Financial Aspects of Divorce

Catalog description

The Financial Aspects of Divorce is a 3 credit course designed for students practicing in the area of family law that will cover what a practitioner needs to know from both theoretical and pragmatic perspectives. The course will explore the historical background of divorce law and the jurisdictional limitations on resolving financial issues in divorce litigation. We will study the establishment, modification and enforcement of child support and spousal maintenance obligations. We will examine numerous aspects of property distribution, including determining the marital or nonmarital character of property, equitable distribution of marital property, valuation and treatment of specific types of property such as real estate, retirement accounts and business interests, and dissipation of marital assets. The course will also include discussions of financial discovery and awards of attorneys fees in divorce litigation.