Parties are involved in a "family law" matter where the underlying action involves the parties' emotional and/or familial relationship, including relationships between spouses, parents and children, as well as spousal violence or violence between family or friends. The actions for which the family law court has primary jurisdiction over are as follows:

• Divorce
• Legal Separation
• Annulment
• Paternity
• Custody Petitions
• Support Petitions (child / spouse)
• Restraining Orders
• Civil Harassment

There is no dispute that these matters may be handled better if the parties can resolve the issues among themselves. Formal court intervention should be reserved for only those cases where the issues are so complex as to beyond the parties' abilities; or where one (or both) of the parties are unable to act rationally. It is specifically for these situations that court intervention is an appropriate alternative.