Interim measures organise family life during the divorce proceedings: who keeps the home, where the children live, maintenance. The judge sets them at the start and they apply until the judgment. Temporary divorce orders are essential for protecting your daily...

Intra-family violence covers domestic violence, violence against children and psychological abuse. The law provides swift responses: protection order, removal of the spouse, filing a complaint. Acting fast protects victims and children. Family violence is no longer...

After the divorce, each person takes back their own name. Keeping the ex-spouse's name requires their agreement or the judge's authorisation, justified by a particular interest such as professional reputation or the children. Otherwise, the use must stop. A last name...

Children exposed to domestic violence are victims in their own right. The law mobilises several judges: the Family Court judge can suspend parental authority or visitation rights, and the Juvenile Court judge can order protection. The response must be swift. Indeed,...

Child support is never fixed for good. It can be revised up or down if the situation changes: income, expenses, custody arrangement. The request is made before the family affairs judge. Whether the payment concerns child support or spousal support payable during...

Child support is revalued each year according to an index published by INSEE. This indexation prevents the maintenance from losing value over time. The calculation is simple and the creditor can apply it themselves. Financial support or maintenance paid for a child or...

When a father does not acknowledge his child, filiation can be established in court. The paternity action relies on evidence, including a DNA test ordered by the judge. It is subject to a time limit. Judicial establishment of paternity is a legal procedure that allows...

Legal separation ends the duty to live together without ending the marriage. The spouses stay married but live apart, with a division of assets. It can be converted into divorce after two years. It is a lesser-known legal procedure than divorce, yet it can be a...

Adopting your spouse's child creates a bond of filiation with your partner's child. It is most often done in the simple form, to add a bond without erasing the other parent. It affects the name and inheritance. The adoption of a spouse’s or partner’s child is both a...

Adoption creates a bond of filiation by court decision. It can be full, breaking the original bond, or simple, adding a filiation. The procedure is regulated and aims at the child's interest. It is governed by a strict legal framework designed to safeguard the best...