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).
Dorchester is an unincorporated area within Maurice River Township. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08316. As of the United States 2000 Census, the population for ZIP Code Tabulation Area 08316 was 283. Shipbuilding has always been the principal industry in Dorchester, and the A.J. Meerwald, the state ship of New Jersey, was built here.