Family Law Glossary

Ab Initio
Abandonment
Abduction
Absolute Divorce
Accrue
Action
Administrative Officer
Admissible
Adultery
Adversarial Divorce
Adversary
AFDC (Aid to Families with Dependent Children)
Affidavit
Affirmative Defense
Agreement
Alienation of Affection
Alimony
Alimony Pendente
Allegations
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)
Annulment
Answer
Anetuptial Agreement
Appeal
Appearance
Appellant
Appellate Court
Application
Apportion
Appraisal
Appraisal Report
Arbitration
Arrearages
ASSETS
Assignment
Attachment
Automatic Wage Deduction
Award
Bailiff
Bankruptcy
Bench Warrant
Beneficiary
Best Interest of the Child
Bigamy
Bill of Particulars
Biological Parent
Blood Test
Bona Fide
Brief
Burden of Proof
Capias
Capitalization
Caption
Certificate of Mailing
Certificate of Service
Certified Copy
Change of Venue
Chart Child Support Method
Chattel
Child Custody
Child Support Guidelines
Child Support Worksheet
Child Support
Citation
Civil Court
Claim
Clear Title
Clerk
COBRA
Cohabitation
COLA
Collusion
Common Law Property Distribution
Common Law Marriage
Community Property
Comparables
Complaint
Conciliation
Condonation
Conflict of Interest
Constable
Constructive Abandonment
Constructive Service of Process
Contempt of Court
Contempt
Contested Divorce
Contingent Fee
Continue
Convey
Co-Respondent
Corroboration
Corroborative Witness
Cost Approach
Count
Counter-Claim
Court Clerk
Court Order
Court Term and Number
Courts of Common Pleas
Coverture
Creditor
Cross Reference Case
Cross Examination
Cross Petition
Curable Depreciation
Custodial Parent
Custody- Sole and Joint
Damages
Debtor
Decree
Deed
Default Judgment
Defendant
Deferred Annuity
Deferred Compensation Package
Deposition
Depreciation
Descent
Desertion
Direct Examination
Direct Payment
Disbarment
Discounting
Discovery
Discretion of the Court
Dismiss
Dissolution of Marriage
Dissolution
Divorce
Docket
Docket Number
Domicile
Dower
Emancipation
Encumbered
Entrepreneurial Profit
Equitable Distribution
Equitable Division
Equity
Estate
Evaluation
Evidence
Ex-Parte
Executed
Exhibit
Expectancy
Expert Witnesses
Family Court
Father's Rights
Fault-Based Divorce
Fault Grounds
Fee Simple Estate
File
Final Judgment
Foreign Order
Forensics
Fornication
Foundation
Garnishee
Garnishment
Good Cause
Good Faith
Goodwill
Grounds
Guardian Ad Litem
Habitual Residence
Hardship
Health Insurance Order
Hearing
Hearsay
Hold Harmless
Home State
Hostile Witness
Impeachment
In Camera
Income and Expense Declaration
Incompatibility
Incompatible
Incorporation
Injunction
Intangible Assets
Intangible Value
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Intercept
Interlocutory Hearing
Interrogatories
Inventory and Appraisement 
Investment Analysis
Joint Custody
Joint Legal Custody
Joint Physical Custody
Joint Property
Joint Tenancy
Judgment of Divorce
Judgment
Jurisdiction
Law Guardian
Lump Sum Alimony
Magistrate
Maintenance 
Marital Property
Marital Settlement Agreement
Marketable Title
Master
Mediation
Mediator
Military Allotment
Minor
Minute Order
Mistrial
Modification 
Motion to Modify
Motion
Necessaries
Neglect
No-Fault Divorce
Non-Custodial Parent
Non-Marital Property
Nullity
Objection
Obligor/Obligee
Obsolescence
Opening Statement
Opinion
Order
Order after Hearing
Order of Examination
Order of Protection
Order to Show Cause
Palimony
Paralegal
Parens Patriae
Parenting Classes
Party
Paternity
Pendente Lite
Perjury
Personal Jurisdiction
Personal Property
Petition
Petitioner
Physical Custody
Plaintiff
Pleading
Postnuptial
Prayer
Precedent
Prenuptial Agreement
Present Value
Primary Caretaker
Privilege
Pro Se Divorce
Pro Se
Property Division
Prothonothary
Purpose of an Appraisal
Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO)
Quit Claim
Range of Value
Real Estate
Real Property
Rebuttal
Reciprocity
Reconciliation
Record
Recross
Redirect
Registry
Rehabilitative Alimony
Reimbursement
Release
Remand
Reproduction Cost
Request for Production
Residence
Respondent
Response
Restraining Order
Retainer
Retainer Agreement
Right of Survivorship
Rules of Evidence
RURESA 
Sales Comparison Approach
Sanctions
Separate Maintenance
Separate Property
Separation
Separation Agreement
Service of Process
Set Aside
Set Off
Settlement Agreement
Severability
Sole Custody
Split Custody
Spousal Support
Spouse
STBX
Stipulation
Subpoena
Summons
Supervised Visitation
Support
Surrebutal
Tax intercept
Temporary Custody
Temporary Restraining Order
Termination of Parental Rights
Testimony
Transcript
Transfer
Transitional Child Care
Trial
Uncontested Divorce
Un-Emancipated
URESA (Uniform Reciprocal Enforcement of Support Act)
Use and Possession
Valuation Process
Venue
Verification Statement
Visitation Credit
Visitation Schedule
Visitation
Wage Assignment or Wage Withholding
Waiver
Witness
Writ of Execution
Yield Capitalization