Fragile families and family law

This paper reviews how family law in the United States impacts upon fragile families in four ways. First, it discusses how fragile families are invisible to much of family law, and are largely ignored or neglected in family law. Second, it reviews family law reforms that have been intended to help or have had a beneficial effect upon fragile families. Third, it considers family law doctrines that appear to have had, and proposed doctrines that may be expected to have, detrimental impacts upon fragile families, either to cause or contribute to an increase in fragile families, or to exacerbate the plight of fragile families. Fourth, it suggests that strengthening the culture of marriage in society, and providing marriage-skills-training is one effective way to help fragile families. The paper will concludes with some general observations about the connections between family law and fragile families.