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Family law encompasses the role of the family and the various relationships therein. Originally, the family was a private institution, into which state and federal governments did not interfere. However, in modern times, the legal issues touching families changed as family structures began splintering or dissolving through divorce or growing through adopting children, remarrying, and caring for elderly relatives. The availability of technology to bring DNA evidence to bear has also had an impact on family law. It plays a role in domestic violence and has also caused an increase in paternity suits, which impact child support and custody decisions. Even disagreement on whether to have children has become a matter for the courts now; in some states, it is grounds for an annulment of a marriage. Coupled with dramatic changes to family-structures is the increase in abuse and domestic violence. The result of these developments has complicated the rights and liabilities of individual family members, which caused state and federal governments to step in with laws to govern the challenges. Continued... By Kathleen Goolsby