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).
Madison is a town in the southeastern corner of New Haven County, Connecticut, and it occupies a central location on the Connecticut Shoreline area. The population was 18,812 at the 2000 census. Madison was first settled in 1641. Throughout the 18th century, Madison was known as East Guilford until it was incorporated as a town in 1826. Since then, Madison and Guilford have shared many cultural and economic similarities despite an unofficial high school rivalry. Bill Clinton mentions the town in his autobiography, My Life. Hammonasset State Park in Madison possesses the state's longest public beach, with campsites, picnic areas, and a fishing pier, and is extremely popular in the summer causing traffic jams on I-95 on peak days. Also located in the town is Surf Club Beach, with lifeguards and recreation fields, as well as the Madison Beach Club, a private country club.