The Family Law is part of the Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch that governs legal partnerships and marriages among families: 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 (child custody and visitation, child support awards).