Civil Law

• In addition to family law, civil law includes such areas as international law, consumer law, property law, tax law, agricultural law, employment law and entertainment law, among many others, according to the Civics Library of the Missouri Bar. Civil parties include the plaintiff, who has brought the case to court; and a defendant, who is the target of the plaintiff's complaint.
  
  

Marriage and Children

• Family law often concerns issues related to marriage, including prenuptial agreements, separation, divorce, annulment, spousal support and property division. Children can be a central topic, such as related to child custody and parental visitation issues or cases of adoption.
  
  

Other Family Law Areas

• Financial issues not centered on marriage or the dissolution of marriage are also part of family law. This includes estate planning and trusts, wills, probate and insurance. Also included in the family law category is elder law, which focuses on the legal needs of senior citizens.