Family Law

Fourth Edition

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards

Core Texts Series

Presents a readable and well-rounded overview of the latest developments in family law, supported by extracts from key judgments and cases to help develop an understanding of the subject
Points out key areas of debate or potential reform which reflect the fast-paced nature of the subject and helps the reader appreciate some of the controversial areas of family law
Takes a broad approach to the subject, covering both adult and child law and includes a separate chapter on death and its consequences for family members
Includes chapter summaries, self-test questions, and advice on further reading to help consolidate learning and provide support for further research and assessment preparation
Thoroughly updated and edited for each new edition, the 4th edition maintains its concise and student-friendly format, supported by a new and easy-to-use layout
Electronic updates twice a year

New to this Edition:

Includes discussion of the proposed law to permit same-sex marriage and the debates surrounding this topic
Takes account of the proposals of the Family Justice Review and the reform of Legal Aid
Features discussion of the recommendations from the Munro Review of Child Protection
Updated discussion of forced marriage, re-evaluating the impact of the Forced Marriage Act 2007
Takes account of the growing involvement of the European Court of Human Rights in family law disputes
Features an improved text design and layout to ensure accessibility

Family Law

Fourth Edition

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards

Description

Family Law is part of the Core Text Series, a range of textbooks from OUP which provide focused and reliable guides for students of law at all levels. Written with authority by leading academics and renowned for their readability and clarity, these invaluable texts provide a straightforward analysis and discussion of the subject and its challenges.

Family Law enables students to develop a clear understanding of the law, providing an insight into the tensions that surround family life in all its forms. The complex personal relations between adults, their children, and the State, are all fully explored and the controversial issues which face family lawyers today are highlighted. This fourth edition has been fully edited and updated, as well as partly rewritten, to provide a reliable and critical overview suitable for all family law courses.

Clearly written and presented, Family Law incorporates chapter summaries and self-test questions which alert the reader to key topics for discussion and reflection. Selected reading lists at the end of each chapter encourage further research and help in essay preparation.

This book is accompanied by an Online Resource Centre featuring regular author updates to keep the reader informed of changes to the law post-publication, and a selection of helpful websites. Visit www.oxfordtextbooks.co.uk/orc/welstead4e/ for more details.

Family Law

Fourth Edition

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards

Core Texts Series

1:Introduction to family law
2:State intervention in personal relationships
3:Nullity and its consequences
4:Acquisition and protection of rights in the family home
5:Domestic violence
6:Ending relationships
7:Financial consequences of relationships
8:Death and its consequences
9:Parents and family: rights and responsibilities
10:Adoption
11:Adolescent rights: autonomy and participation
12:Children's welfare and private disputes
13:In the child's best interests: the jurisdiction of wardship
14:Child protection: the public law procedure
15:Protecting children from 'significant harm': constructing the law
16:Financial provision for children

Family Law

Fourth Edition

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards

Core Texts Series

Author Information

Mary Welstead, CAP Fellow, Child Advocacy Program, Harvard Law School and Visiting Professor of Family Law, University of Buckingham, and Susan Edwards, Barrister and Professor of Law, University of Buckingham

Mary Welstead is Visiting Professor of Family Law, founder Director of the Centre for Multi-Cultural Studies in Law and the Family at the University of Buckingham, and Fellow and Graduate Programme coordinator at the Child Advocacy Program Harvard University.

Susan Edwards is Professor of Law, University Dean of Research and Co-Director of the Centre for Multi-Cultural Studies in Law and the Family, at the University of Buckingham. Practising Barrister - Door Tenant, 1 Gray's Inn Square, London and MEWI.

Family Law

Fourth Edition

Mary Welstead and Susan Edwards

Core Texts Series

Reviews and Awards

Review from previous edition This 3rd edition is a clear and concise, yet comprehensive exposition of family law. It reviews and explains new approaches to existing law. It raises new issues of, amongst others, forced marriages, the developments in the law of significant harm to children, the continuing impact of human rights and the enforceability of nuptial agreements. It is extremely readable and, although ideal for students studying family law for examinations, it would also be a useful addition to the library of any serious family lawyer. - Rt Hon Baroness Butler-Sloss, GBE PC