Family Law Term

Jurisdiction

Definition

A court's legal authority to hear a case. For custody, jurisdiction is typically in the state where the child has lived for the past 6 months (the "home state").

Related terms

Interrogatories
Written questions sent to the other party during discovery that must be answered under oath within a specific timeframe. Used to gather facts about finances, lifestyle, and parenting.
Judgment of Divorce
The final court order that legally ends a marriage. Includes provisions for custody, support, property division, and any other agreed-upon or court-ordered terms.
Marital Property
Assets acquired during the marriage, subject to equitable distribution. Includes homes, cars, retirement accounts, businesses, and debts. Excludes inheritances and pre-marital property (in most states).
Mediation
A process where a neutral third party helps parents reach agreements on custody, support, and property without going to trial. Voluntary or court-ordered. Less adversarial and less expensive than litigation.
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