Casebriefs for the casebook Domestic Relations, Cases and Materials, 9th Edition Wadlington ISBN 9781636590240, 9781636594156

The ninth edition of this casebook continues a series of domestic relations casebooks originating with Professors Albert C. Jacobs and Julius Goebel, Jr. more than three-quarters of a century ago. To many readers, the topics discussed in the earliest editions bear no resemblance to domestic relations today, the modern emphasis on national and international application, assisted reproductive technology, premarital and nonmarital contracting, and no-fault divorce. A consistent feature throughout the multiple editions of this casebook is the careful attention to court decisions, which highlight the law and the domestic relations of the persons involved. Any casebook attempts to build upon past understandings and indicates where the future lies; we seek to do this by providing engaging and instructive judicial opinions, concise statutory formulations, and references to legal periodicals, state surveys, and relevant judicial Problems. Our consistent link with past editions is our retention of the words “Domestic Relations” rather than family law. We believe that the former offers a comprehensive title in which the developments in interpersonal relationships will continue to find reconstruction, building upon the past and continuing through the twenty-first century. Like the eighth edition, the ninth edition is shorter than previously. Professors familiar with the book will notice that we have edited some more prolonged cases and deleted materials that no longer seem relevant in today’s society. These less-discussed topics include annulment, state resistance to assisted reproductive technology, long-term alimony, and lengthy exploration of fault grounds for divorce. In their place, we have added material on nonmarital entitlements, paternity and surrogacy, spousal support, and modern approaches to child custody. To supplement the casebook, we rely upon two additional books by the same coauthors as the casebook, which may be purchased separately: FAMILY LAW IN PERSPECTIVE (5th ed. 2021) and STATUTORY AND DOCUMENTARY SUPPLEMENT: SELECTED UNIFORM LAWS, MODEL LEGISLATION, FEDERAL STATUTES, STATE STATUTES, AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES (2021). Among the evolving features of the ninth edition are references to Free Exercise accommodation, the elimination of spousal privilege, developments about the rights of same-sex couples to marry and adopt, rehabilitative spousal support, expanding use of assisted reproductive technology, school vouchers, homeschooling, joint physical custody, relocation of custodial parents, and state and third-party intervention in the parent-child relationship. Several themes recognizable in previous editions will appear again. First, this casebook is meant to provide law school and university professors with cases pertinent to law practice in the United States. The legal casebook method of teaching requires factual scenarios that combine constitutional, common law, federal and state statutes, and human personalities in such a way as to allow the professor the opportunity to springboard to other relevant rules and principles; we hope that current events and legal developments may be included too. We have tried to retain and to choose cases that condense decades of decisions and refinements into a few pages of instructive history. We think the cases themselves offer Problems to be solved by students and teachers and we like the fact that the highest court or the legislative process offers solutions, even though these may not be permanent. But we also offer, throughout each of the chapters, Problems based on actual cases, illustrating the current application of the law discussed in the material. A second casebook theme recognizes the continuing interaction between federal and state law. Federal law is increasingly involved in the enforcement of spousal and child support obligations, welfare benefits, retirement benefits, interstate and international custody disputes, Native American child placement, individual liberties, marriage, and termination of parental rights. There are specific references to federal involvement in these issues in the material covered. For instance, federal welfare legislation mandates that states enact statutes and policies or suffer the loss of federal benefits; federal law defines reasonable services to be offered to parents prior to termination of parental rights; federal rulings define marriage and criminalize interstate domestic violence; and federal efforts to prohibit child trafficking proliferate at the national and international levels. Nonetheless, states retain their traditional role, laboratories for change in the area of domestic relations. We witness this in areas such as domestic violence, infant safe haven laws, emerging forms of assisted reproductive rights and responsibilities, child custody arrangements, adequate levels of child care, and equitable remedies available to nonmarital couples. The authors wish to extend our sincere appreciation to the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws for their permission to reprint the text of selected Uniform Laws, as well as the American Bar Association, American Law Institute, and the United Nations. We would also like to thank Emmett J. Whelan for his editorial expertise, conscientiousness and good humor in the production of this casebook. Finally, we share with you the news of the passing of Walter Wadlington, the founding author of this casebook and its supplements. He was a titan in this field of law, an empathetic teacher, empowering mentor, and sincere friend. He was and always will be for those who knew him. The ninth edition of this casebook is dedicated to him. We miss him. SUMMARY OF CONTENTS PREFACE TO THE NINTH EDITION .......................................................................V NOTE ON EDITING ............................................................................................ VII SPECIAL ACKNOWLEDGMENT ............................................................................ IX TABLE OF CASES............................................................................................ XXIX Chapter I. Changing Concepts of Marriage and Family ......................1 A. Form and Function Relationships ............................................................ 1 B. The Elements of Nonmarital Contracting ................................................ 