family law Flashcards
breach of promise to marry claim & available damages
claim against someone who broke a promise to marry.
most states do not allow this claim.
actual damages for lost deposits, costs relating to the wedding.
damages for loss of reputation, mental anguish.
punitive damages may be available
claim for gifts in contemplation of marriage
claim for a return of the gift because it was given on the condition that the marriage take place
are courts bound by child support or custody provisions in a premarital agreement?
no, in all states. in some states they are void & violate public policy and in others they must be reviewed by the court to verify the terms are in child’s best interest.
requirements for valid premarital agreement
all states require
-a signed writing
-entered into voluntarily (no fraud, duress, overreaching)
-full and fair disclosure of parties’ assets or parties must have independent knowledge (under UPAA majority rule this analysis is only required if terms unconscionable)
Most courts consider representation of both parties by counsel and will be less likely to find agreement unfair
some courts consider whether economic provisions of the agreement are fair and reasonable
requirements for a valid marriage
1) license
2) expiration of waiting period between license and ceremony
3) ceremony with authorized officiant (typically judges, religious personnel)
4) no legal impediments to marriage
5) capacity to consent at time of ceremony- must understand nature of actions & be voluntary
when is capacity to consent lacking?
a party is under 18, a party is 16 or 17 and parents do not consent, a party is under influence of drugs or alcohol, fraud, duress
if some of the procedural requirements for a license are lacking, will that invalidate the marriage?
No, there would have to be another element of valid marriage lacking
common law marriage
not recognized in most states. requirements:
- consent to marry- capacity + no legal impediment
- cohabitation
- both parties hold themselves out publicly as spouses
marriage by estoppel
when a marriage is not valid and the parties acted in good faith, a spouse can use this remedy if there is a need for support
in some states this gives a spouse by estoppel all the rights of a properly married spouse
presumption of tenancy by the entirety
if a spouse takes title to real estate jointly, most states will presume a tenancy by the entirety
is the manner of title conclusive in determining who should get the property in the event of divorce?
no, but some presumptions may arise based on the way title is held (ex: TBE)
ex: 1 spouse putting property in his name during marriage will not make that spouse entitled to all the property
spousal obligation to support each other during marriage
one spouse will be liable to third parties for the other spouse’s purchases if implicitly or explicitly authorized by the spouse
Also liable for spouses purchases of food and clothing, as well as medical expenses under the doctrine of necessaries
spousal abuse order
all states allow a battered spouse to seek a protective order against the violent spouse
can be granted ex parte (w/o notice to violent spouse)
duration varies based on the state
tortious interference with marriage- alienation of affection
most states do not allow these claims. if available must show:
-spouses genuinely loved each other
-love and affection was alienated or destroyed
-a third party caused the diversion of affection of one spouse away from the other so that the other spouse is deprived of a marital relationship
can be adultery but could be critical in-laws
criminal conversation
cause of action against a third person when 1) there is a valid marriage and 2) one spouse has sexual relations with the third person
most states don’t allow these claims
annulment
a declaration that a marriage was invalid because of an impediment existing at time of marriage. it treats the parties as though they were never married.
the party seeking annulment will either need to prove it is void or voidable
void marriage
the marriage is null and void, even without a court declaration, because it lacked one of the essential elements of marriage
can be collaterally attacked by a third party such as the IRS, insurance companies, heirs in intestacy or probate proceedings
examples: one spouse is a bigamist or the spouses are too closely related. in some states, being underage.
can a void marriage be validated?
under the UMDA and some states’ law, if the impediment is removed (a bigamist’s spouse dies, or bigamist gets divorced from spouse 1), the marriage can be validated in some states if the parties continue to cohabit after the removal of the impediment
some states require the parties to get married after the impediment is removed
voidable marriage
valid until declared invalid. reasons invalid:
1) in most states, under age and did not get parental consent
2) lack of capacity
3) duress
4) fraud as to an essential element of marriage (ability to have kids, willingness to have sex)
5) inability to have normal sexual relations
presumption of valid marriage
all states presume that the most recent marriage is valid. Challenger must overcome with strong evidence.
