Family law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships; issues arising during marriage, including spousal abuse, legitimacy, adoption, surrogacy, child abuse, and child abduction; the termination of the relationship and ancillary matters including divorce, annulment, property settlements, alimony, and parental responsibility orders (in the United States, child custody and visitation, child support and alimony awards).
Chico is the most populous city in Butte County, California, United States. The population was 59,954 at the 2000 census but was estimated to have grown to 87,713 as of 2009. The city is a cultural, economic, and educational center of the northern Sacramento Valley and home to both Chico State University and Bidwell Park, one of the country's 25 largest municipal parks and the 13 largest municipally-owned park. Other cities in close proximity to the Chico Metropolitan Area (population 212,000) include Paradise and Oroville, while local towns and villages (unincorporated areas) include Durham, Cohasset, Dayton, Hamilton City, Nord, and Forest Ranch. The Chico Metropolitan Area is the 14th largest metropolitan statistical area in California. The official city nickname is "City of Roses," according to the Seal of the City of Chico, California. Chico has been designated as a Tree City USA for 23 years by the Arbor Day Foundation.