Family Law Vocabulary

noun a word that functions as the name of a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• The new regulations will come into effect next month.
• I heard that the new boss will come into the office later today.
• I can't believe how much money he came into after winning the lottery.
• The sun started to set, casting a warm glow as we came into the evening.

noun a word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things

adverb a word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb

preposition a word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause

• The court ruled in re the estate of the deceased millionaire.
• I heard they made a decision in re the company's new policy.
• Did you catch what they said in re the party next weekend?
• In re our friendship, I think we should take a break and reevaluate things.

adjective not able to be recovered or regained; irreparable

• The damage to the ancient artifact was irretrievable.
• I accidentally deleted the file and now it's irretrievable.
• I lost my phone in the lake, it's irretrievable now.
• Once trust is broken, it can be irretrievable.

noun a professional who is trained in the law and gives legal assistance

• The legal counselor provided expert advice on navigating the complex legal system.
• I always turn to my legal counselor for help with any legal issues.
• My legal counselor is like my legal superhero, always saving the day.
• In times of trouble, a legal counselor can be a guiding light through the darkness of legal matters.

noun a person involved in a lawsuit

• The litigant presented their case in front of the judge.
• The person suing is called the litigant.
• The litigant was really gunning for a win in court.
• In the courtroom, the litigant was like a warrior fighting for justice.

noun the male head of a family or household

• The paterfamilias was responsible for making important decisions for the family.
• My dad is like the paterfamilias of our family, always looking out for everyone.
• The paterfamilias is basically the big boss of the family.
• In some cultures, the paterfamilias is seen as the ultimate authority figure.

noun something that is given up or surrendered

• The relinquishment of power by the dictator was seen as a positive step towards democracy.
• Her relinquishment of the remote control signaled the end of movie night.
• I can't believe he made a relinquishment on our bet, what a sore loser.
• The artist's relinquishment of control allowed the painting to take on a life of its own.

noun A legal term referring to a person appointed by a court to represent a minor or incapacitated person in a legal proceeding.

preposition A word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence.

• The judge decided to grant ad litem to the child in the custody case.
• The judge said the kid could have a special lawyer, ad litem.
• The court gave the kid a cool lawyer, ad litem.
• The judge granted the child a guardian ad litem to represent their best interests.

noun A person who carries and gives birth to a baby for another person or couple

adjective Describing the type of carrier involved in the pregnancy process

• The couple decided to use a gestational carrier to carry their baby to term.
• My sister is acting as a gestational carrier for her best friend.
• I heard she's being a baby oven for someone as a gestational carrier.
• The company acted as a gestational carrier for the new product, nurturing it until it was ready for launch.

noun a word that can be preceded by an article or other determiner

• The affiliation order was officially documented by the organization.
• They sent out the affiliation order to all their members.
• I heard they're still processing the affiliation order.
• The affiliation order symbolizes unity among the group.