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Difference between revisions of "Family Relationships"
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People in virtually any kind of relationship can find themselves having a problem involving family law. Some people are married, others have lived together long enough to qualify as spouses without being married, others are in shorter relationships, perhaps lasting for only one night, which produce children. Family law isn't just about relationships between spouses or parents, it also concerns the relationships between grandchildren and grandparents, between nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles, and between children and other adults with significant roles in their lives | People in virtually any kind of relationship can find themselves having a problem involving family law. Some people are married, others have lived together long enough to qualify as spouses without being married, others are in shorter relationships, perhaps lasting for only one night, which produce children. Family law isn't just about relationships between spouses or parents, it also concerns the relationships between grandchildren and grandparents, between nieces and nephews and aunts and uncles, and between children and other adults with significant roles in their lives | ||
This page talks about the different kinds of family relationships recognized by the ''Family Law Act'' and how the law impacts on people in these relationships, and discusses some urban myths about married and unmarried relationships. The other pages in this chapter will go into more detail about the legal rights and duties involved in married relationships, unmarried spousal relationships and other unmarried relationships. | This page talks about the different kinds of family relationships recognized by the ''[[Family Law Act]]'' and how the law impacts on people in these relationships, and discusses some urban myths about married and unmarried relationships. The other pages in this chapter will go into more detail about the legal rights and duties involved in married relationships, unmarried spousal relationships and other unmarried relationships. | ||
==Introduction== | ==Introduction== | ||
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===Married Spouses=== | ===Married Spouses=== | ||
To be able to marry, the parties must be, among other things, unmarried, sane, sober and over a certain age. They must also be married by a person properly licenced to conduct marriages, either a civil marriage commissioner or an authorized religious official. The process for getting married in British Columbia is described in detail in | To be able to marry, the parties must be, among other things, unmarried, sane, sober and over a certain age. They must also be married by a person properly licenced to conduct marriages, either a civil marriage commissioner or an authorized religious official. The process for getting married in British Columbia is described in detail in the [[Married Spouses]] page of this chapter, which has more information about the law relating to marriage. | ||
====Living Together==== | ====Living Together==== | ||
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The only legal difference between unmarried spouses who have lived together for at least two years and unmarried spouses who have lived together for less than two years is that couples who have lived together for less than two years aren't able to share in family property and family debt under the ''Family Law Act''. They may: | The only legal difference between unmarried spouses who have lived together for at least two years and unmarried spouses who have lived together for less than two years is that couples who have lived together for less than two years aren't able to share in family property and family debt under the ''Family Law Act''. They may: | ||
#be the ''guardians'' of their children, and as guardians have parental responsibilities and parenting time with respect to those children | #be the ''guardians'' of their children, and as guardians have parental responsibilities and parenting time with respect to those children, | ||
#have ''contact'' with a child if they happen not to be guardians | #have ''contact'' with a child if they happen not to be guardians, | ||
#ask for or be responsible to pay ''child support'' | #ask for or be responsible to pay ''child support'', | ||
#ask for or be responsible to pay ''spousal support'' | #ask for or be responsible to pay ''spousal support'', and | ||
#apply for ''protection orders'' if they feel they are at risk of family violence. | #apply for ''protection orders'' if they feel they are at risk of family violence. | ||
