Family Law (Fall 2003)
Professor Rhonda Wasserman
Syllabus
I. GETTING MARRIED
A. Courtship Patterns
Casebook 117-20
B. Preparing to Marry: Premarital Controversies
1. Breach of Promise to Marry
Gilbert v. Barkes (Ky. 1999) - Casebook 123-31
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1901 & 1902 (2002) - Wass. Supp. 2
Problems - Casebook 131-32
2. Gifts in Contemplation of Marriage
Meyer v. Mitnick (Mich. Ct. App. 2001) - Casebook 132-36
Problems - Casebook 136
C. Premarital Contracts
Simeone v. Simeone (Pa. 1990) - Casebook 136-41
In Re Marriage of Greenwald (Wis. Ct. App. 1990) - Casebook 141-50
Problem - Casebook 150-51
D. Getting Married: Substantive and Procedural Regulations
1. Constitutional Limits on State Regulation of Entry into Marriage
Loving v. Virginia (U.S. 1967) - Casebook 151-54
Robert A. Pratt, Crossing the Color Line - Casebook 154-56
Zablocki v. Redhail (U.S. 1978) - Casebook 156-66
Problems - Casebook 166-67
2. State Regulation of Entry into the Marital Relationship
a. Substantive Restrictions: Capacity
(1) Same-Sex Marriage
Baker v. State of Vermont (Vt. 1999) - Casebook 171-80
William N. Eskridge, Jr., The Case for Same-Sex Marriage - Casebook 180-81
Notes and Questions - Casebook 181-90
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1102, 1704 - Wass. Supp. 16
1 U.S.C. § 7 - Wass. Supp. 17
(2) Incest
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1304(e), 1703 - Wass. Supp. 5, 7
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4302 - Wass. Supp. 7
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3304(a)(2) - Wass. Supp. 23
In re Adoption of M. (N.J. Super. Ct. Ch. Div. 1998) - Casebook 190-92, 194-97
Jerome Neu, "What’s Wrong with Incest?" - Casebook 192-94
Note: Void versus Voidable Distinction - Casebook 194
Problems - Casebook 197-98
(3) Bigamy
18 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4301 (2002) - Wass. Supp. 7
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3304(a)(1) - Wass. Supp. 23
Potter v. Murray City (10th Cir. 1985) - Casebook 198-200
Jack Anderson, Adventures Among the Polygamists, Casebook 200-08
Elizabeth Joseph, My Husband’s Nine Wives - Casebook 208-09
(4) Age
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1304(b) - Wass. Supp. 4
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3305(a)(1) & (2) - Wass. Supp. 24
Moe v. Dinkins (S.D.N.Y. 1981) - Casebook 209-16
Problems - Casebook 216
b. State of Mind Restrictions: Fraud and Duress
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3305(a)(5) - Wass. Supp. 24
Radochonski v. Radochonski (Wash. Ct. App. 1998) - Casebook 217-20
Problems - Casebook 220
Note: Marriage Fraud in Immigration - Casebook 221
c. Procedural Restrictions
(1) Licensure and Solemnization
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 1301-03 - Wass. Supp. 3-4
Carabetta v. Carabetta (Conn. 1980) - Casebook 222-24
Harriette Cole, Jumping the Broom - Casebook 224-26
Problems - Casebook 226-27
(2) Blood Tests
(Pa. Super. Ct. 1989) - Casebook 227-32Doe v. Dyer-Goode
Barbara Little, Blood Tests for Marriage Licenses No Longer Needed - Wass. Supp. 1
Problem - Casebook 232
d. Common Law Marriage
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 1103 - Wass. Supp. 8
Pa. House Bill 316 - Wass. Supp. 9-10
Jennings v. Hurt (N.Y. Sup. Ct. 1990) - Casebook 234-41
Problems - Casebook 241-42
II. BEING MARRIED: REGULATION OF THE INTACT MARRIAGE
A. Introduction: The Changing Nature of Marriage
Casebook 245-53
B. Roles and Responsibilities in Marriage
1. The Common Law View
Blackstone, Commentaries - Casebook 253-54
