Research Guides: Family Law Research Guide: Secondary Sources

Secondary Sources

For researchers new to the area of family law, a secondary source is a good way to get started. Family law is state law. However, beginning researchers may find a general family law treatise useful, such as:

Family Law and Practice by Arnold H. Rutkin, general editor ; contributors, Myrna Felder ... [et al.]
Call Number: KF 505 .F34

Publication Date: Updated annually

Also available in Lexis. Written by a distinguished group of matrimonial practitioners and family law experts from across the country, this treatise is national in scope and practice-oriented, providing guidance for every stage of a family law proceeding from initial client contact through modification and enforcement.
Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution: Analysis and Recommendations by American Law Institute
Call Number: KF 535 .A7722 2002

ISBN: 0314801359

Publication Date: Updated annually

Also available in Lexis and Westlaw. This book's analytic approach will help practitioners develop arguments to support their cases when local state law is unsettled or appears unfair to the client. It summarizes the ways different states have handled important issues and makes recommendations for model provisions of law that legislatures might want to adopt in their own states. It also offers a legal framework that can accommodate the different choices people make and the expectations they bring to their family relationships.

If Colorado is the jurisdiction for your family law matter, a state specific, Colorado treatise, such as one listed below would be another good place to start. These treatises are written by experts in the area of Colorado-specific family law. For more information on Colorado Family Law, you may want to contact the Colorado Bar Association Family Law Section.

Colorado Family Law and Practice Handbook by Kathleen A. Hogan, Frank L. McGuane, Jr.
Call Number: KFC 1880 .C6

ISBN: 9780314871794

Publication Date: Updated annually

Also available in Westlaw. The Colorado Family Law and Practice Handbook provides practitioners with answers to everyday family law practice questions in Colorado. It is a fast way to access the procedural rules, as well as the state and federal statutory provisions you're likely to use in a Colorado family law proceeding.
Colorado Family Law Deskbook with Forms by Richard A. Harris; Dennis P. Knight; Christine C. Nierenz
Call Number: KFC 1894 .H37 2012

ISBN: 9781938614125

Publication Date: 2012-12-01

The authors explain the law on a wide variety of family law procedures-everything from commencing different kinds of family law actions to enforcing court orders. They discuss in detail the legal processes and procedures for dissolving marriages, establishing and enforcing parenting plans, resolving child support and custody issues, handling paternity actions, and other matters pertaining to Colorado family law. Discussions are supported with ample citations to relevant Colorado law, and the material is presented in a way that follows the chronology of family law cases. The book also includes over 100 forms used in the practice of family law.
Practitioner's Guide to Colorado Domestic Relations Law, Third Edition by Linda J. Creagan (Managing editor)
Call Number: KFC 1894 .A6 P732 2010-2016

ISBN: 9781930993792

Publication Date: 2017-05-01

Also available in Lexis. This treatise is designed as a reference source for Colorado lawyers at all levels of experience. It is not meant to provide comprehensive essays on all aspects of family law; rather, it is intended to provide a practical overview of issues and problems inherent in the practice of family law and areas of law that impact family law, such as real estate, bankruptcy, trusts and estates, business entities, taxation, criminal law, and immigration.