Family law is the name given to the branch of civil law that covers the legal relationships among family members, including husbands, wives, parents, children, and domestic partners.   Family law relationships encompass adoption, child custody, visitation rights, domestic violence, divorce, juvenile dependency and delinquency, marital property rights, support obligations, and paternity. Because these personal relationships are governed by state law, what constitutes "family law" may vary from state to state.