Stanford Law visiting professor Joanna L. Grossman and professor Lawrence M. Friedman comment on the recent struggle over Aretha Franklin’s estate. Professors Grossman and Friedman describe the history of the law of wills, estates, and trusts, and explain why the disposition of Franklin’s estate may better reflect her intent and also aligns with the more modern approach toward understanding a person’s last will and testament.

In light of a recent trend of conservative voices opposing no-fault divorce laws, Stanford Law visiting professor Joanna L. Grossman and SMU Dedman School of Law professor Natalie Nanasi explain the history of fault-based divorce and no-fault divorce law in the United States. Professors Grossman and Nanasi point out that since the advent of the no-fault divorce the divorce rate is lower, the process is more efficient, and no-fault divorces provide an escape hatch for abused spouses who might otherwise have been stuck in an abusive marriage.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, which practically and symbolically enshrines protection for same-sex marriage in federal law. Professor Grossman explains the shameful history of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the changes effectuated by the Respect for Marriage Act.

Cornell Law professor Michael C. Dorf explains the scope and limits of the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA), which would codify a federal right to same-sex marriage. Professor Dorf argues that while the RMA cannot guarantee marriage equality for the long run, for now, it seems like a sensible hedge against an increasingly reactionary Supreme Court.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman and Stanford Law professor Lawrence M. Friedman comment on the recent publicity of the conservator of Britney Spears. Professors Grossman and Friedman explain the typical purpose of a conservatorship, provide a brief history of the history of conservatorship in American law, and explain why Britney’s conservatorship in particular is unusual and potentially problematic.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on the recently passed Connecticut Parentage Act, a comprehensive bill designed to modernize the rules regarding the creation of legal parent-child ties. Professor Grossman praises the Act as a welcome and thoughtful development that changes all relevant laws in that state to address the range of issues and policies that affect modern families.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman and Stanford Law professor Lawrence M. Friedman consider how the law views polyamory and polyamorous relationships. Professors Grossman and Friedman describe recent developments in family law and explain how those changes in the law have affected and will continue to affect the legal rights of people in polyamorous relationships.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent law passed in New York that legalizes commercial surrogacy.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent decision by the Kansas Supreme Court holding that a woman who conceives through artificial insemination and her same-sex partner can both be deemed the legal parents of any resulting child born during their relationship under the Kansas Parentage Act, even if the couple has not entered into a co-parenting agreement. Grossman explains the facts of the case and the court’s reasoning, and she explains why the court effectively balanced the rights and interests of the two women.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman and Stanford law professor Lawrence M. Friedman discuss an amendment to Utah’s law against bigamy that recently went into effect. Grossman and Friedman provide a short history of bigamy and polygamy laws in the United States and explain how and why the laws are evolving.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman and Stanford law professor Lawrence M. Friedman discuss the implications of COVID-19 restrictions on the execution of wills and marriage. Grossman and Friedman point out that the COVID-19 crisis demonstrates, among other things, how quickly and universally Americans rush into court, demanding from judges legal solutions to ethical, political, and social issues.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a law recently passed (and challenged) in Tennessee that purports to prohibit ministers ordained online from presiding over marriages in that state. Grossman explains why the Tennessee legislature passed the law and why it is being challenged, and she points out that based on the judge’s questions during the proceedings, the state may ultimately have to show at trial how the law is rationally related to its legitimate regulation of entry into marriage—regardless of whether it burdens the free exercise of religion.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments or a recent controversy arising from immigration rules that place an undue emphasis on biology in determining when a US-citizen-parent can transmit citizenship to a child born abroad. Grossman calls upon the US State Department to revise its Foreign Affairs Manual to align with the statutory scheme it purports to apply.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent decision by an appellate court in New York clarifying the rights of two adults who had a pre-adoption agreement but separated before actually adopting a child. Grossman praises the court for using language that would preserve the rights of lesbian co-parents broadly, but finding that the woman in this particular case is not a co-parent.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on the New Jersey legislature’s recent passage of a bill to legalize gestation surrogacy. Grossman describes the long battle over surrogacy in that state, from the nationally influential decision by its supreme court, In the Matter of Baby M, to two surrogacy bills passed by the legislature but vetoed by then-Governor Chris Christie, to the present bill signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent decision by a New York trial court finding a man's egregious use of spyware to eavesdrop on his wife's conversations with her lawyer during their ongoing divorce, and his destruction of the evidence of the spying, supported denying him marital assets in the divorce. Grossman describes the very standard for considering whether to consider fault when awarding alimony and argues that the court arrived at the correct conclusion in this extraordinary circumstance.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a difficult case in New York that illustrates that state's need for clear legislative direction regarding parentage and modern families. Grossman describes the background of the case and explains how the lack of comprehensive parentage laws leads to unpredictable and often undesirable results.

Cornell University law professor Sherry F. Colb considers some pros and cons of legalizing and enforcing gestational surrogacy agreements, as the New York State legislature is currently considering doing. Colb points out that legalizing these agreements would help clean up the patchwork of different surrogacy laws in different states (and thus make the outcome of conflicts more predictable), but she also notes that government endorsement of surrogacy may perpetuate or ignore related issues of equality and born children seeking adoption.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent decision by the Arizona Supreme Court that correctly applies the US Supreme Court’s reasoning in Obergefell v. Hodges to hold that the marital presumption applies to same-sex couples just as it applies to opposite-sex couples. Grossman provides a brief legal history of same-sex marriage and the attendant obligations and benefits and praises the Arizona court for its clear and well reasoned opinion.

SMU Dedman School of Law professor Joanna L. Grossman comments on a recent decision by the Idaho Supreme Court taking a narrow view of the parental rights of lesbian co-parents. Grossman explains the background of that case and the patchwork of laws state courts across the United States use to reach inconsistent, and often unpredictable, results with respect to the parental rights of unmarried same-sex partners.