2. Marital Property Regimes
Casebook 255-59
3. Duty of Support
McGuire v. McGuire (Neb. 1953) - Casebook 259-65
Problem - Casebook 265
Jessie Bernard, The Good-Provider Role - Casebook 265-67
Note: Constitutional Limits on Sex-Stereotyped Role Assignments - Casebook 267-68
III. ALTERNATIVE FAMILIES
Casebook 397-98
A. The Extended Family
(U.S. 1977) - Casebook 409-16Moore v. City of East Cleveland
Problem - Casebook 416-17
B. Cohabitation: Unmarried Couples
1. Introduction
Richard J. Gelles, Contemporary Families - Casebook 417-19
2. Unmarried Couples’ Rights Inter Se
(Cal. 1976) - Casebook 424-32Marvin v. Marvin
M. v. H. (Canadian S.Ct. 1999) - Casebook 432-43
Problems - Casebook 443-44
Kirk Johnson, Gay Divorce - Casebook 444
3. Unmarried Couples, Third Parties, and the State
Dunphy v. Gregor (N.J. 1994) - Casebook 445-52
4. Domestic Partnership Statutes and Ordinances
Casebook 499-501
Problem - Casebook 501-02
C. Parents’ and Children’s Rights in the Nonmarital Family
Casebook 502
1. Support Rights of Nonmarital Children
Clark v. Jeter (U.S. 1988) - Casebook 503-09
Note on Paternity Establishment - Casebook 509-12
L. Pamela P. v. Frank S. (N.Y. 1983) - Casebook 512-15
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 5103 - Wass. Supp. 44-46
Pa. R. Civ. P. 1910.15 - Wass. Supp. 47-49
2. Limitations on Unmarried Parents’ Rights
Stanley v. Illinois (U.S. 1972) - Casebook 515-18
Michael H. v. Gerald D. (U.S. 1989) - Casebook 518-32
Problem - Casebook 532
IV. DIVORCE
A. Introduction
1. Divorce as a Historical Phenomenon
Lawrence M. Friedman, A History of American Law (1973) - Casebook 533-37
2. Divorce as a Social Phenomenon
Paul Bohannon, The Six Stations of Divorce - Casebook 537-38
Catherine K. Riessman, Divorce Talk - Casebook 539-40
B. Fault-Based Grounds for Divorce
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3301(a), (b), 3302(a) - Wass. Supp. 18-19
1. Adultery
Lickle v. Lickle (Md. 1947) - Casebook 540-44
Problems - Casebook 544
Richard A. Wasserstrom, Is Adultery Immoral? - Casebook 544-46
2. Cruelty
Muhammad v. Muhammad (Miss. 1993) - Casebook 546-50
Problems - Casebook 551
3. Desertion
Reid v. Reid (Va. Ct. App. 1989) - Casebook 551-56
C. Fault-Based Defenses
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 3307 - Wass. Supp. 20-21
1. Recrimination
(Miss. 1988) - Casebook 556-59Parker v. Parker
2. Condonation
Haymes v. Haymes (N.Y. App. Div. 1996) - Casebook 559-62
Problem - Casebook 562-63
Note: Other Fault-Based Defenses - Casebook 563-64
Problem - Casebook 564
D. No-Fault Divorce
1. Divorce Reform
Casebook 564-70
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3103, 3301(c)-(e), 3302, 3307(a) - Wass. Supp. 18-22
2. Legal Problems Raised by No-Fault Divorce
In re Marriage of McKim (Cal. 1972) - Casebook 571-73
Nieters v. Nieters (Mo. Ct. App. 1991) - Casebook 574-77
Problem - Casebook 577
Bennington v. Bennington (Ohio Ct. App. 1978) - Casebook 577-80
Note: Abolition of Fault-Based Defenses - Casebook 580
3. Assessment of the No-Fault "Revolution"
a. Divorce Reform in the United States
Deborah L. Rhode & Martha Minow, Reforming the Questions, Questioning the Reforms - Casebook 586-88
Divorce Reform: The Comparative-Law Perspective
Naomi Neft & Ann D. Levine, Where Women Stand - Casebook 589
Note: The Return of Fault - Casebook 590-91
4. Covenant Marriage
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 9:272-73 - Wass. Supp. 11-12
La. Civ. Code Ann. art. 103 - Wass. Supp. 13
La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 9:307 - Wass. Supp. 14-15
