Course Details

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Conduct a review of the historical role of family law from 19th century America to the present day.
2. Examine the legal aspects of premarital agreements, same-sex marriages, and cohabitation.
3. Describe the determination of child support and the issue of contempt.
4. Compare and critique standards regarding adoption and surrogacy within the U.S.
5. Examine and distinguish among the types of alimony.
6. Analyze the distribution of property and debt after dissolution.
7. Identify and understand the different the legal features of child custody, visitation, and third-party rights.
8. Examine the law and current events as to termination of parental rights.
9. Examine the legal sources of family law.
10. Understand paternity and the related legal implications.

Weekly Discussions due during the course count as 40% of the final grade. Questions and topics posed in the Discussions are designed to promote thought and insight. Students must provide a critical review of the questions, topics and issues posed and substantively reply to the contributions of at least three peers. Individual postings should include a full discussion of the content of the question posed and explain how it relates to the concepts in the weekly text readings and other resources. The postings should be analytic in nature and include comparisons/contrasts, and examples that can bolster your point. The Discussion is for your benefit and it is important to respond to the discussion topic and to engage others in a running dialogue.

Your initial post should be made by Thursday this week. You should then respond to 3 or more posts. Note that at least one response to your classmates must be made before Sunday. If you make all of your responsive posts on Sunday, you will not earn full points for timeliness.

This can be accomplished by

· Validating with additional evidence from the literature.

· Posing a thoughtful question with commentary which generates further discussion.

· Providing an alternative point-of-view, with evidence and examples.

· Offering additional insight into how the concept might be understood, with evidence provided with real world examples.

You should be active in the classroom throughout the week and actively engaged in the back-and-forth discussion between your colleagues and the professor.

The discussion grading rubric can be found in gradebook by clicking on the discussion entry.

Late Assignments

Students are expected to submit classroom assignments by the posted due date and to complete the course according to the published class schedule. As adults, students, and working professionals, I understand you must manage competing demands on your time. Should you need additional time to complete an assignment, please contact me before the due date so we can discuss the situation and determine an acceptable resolution. Routine submission of late assignments is unacceptable and may result in points deducted from your final course grade.

Deductions:

Late forum posts can be penalized up to 5 points per day

Late assignments can be penalized up to 5 points per day

After successfully completing this course, you will be able to:

1. Conduct a review of the historical role of family law from 19th century America to the present day.
2. Examine the legal aspects of premarital agreements, same-sex marriages, and cohabitation.
3. Describe the determination of child support and the issue of contempt.
4. Compare and critique standards regarding adoption and surrogacy within the U.S.
5. Examine and distinguish among the types of alimony.
6. Analyze the distribution of property and debt after dissolution.
7. Identify and understand the different the legal features of child custody, visitation, and third-party rights.
8. Examine the law and current events as to termination of parental rights.
9. Examine the legal sources of family law.
10. Understand paternity and the related legal implications.