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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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Palimony: Support paid from one person to another even though they were never married.

Paralegal: A trained person who assists a lawyer.

Parens Patriae: A doctrine whereby the state takes jurisdiction over a minor living within its border. It is the basis for deciding what state will assume jurisdiction in a child custody case.

Parenting Classes: Organized classes designed to teach parents how to minimize the negative aspects of divorce on their children.

Party: A plaintiff or a defendant in a legal proceeding.

Paternity: The legal biological relationship between father and child.

Pendente Lite: Latin for "while litigation is going on."

Perjury: The act of lying under oath in court.

Personal Jurisdiction: The power of the court to make orders regarding an individual and have them enforced.

Personal Property: Property that is not real estate.

Petition: A formal request that the court take some action; a complaint.

Petitioner: The person who initiates the divorce by filing the petition.

Physical Custody: It is in reference to the parent with whom the child resides. Depending upon arrangements, it may be joint or sole custody.

Plaintiff: The individual who files the divorce petition, thereby initiating the divorce.

Pleading: formal written application to the court which requests action by the court.

Postnuptial: A written contract between husband and wife that states all of their present and future rights in view of their impending divorce.

Praecipe: An order asking the court to act. It is addressed to the clerk of court.

Prayer: The portion at the end of the pleading which states the relief that is requested of the court.

Precedent: Something that has already happened that will influence how future similar events will be viewed by the court.

Prenuptial Agreement: A legal contract signed by two people before they get married. It typically involves limitations on a spouse's rights to property, support, and inheritance upon divorce.

Present Value: The value of a future payment or series of future payments discounted to the current date or to time period zero.

Primary Caretaker: The parent who provides majority of the child's day to day care.

Privilege: The right a spouse has to make admissions to an attorney or counselor that can not be later used as evidence.

Pro Se Divorce: A divorce in which each spouse represents themselves in court without an attorney.

Pro Se: On one's own behalf; not using an attorney.

Property Division: The distribution of property accumulated by spouses as a result of their joint efforts during the marriage. Sometimes referred to as a "property settlement."

Prothonothary: The court clerk in charge of civil filings.

Purpose of an Appraisal: The states scope of an appraisal assignment, i.e., to estimate a defined value of any real property interest, or to conduct an evaluation study pertaining to real property decisions