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).
Van Meter is a city in Dallas County, Iowa, along the Raccoon River. The population was 866 at the 2000 census. Major league baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller is a native of Van Meter and has a museum honoring him in the town. On November 11, 2006, Veterans Day, ground was broken for an Iowa Veterans Cemetery at a site located near Van Meter. Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack was among those who helped dedicate the cemetery. Van Meter is situated west of Des Moines, just south of Interstate 80. and is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area.