defenses to annulment- voidable marriage
ratification- for a voidable marriage, cohabiting or holding oneself as married after the removal of the impediment
estoppel
laches
(But these two are very similar to ratification)
Unclean hands, but majority of courts don’t allow
effect of annulment
marriage set aside as if never existed
Court will issue child support and custody orders
some states allow spousal support to be awarded and some don’t
courts divide the property to place the parties in as close to the pre-marriage position as possible
jurisdiction for annulment action
the state with domicile of either party has jurisdiction
some states provide jurisdiction to courts of the state where the ceremony occurred
jurisdiction for divorce
only one party needs to be domiciled in the state where the divorce action is brought
most states set a minimum residency requirement before divorce can be filed
can two different courts hear a divorce case? special rules for child support?
yes, but the first court to render a judgment will make the other court’s lawsuit moot
if child support is involved:
1) must file 2nd case before 1st case answer is due
2) 2nd case’s petitioner must object to jurisdiction in 1st case
3) 2nd state must be child’s home state
no fault divorce
a divorce action that does not allege any marital fault in the pleadings
can be bilateral or unilateral
no fault divorce grounds
marriage irretrievably broken
spouses are now incompatible
Parties living separate and apart for required time period (longer if divorce is unilateral, I.e. only supported by one party)
fault based grounds
adultery
willful desertion
extreme physical or mental cruelty (pattern or practice of emotional abuse)
voluntary drug addiction starting after marriage
habitual drunkenness starting after marriage
insanity
defenses to no fault divorce
marriage not irretrievably broken
parties are not incompatible
spouses have reconciled
one spouse might claim reconciliation restarts the clock for having to live separately, so that parties haven’t met the required time frame
defenses to fault divorce
collusion- agreement to lie to get a divorce or not to raise a valid defense
connivance - one spouse has previously willingly consented to acts that would be adultery (ex: open marriages)
condonation- forgiveness of marital offenses with full knowledge of the wrongs
recrimination- person seeking divorce is guilty of misconduct
legal separation action
parties do not invalidate their marriage but file a lawsuit that:
-divides property
-makes orders for spousal support or child support
-makes child custody orders
property division approaches upon divorce
community property
equitable division of all property owned by each spouse regardless of when it was acquired
most states use equitable division of property acquired during marriage & each spouse keeps their separate property
are property distribution decrees modifiable?
no
separate property
all real or personal property owned by a spouse before marriage
assets included in retirement accounts in exchange for SP
property acquired in exchange for SP
property acquired by gift
property acquired by inheritance
property acquired after an order of legal separation that includes disposition of property
if a spouse uses their separate property to buy other property, how is that property classified?
it is separate property
if a spouse’s separate property produces income during the marriage, how is that classified?
it is separate property
how are lawsuit damages classified?
pain and suffering- separate property in some states but in most its marital property if the cause of action accrued between date of marriage and final separation
personal damages (future lost wages, future medical expenses)- marital property in most states as long as coa accrued between date of marriage and final separation
marital property-generally and specific things
property acquired during the marriage other than separate property. includes:
earnings
employment benefits, bonuses, pensions, stock options earned during marriage
lost wages in a cause of action that arose during marriage
reimbursement for medical bills paid with marital property
recovery for damages to marital property
commingled assets
- marital & separate property inextricably intertwined and impossible to trace a purchase or payment to SP or MP
- becomes MP
ex: depositing wages during marriage in a bank account that had separate property funds in it
transmutation
treating separate property in a way that shows an intent for it to become marital property (for example, putting title to property in both spouses’ names)
creates a presumption that it is marital property. can be rebutted.
improvement of separate property
repairs or modifications to separate property using marital funds or due to efforts of a spouse
most states still treat the property as separate property
most states grant reimbursement to the other spouse for value added by the improvement paid for with marital funds or thru spouse’s efforts
if a property appreciates due to market factors, is the increase marital or separate property?
it is separate property
if property is acquired before marriage but paid off during marriage how is it classified?
most states apportion between marital and separate property, in proportion to the funds contributed by separate property and the funds contributed by marital property
some states will still treat it as separate property and will allow marital estate reimbursement
pensions- classification
portion earned during marriage is marital property, and that amount is divided between the spounses
professional license or degree
not distributable marital property in most states
some states offer reimbursement spousal support to reimburse a spouse if they paid for the education or training or worked to support the couple
some states make supporting the other spouse during education a factor in considering whether a spouse gets alimony
a minority of states will award the spouse their equitable share of the degree
in divorce, what is marital fault relevant to?
it may be the grounds for divorce proceeding
it is not considered in division of property unless it is economic fault taking money away from marital estate
it may be considered in alimony awards
alimony
award paid to an economically dependent spouse
types of alimony
1 permanent periodic support
2 lump sum
3 rehabilitative spousal support
4 reimbursement