Remember: The court does play a role in your personal life

While we would like to think that the government doesn’t have a say in our personal lives, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The judicial branch can play a role in both our romantic relationships as well as our parental relationships.

For example, marriage is a legal status, which can only be granted by the state. There are also conditions that have to be met before a marriage will be granted, including an age requirement and the requirement that neither party isn’t already married to someone else.

Additionally, when relationships end, the court oversees divorce, child custody and visitation orders. Even though parental rights are very powerful, parents do not have the right to go against orders put in place by the court.

One woman learned these lessons the hard way after pleading guilty to bigamy and child custody-related charges recently in Virginia. According to reports, the woman admitted to marrying her female partner while she was still married to a man, who is the father of her children.

The woman also pleaded guilty to one felony count of perjury and three misdemeanor charges relating to custody violations, after she allegedly took her children to another state without the permission of their father.

Ultimately, while most people agree that the government should have little say in our personal lives, the truth is that there are many legal aspects of family life that the legislative branch of the government does have control over.

In order to avoid getting into trouble with the law, it’s important to work with a family law attorney who can make sure that your rights and interests are protected when dealing with these issues.