5 C. Jurisdictional Basis .................................................................................25 D. Constitutional Parameters of Family Law.............................................32 Chapter II. Getting Married ......................................................................99 A. Introduction..............................................................................................99 B. Courtship and the Marriage Promise ...................................................101 C. Access to Status of Marriage.................................................................102 D. Annulment and Its Effects ....................................................................130 E. Putative Marriage..................................................................................134 F. Determining Legal Eligibility ...............................................................141 Chapter III. Spouses: Changing Roles, Rights, and Duties .............161 A. Spouses Evolving ...................................................................................161 B. Names in the Family .............................................................................166 C. Support During Marriage......................................................................181 D. Testimonial Privilege, Torts, and Crimes Between Spouses ..............188 E. Third Party Interference with the Relationship ..................................223 Chapter IV. Matrimonial Breakdown: Grounds and Jurisdiction for Dissolution.....................................................................................229 A. The Perspective of History ....................................................................229 B. Grounds and Defenses ...........................................................................231 C. The Jurisdictional Jumble.....................................................................255 D. Special Problems of Service of Process .................................................280 E. Federalism, Mediation, and Malpractice..............................................290 Chapter V. Marital Breakdown: Resolving the Financial Concerns ...............................................................................................297 A. Introduction............................................................................................297 B. Community Property States..................................................................302 C. Common Law States ..............................................................................314 D. Temporary Spousal Support..................................................................321 E. Permanent Spousal Support .................................................................333 F. Modification of Support .........................................................................338 G. Termination of Support .........................................................................345 H. Dividing Property upon Divorce............................................................351 I. Support for Children..............................................................................396 J. Premarital and Marital Contracting ....................................................435 K. Agreements During Marriage ............................................................... 461 L. Separation Agreements ......................................................................... 469 M. Taxation at Divorce ............................................................................... 477 N. Discharge in Bankruptcy.......................................................................479 O. Support Enforcement: Criminal or Civil ..............................................481 Chapter VI. Parent and Child: Legal and Biological Relationships.......................................................................................491 A. Establishing Legal Parentage ............................................................... 491 B. Protection of Putative Fathers .............................................................. 503 C. Protection of Children............................................................................ 524 D. Children Born by Assisted Reproductive Technology .........................542 Chapter VII. Raising Children: Competing Interests .......................599 A. Parental Prerogatives............................................................................599 B. Children Beyond Parental Control ....................................................... 626 C. Abuse, Neglect, Surrender, and Abandonment ....................................640 D. Circumstances Giving Rise to Child Abuse..........................................654 E. Medical Decision Making for and by Children.....................................701 F. Tort Actions Between Parent and Child ..............................................772 G. Emancipation of Child from Parental Authority .................................776 Chapter VIII. Custody of a Child ...........................................................779 A. Parent Versus Parent ............................................................................ 779 B. Parent Versus Third Party....................................................................831 C. Parent Versus State: Foster Care Placement ......................................872 D. Litigating Child Custody.......................................................................874 E. Abduction of Children ............................................................................ 903 Chapter IX. Parental Rights: Termination and Adoption................923 A. Severing Parental Rights Involuntarily ............................................... 923 B. Adoption of Minors.................................................................................977 C. Adoption of Adults ............................................................................... 1052 INDEX ............................................................................................................1059 The Ninth Edition Continues To Incorporate Judicial Opinions From State, Federal, And International Courts That Illustrate The Evolution And Dynamism Of Domestic Relations With Compelling Factual Scenarios That Illustrate Both Statutory And Common Law. Specifically, The Casebook Utilizes The Newly Revised Uniform Parentage Act, The Federal Family First Prevention Services Act, And Other Newly Enacted Statutes Pertaining To Domestic Violence, Joint Physical Custody, And Assisted Reproductive Technology. There Are Multiple Problems Spread Throughout The Chapters, Drawn From Actual State And Federal Judicial Opinions, Which Test Student Understanding And Illustrate The Real-life Consequences Of The Legal Issues Being Discussed. And The Casebook Has Been Streamlined To Provide A Logical And Concise Progression Of Material, From Nonmarital Cohabitation To Adoption Of Adults. This Logical Sequencing Permits The Book To Be Used For Two, Three Or Four Credit Courses, Especially Since There Is A Statutory Supplement Offering A More Complete View Of The Ways That Statutes Affect Family Law In Today's America. Among The Topics Addressed Are: Nonmarital Cohabitation: Including Enforcement Of Agreements Or Judicial Distribution Of Assets And Remuneration For Services Free Exercise Challenges: Including Privacy Rights, School Vouchers, And Medical Treatments Premarital And Marital Contracting: Including Proper Execution And Subsequent Enforcement Assisted Reproductive Technology: Including Surrogacy Agreements, Posthumous Conception, And Embryo Distribution At Divorce Marriage: Including Common Law, Proxy, And The Rationale For A State's Insistence Of Marital Formalities Divorce: Including Grounds And Defenses And The Factors Necessary To Achieve A Proper Domicile Marital Property And Spousal Support: Including Definition Of What Constitutes Property And Temporary And Permanent Support Child Support: Including State Guidelines, Effect Of Joint Physical Custody, And Federal Efforts To Recover Lost Support Child Custody And Visitation: Including Parenting Plans, Allocation Arrangements, Best Interest Of Child, And Modification Of Custody Arrangements Termination Of Parental Rights: Including Constitutional Guarantees, Predictive Termination, And Entitlement To Civil Representation Adoption Of Minor And Adults: Including Civil Responsibility Of Adoption Agencies And Transnational Adoptions