The rights of children are being asserted with increasing frequency in expanding contexts, and the courts are listening. This article is concerned with the complexity of children's constitutional freedoms where parental rights (or interests) are also asserted. (Author)

Discusses findings from a study which sought to pinpoint the level of knowledge of family law held by the public. Results indicate a relative ignorance of this important legal responsibility. (Author/HMV)

Divorce rates in North America have increased sharply during the last century. Though this fact may best be understood as the result of many factors, one of them is the law. This paper provides a brief history of Canadian divorce laws and their relationship to divorce rates. (Author)

The results of a survey of family studies faculty concerning the inclusion of family law topics in family studies courses are discussed. The professor's needs for training and resources in the area of family and the law are identified and recommendations for meeting these needs are suggested. (Author)

Family life writers and educators must become knowledgable about legal protections and restrictions. Definitions of copyright, guidelines for fair use of copyrighted works, and legal penalties for infringement are essential information. Selected cases indicate the legal base for the current status of copyright law relevant to family life…

Preparation of a college credit course as it was taught on television is described. The course concerned the legal aspects of consumerism and family life. The format of the course, content, and participants are discussed. Suggestions are made for any future similar projects. (Author)

The view that the protection of the family unit is essential for the public welfare has generated much of family law. This paper attempts to examine the legal consequences which ensue from some alternative types of family formation. (Author)

Legal obligations of spouses are examined in the first half of this article. The second half of the article examines explicit legal restrictions on alternative family forms--homosexual unions, communes, and egalitarian-partnership marriages. The final section reviews developments in the law which may provide increased legal protection for…

The potential impact of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) can be measured in areas such as alimony, child support, child custody, property ownership, divorce and rights of consortium. Statutes which use sex as the sole criterion would be unconstitutional. (Author)

Discrimination toward men can be found in the legal definition of marriage, legal age requirements at marriage, support, child custody, unmarried fathers' rights, abortion, and cohabitation. With the increasing equality between the sexes, men will gain in their legal options of roles. (Author)

Many states have laws which prohibit every sexual act except sexual intercourse between husband and wife. However, recent court decisions make most private relationships between consenting adults outside the realm of the law. The effect on sex laws is seen in an increasing liberalization of these statues. (Author)

While community living may introduce some new interpretations and extension of the present statues, it does not appear that major changes or problems of decision will appear. The problems posed for the courts may be nowhere near as severe as the problems that children pose for their own communities. (Author)

Most of our laws penalize those who do not conform to the ideal of the intact monogamous nuclear family. Should we prosecute people for violations that reflect norms that are archaic or are held only by a minority? What is the effect of such regulation on social change? (Author)