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).
Brightwaters is a village in southwest part of the town of Islip, which is in western Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 3,248 at the 2000 census. Brightwaters is a suburb of New York City.