About Family Law Reference
Published by Steadycase, Family Law Reference grew out of three surveys covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the five inhabited U.S. territories.
David Martino
Survey author · Founder of Steadycase
David is a Maryland family-law attorney and the author of The Martino Law Brief. Licensed in Maryland since 1995, he has more than 30 years of experience.
His surveys compare how jurisdictions decide a child’s best interests, what grounds they recognize for divorce, and what happens when a parent wants to relocate with a child.
How we research and review.
I did the foundational analysis for the three surveys and am responsible for all content on Family Law Reference. I review updates to the site, paying particular attention to new legislation and court decisions that change the rule described in a survey entry.
Each entry summarizes the law in our own words, links to the statutes, rules and opinions behind it, and shows its research date.
Many links open an official government site. Others open a public copy of the same text, such as a legal publisher's page.
AI tools assist with finding decisions and legislation, comparing sources and drafting summaries.
"No rule identified" means that we found none in the sources we reviewed. If we got something wrong, please tell us.
Factor counts are our own unless the law numbers the factors. English accounts of Puerto Rico authorities are our research translations, not certified translations.
Where we would like your help
We have done our best to get this research right. If you think something here is wrong or needs refinement, please contact us.
Our research is thinnest in the inhabited territories, where sources are harder to find. If you practice family law in American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico or the U.S. Virgin Islands, we would especially love to hear from you. Tell us whether our sources are accurate, point us to better resources, or write an article for us.
Three ways into the subject.
Developments
Factual reports on decisions, legislation and court rules: what happened, when it matters, and where to read the authority.
Articles & analysis
Longer perspectives that connect individual developments, examine a question and compare approaches across jurisdictions.
The reference library
Structured surveys of best interests, divorce grounds and parental relocation across all 56 jurisdictions, with links to the authorities.
Published by Steadycase
Steadycase is the publisher identity of AlbusWorks LLC. Its case-organization products are linked separately from reporting, analysis, and sponsorship.
Explore Steadycase ↗ · The Martino Law Brief ↗Stay connected to the publication.
Have a source question, an article idea or a sponsorship inquiry? Start with the relevant desk.
Legal information
This publication provides legal information, not advice about a particular case. AlbusWorks LLC is not a law firm, and reading the site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Check the governing authorities and the research dates for the question you are examining.