E. Annulment
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3303-05 - Wass. Supp. 23-24
Aflalo v. Aflalo (N.J. Super. Ct. Ch. Div. 1996) - Casebook 602-07
F. Divorce Jurisdiction
1. Over the Plaintiff and Defendant
In re Marriage of Kimura (Iowa 1991) - Casebook 632-40
Problem - Casebook 640-41
2. Durational Residency Requirements
Sosna v. Iowa (U.S. 1975) - Casebook 641-45
3. Domestic Relations Exception to Diversity Jurisdiction
Ankenbrandt v. Richards (U.S. 1992) - Casebook 645-51
Problems - Casebook 651
V. FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF DISSOLUTION
Casebook 653
A. Introduction: The Demise of Fault?
Casebook 654-56
B. Property Distribution: From Title Theory to Contribution
(Miss. 1994) - Casebook 656-59Ferguson v. Ferguson
Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 307 - Casebook 659
Stephen D. Sugarman, Dividing Financial Interests on Divorce - Casebook 660-61
ALI, Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution § 4.12 - Casebook 661-68
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3501-02 - Wass. Supp. 25-28
Cal. Fam. Code §§ 125, 760, 770, 2550-51 - Wass. Supp. 34-35
Problem - Casebook 668
C. Spousal Support: Theories of Need, Self-Sufficiency and Beyond
Orr v. Orr (U.S. 1979) - Casebook 669-71
Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 308 - Casebook 671
Ira Mark Ellman, The Theory of Alimony - Casebook 671-74
ALI, Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution § 5.05 - Casebook 674-79
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 3701-07 - Wass. Supp. 29-33
Problems - Casebook 679-80
D. "Winding Up" a Marriage: Applying Theories of Property and Support
1. Two Couples’ Stories
Michael v. Michael (Mo. Ct. App. 1990) - Casebook 680-83
Rosenberg v. Rosenberg (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1985) - Casebook 683-94
2. Special Problems in Achieving a Fair Dissolution
a. Changing Circumstances
Keller v. O’Brien (Mass. 1995) - Casebook 694-98
Problem - Casebook 698-99
b. Bankruptcy
Deichert v. Deichert (Pa. Super. Ct. 1991) - Casebook 699-705
Note: The Marital Home - Casebook 705-06
c. Pensions and Employee Benefits
Cohen v. Cohen (Tenn. 1996) - Casebook 706-13
Problems - Casebook 713-14
Note: Medical Coverage Following Dissolution (COBRA) - Casebook 714
d. Investments in a Spouse’s Future Success: Degrees, Earning Capacity and Goodwill
In re Marriage of Roberts (Ind. Ct. App. 1996) - Casebook 714-17
Joan Williams, Is Coverture Dead? - Casebook 717-23
Problems - Casebook 724
e. Taxation
Casebook 725-30
E. Child Support
1. Imposing Support Obligations: From Discretion to Guidelines
Casebook 730-31
Downing v. Downing (Ky. Ct. App. 2001) - Casebook 731-39
Problem - Casebook 739-40
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 4321-22 - Wass. Supp. 50
Pa. R. Civ. P. 1910.16-1910.17, 1910.19 - Wass. Supp. 52-98
2. Postmajority Support
Curtis v. Kline (Pa. 1995) - Casebook 740-45
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 4323 - Wass. Supp. 50-51
Problem - Casebook 745
3. Modification of Child Support
a. Remarriage and New Families
(Fla. Ct. App. 1997) - Casebook 745-50Pohlmann v. Pohlmann
b. Employment Changes
Antonelli v. Antonelli (Va. 1991) - Casebook 751-55
Problems - Casebook 755-56
F. Enforcement
Casebook 756
1. Imprisonment: Criminal Nonsupport and Contempt of Court
State v. Oakley (Wis. 2001) - Casebook 756-63
2. The Transformation of Enforcement: From Private to Public Responsibility
a. The Traditional Approach
Casebook 763-64
b. Congress Intervenes
Casebook 764-67
c. Evaluation: "Small Change"?
Casebook 767-69
3. The Challenge of Multistate Cases
a. Jurisdictional Limitations on Establishing Awards
Kulko v. Superior Court (U.S. 1978) - Casebook 769-73
State ex rel. Mahoney v. St. John (Wyo. 1998) - Casebook 773-78
Problem - Casebook 778-79
b. Modification and Enforcement
Letellier v. Letellier (Tenn. 2001) - Casebook 779-86
Problem - Casebook 786
G. Separation Agreements
Casebook 786
Baldridge v. Lacks (Mo. Ct. App. 1994) - Casebook 787-88
Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 306 - Casebook 789-94
Problem - Casebook 795
VI. CHILD CUSTODY
Casebook 797
A. Introduction: Effects of Parental Divorce
Judith S. Wallerstein et al., The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce - Casebook 798-99
B. Parental Disputes Concerning Child Custody
1. Standards for Selecting the Custodial Parent: What Should Be the Standard?
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5301-07, 5309 - Wass. Supp. 36-42
a. Presumptions?
(1) Tender Years Presumption
Devine v. Devine (Ala. 1981) - Casebook 799-805
(2) Primary Caretaker Presumption
Casebook 805-07
b. Best Interests of the Child?
(1) Introduction
Robert H. Mnookin, Child-Custody Adjudication - Casebook 807-09
Uniform Marriage and Divorce Act § 402 - Casebook 810
(2) Constitutional Factors
(a) Race
Palmore v. Sidoti (U.S. 1984) - Casebook 810-13
Problems - Casebook 813-14
(b) Religion
Abbo v. Briskin (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1995) - Casebook 814-18
Problem - Casebook 818-19
(3) Fitness
(a) Sexual Orientation
Delong v. Delong (Mo. Ct. App. 1998) - Casebook 819-26
(b) Careers
Rowe v. Franklin (Ohio Ct. App. 1995) - Casebook 827-32
D. Kelly Weisberg, Professional Woman and the Professionalization of Motherhood - Casebook 832-34
(c) Domestic Violence
Schumacher v. Schumacher (N.D. 1999) - Casebook 834-39
Note: Physical Disability - Casebook 839-41
c. Joint Custody: Presumption, Preference or Option?
