Family Law Rights
Know your family law rights. Plain-English guides to divorce and legal separation, child custody and visitation, child support, and spousal support and alimony — how the process works, what courts consider, and what to do when things get contested. Family law varies significantly by state, so always confirm the rules where you live.
Browse by situation
72 guides on divorce, custody, and support across 4 topics.
Divorce & Legal Separation
Ending a marriage is as much a legal process as a personal one.
20 guides →Child Custody & Visitation
Custody is decided on the best interests of the child — but what that means in practice surprises many parents.
14 guides →Child Support
Child support follows state guidelines, but the details decide what you pay or receive.
22 guides →Spousal Support & Alimony
Alimony is not automatic, and the rules vary widely by state.
16 guides →Latest family law guides
- Can I Get a Divorce if My Spouse Is in Jail?
Yes. Incarceration does not stop a divorce. How to serve an inmate, what happens if they don't respond, and how to file if you're the one in jail.
- How to Get a Cheap or Free Divorce With No Money
Yes, you can divorce with little or no money. Use fee waivers, legal aid, self-help forms, and low-cost lawyers. Step-by-step routes for low-income filers.
- Can a Father Get 50/50, Joint, or Shared Custody?
Yes. Fathers can and routinely do get 50/50, joint, or shared custody. Here is how the best-interests standard, custody labels, and the law actually work.
- How to Get Alimony Without a Lawyer (and When You Still Need One)
Yes, you can request alimony without a lawyer. How to ask for spousal support in a divorce, get it in a mutual divorce, and when to hire help.
- Can I Get Alimony If We Weren't Married? Common-Law Marriage and Palimony
Not legally married? Alimony usually requires a marriage, but common-law marriage or a palimony claim may apply. Rules vary sharply by state.
- Can a Father Get Custody if He Has a Criminal Record?
Yes, a father with a criminal record can often get custody. Learn how courts weigh a record against the best-interest standard and what you can do.