California family laws govern marriage, divorce, adoption, child support, and child custody.
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed January 23, 2020
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Many of these laws are similar to those of other states, with some minor differences. For instance, California does not require a blood test or a waiting period for couples wishing to get married, as many other states do. Also, California allows same-sex couples to get married. As a practice area, family law also includes child abuse, domestic abuse, stalking, and protective orders (all of which cross over into criminal law as well). Click on a topic below to learn more.