This article briefly examines the history of DADT, major policies meant to protect service members from harassment they experience because of their actual or perceived sexual …

Beyond Wrongful Adoption: Expanding Adoption Agency Liability To Include A Duty To Investigate And A Duty To Warn, Jennifer Emmaneel

Golden Gate University Law Review

This note discusses the evolution of the tort of wrongful adoption. At first, state courts would only allow adoptive parents to recover for wrongful adoption if they could prove that the adoption agency's conduct constituted fraud, a common law tort that requires the adoption agency's conduct to be intentional. In time, public policy interests, such as the need for adoptive parents to be emotionally and financially prepared to raise a special needs child, persuaded state courts to allow adoptive parents to recover under the less stringent tort of negligence. As opposed to fraud, a showing of negligence does not require …

California's Move-Away Law: Are Children Being Hurt By Judicial Presumptions That Sweep Too Broadly?, Jennifer Gould

Golden Gate University Law Review

This Comment will summarize the various types of custody situations and their relevance in deciding move-away cases. Next, this Comment will examine In re Marriage of Burgess, a landmark California Supreme Court move-away case, and discuss its impact on family law courts, families, and attorneys involved with move-away cases. Included is an examination of certain factors that the Burgess court did not fully address in its analysis. Finally, drawing upon public policy, social science research, legal commentary, and other jurisdictions' moveaway laws, this Comment will propose a more comprehensive approach to deciding move-away cases. This approach limits the application of …

The Best Interest Of The Child: Eliminating Discrimination In The Screening Of Adoptive Parents, Jehnna Irene Hanan

Golden Gate University Law Review

This comment will propose eliminating race and all factors that would be discriminatory in any other area of the law from consideration in adoption placement decisions, focusing instead on assessments of the parenting skills of individual prospective adoptive parents, and giving preference to foster parents or others who are already providing care to the child. Part II will discuss the historical precedents of today's adoption laws and show how the misperception of the adoptive family as inferior to the biological family helped to shape the current law. Part III will describe the process of adopting a child to demonstrate that …

California's Conclusive Presumption Of Paternity And The Expansion Of Unwed Fathers' Rights, Batya F. Smernoff

Golden Gate University Law Review

This comment begins with the history of the conclusive presumption of paternity in California, from its common law roots to its modern day affirmation in Michael H. v. Gerald D. This background will discuss the adoption of the Uniform Parentage Act in California and its application in paternity proceedings. In an effort to advocate the need for its repeal, this comment will also discuss the modem trend in the California courts to circumvent the conclusive presumption. The comment concludes that this rebuttable presumption enables an unwed father to establish his parental rights regardless of the mother's marital status. By protecting …

Anderson V. Edwards: Can Two Live More Cheaply Than One? The Effect Of Cohabitation On Afdc Grants, Irma S. Jurado

Golden Gate University Law Review

This note will first discuss the background of the AFDC program and how it is regulated by the federal and state governments. A discussion of several lower federal and state court decisions which have dealt with the issue presented to the United States Supreme Court in Anderson v. Edwards will follow. Next, this note will examine the Court's analysis and holding in Anderson. The note concludes with the author's assessment as to why the holding in Anderson was correct.

The Sealed Adoption Records Controversy: Breaking Down The Wails Of Secrecy, Jason Kuhns

Golden Gate University Law Review

This article will discuss the statutory history of adoption in the United States and advocate why a present day understanding of the interests of the parties to the adoption process requires that adoptees have greater access to these records. The author will examine the reasons why current statutory approaches do not adequately address adoptees' needs and recommend a procedural device that would sufficiently balance the interests of the parties to this controversy.

Redefining Parenthood: Child Custody And Visitation When Nontraditional Families Dissolve, Kristine L. Burks

Golden Gate University Law Review

This article offers a method of providing custody and visitation rights to individuals formerly involved in nontraditional relationships who function as children's parents but who lack the legal status of parent. The article considers a broad range of nontraditional families, including stepparents, same-sex partners, and unmarried heterosexuals. The article begins with a summary of California statutory law. The author examines how "parent" is defined and the limitations imposed on those falling outside that definition when they seek to assert rights to child custody and visitation. Next, the article focuses on three types of nontraditional relationships to illustrate how California courts …

Baehr V. Lewin: Hawaii Takes A Tentative Step To Legalize Same-Sex Marriage, Marty K. Courson

Golden Gate University Law Review

In Baehr v. Lewin, the Supreme Court of Hawaii sparked a controversy that has potential nationwide implications. The court held that three same-sex couples were entitled to an evidentiary hearing to determine if the State can demonstrate that denying the couples the right to marry under the Hawaii Marriage Law furthers compelling state interests. If the State fails its burden, it can no longer refuse marriage licenses to couples merely on the basis that they are of the same sex. Should this occur, gay marriages will become legal in Hawaii.

Contracting For Cohabitation: Adapting The California Statutory Marital Contract To Life Partnership Agreements Between Lesbian, Gay Or Unmarried Heterosexual Couples, Brooke Oliver

Golden Gate University Law Review

Nearly 450 California statutes deal with rights, duties and privileges associated with heterosexual marriage, either in the statute itself or in its interpretation as reflected by annotations" These rights, duties and privileges comprise the California civil marital contract. The primary focus of this article is to distill, from all the rights, duties and privileges of that civil marital contract, most of those which may be incorporated into contracts between cohabiting adults. Statutes which do not lend themselves to inclusion in a contract between private parties have been excluded. This checklist will help legal practitioners provide accurate and comprehensive advice to …

In Harm's Way? Family Mediation And The Role Of The Attorney Advocate, Mary Pat Treuthart

Golden Gate University Law Review

The first part of this article presents some background information about mediation and the current mediation trend, emphasizes that the use of mediation is dangerous and inappropriate when one disputant has been abused by the other, and identifies potential problems for women which may be created by family mediation. The second part of this article focuses on the role and responsibilities of the attorney advocate when the client chooses, or is compelled, to mediate, with particular attention to the special concerns involved in representing battered women. In the scholarly literature, much time and energy has been devoted to issues addressed …

In Vitro Fertilization Through Egg Donation: A Prospective View Of Legal Issues, James M. Treppa

Golden Gate University Law Review

As reproductive techniques continue to advance, many legal and ethical questions surrounding the use of some of these techniques remain unanswered. One such technique is IVF through the use of egg/oocyte donation. The lack of legal or statutory parameters regarding the use of IVF egg donation is a direct consequence of judicial and legislative failure to promulgate guidelines regarding noncoital reproduction. As many judges continue to point to legislators for guidance, proposed bills stagnate at the hearing stage.

The Constitutionality Of California's Parental Consent To Abortion Statute, Malena R. Calvin

Golden Gate University Law Review

In order to determine the constitutionality of California's parental consent statute, this article will first discuss the implications of Roe. Second, this article will analyze United States Supreme Court decisions which have addressed parental consent statutes. Third, this paper will demonstrate that California's parental consent statute would be considered constitutional under the Supreme Court cases which have addressed such statutes. Fourth, this paper will consider the implications of California's state constitution. Based on this analysis, this paper will establish that despite a finding of constitutionality under federal law, California's parental consent statute appears to violate the express right to privacy …