Bell v. Bell (Alaska 1990) - Casebook 841-47
Eleanor E. Maccoby & Robert H. Mnookin, Dividing the Child - Casebook 847-49
Jana B. Singer & William L. Reynolds, A Dissent on Joint Custody - Casebook 849-52
2. Standards Governing the Noncustodial Parent: Visitation
a. Restrictions on Visitation
Hanke v. Hanke (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1992) - Casebook 852-57
Problem - Casebook 857
b. Denial of Visitation
(Tenn. Ct. App. 1995) - Casebook 858-60Turner v. Turner
Jessica Pearson & Nancy Thoennes, The Denial of Visitation Rights - Casebook 861-63
3. Standards Governing Parent versus Non-Parent Disputes
Troxel v. Granville (U.S. 2000) - Casebook 863-70
Alison D. v. Virginia M. (N.Y. 1991) - Casebook 870-80
Nancy D. Polikoff, This Child Does Have Two Mothers - Casebook 881-82
Problem - Casebook 882-83
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5311-14 - Wass. Supp. 42-43
4. The Role of Specialist Participants
a. The Child’s Preference
McMillen v. McMillen (Pa. 1992) - Casebook 883-87
Problem - Casebook 887
b. Representation for the Child
Leary v. Leary (Md. Ct. Spec. App. 1993) - Casebook 887-93
c. Role of Experts
In re Rebecca B. (N.Y. App. Div. 1994) - Casebook 893-99
5. Modification
a. Standard
Casebook 899-900
23 Pa. Cons. Stat. §§ 5308, 5310 - Wass. Supp. 41-42
b. Relocation
Tropea v. Tropea (N.Y. 1996) - Casebook 900-08
Problem - Casebook 908-09
6. Jurisdiction and Enforcement
Gilman v. Gilman (Conn. Super. Ct. 2001) - Casebook 909-11
California v. Superior Ct. (Smolin) (U.S. 1987) - Casebook 911-23
In re Mendel (Alaska 1995) - Casebook 923-30
Problem - Casebook 930-31
Note: International Child-Abduction - Casebook 931-32
C. What Process Should Govern Custody Disputes?
1. The Adversary System versus Mediation Process
Elizabeth S. Scott & Robert Emery, Child Custody Dispute Resolution - Casebook 933-37
McLaughlin v. Superior Court (Cal. Ct. App. 1983) - Casebook 937-47
2. Coin Flipping
Robert H. Mnookin, Child-Custody Adjudication - Casebook 947-49
VII. TERMINATION OF THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
Santosky v. Kramer (U.S. 1982) - Casebook 1082-90
Marsha Garrison, Parents’ Right v. Children’s Interests - Casebook 1090-93
State ex rel. Children’s Servs. Div. v. Brady (Or. Ct. App. 1995) - Casebook 1093-97
In re Guardianship of J.C. (N.J. 1992) - Casebook 1098-1104
Problem - Casebook 1104-05
Kingsley v. Kingsley (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1993) - Casebook 1124-29
Problem - Casebook 1129-30
VIII. ADOPTION AND ALTERNATIVES TO ADOPTION
Casebook 1131
A. Background
Stephen B. Presser, The Historical Background of the American Law of Adoption - Casebook 1132-34
B. Parental Consent to Adoption
1. Validity and Revocability
(N.Y. 1971) - Casebook 1134-39Scarpetta v. Spence-Chapin Adoption Service
2. Unmarried Fathers’ Rights
Adoption of Kelsey S. (Cal. 1992) - Casebook 1139-49
Problems - Casebook 1150
C. Choosing An Adoptive Family: Placement Criteria
In re D.L. (Minn. Ct. App. 1991) - Casebook 1151-54
Elizabeth Bartholet, Where Do Black Children Belong? - Casebook 1154-1165
Problems - Casebook 1165-66
D. Consequences of Adoption
1. Legal Status of the Child
Casebook 1192-93
2. Stepparent and Second-Parent Adoptions
Adoption of Tammy (Mass. 1993) - Casebook 1193-98
3. Secrecy versus Disclosure
a. Sealed-Record Laws
Casebook 1198-99
b. Law Reform
Casebook 1199-1200
c. "Open Adoption"
Groves v. Clark (Mont. 1999) - Casebook 1200-05
4. Adoption Failure
In re Lisa Diane G. (R.I. 1988) - Casebook 1205-06
Daniel Golden, When Adoption Doesn’t Work - Casebook 1207-10
Problems - Casebook 1211