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Glossary of Family Law Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

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Habitual Residence: The place where a person resides - 'as of habit ' or permanently, for the purposes of the law.

Hardship: The inability of a parent to support his or her children because of a financial strain.

Health Insurance Order: A court order that instructs the non - custodial parent to purchase health and dental insurance for the children and to add them to the policy.

Hearing: Any proceeding that takes place before a court where testimony is given and arguments are heard.

Hearsay: Something a person claims he or she was told by someone else. Often hearsay cannot be used as evidence in a trial.

Hold Harmless: A phrase used to describe an agreement by which one person agrees to assume full liability for an obligation and protect another from any loss or expense from that obligation.

Home State: The state where the child has lived for at least six consecutive months or since birth if the child is less than six months old.

Hostile Witness: A witness who shows prejudice during testimony that the party who called him or her will actually do a cross - examination