Preface

Summary

With the 2022 edition, we mark a passing from Margaret Brinig’s many years of effort overseeing the International Survey of Family Law as General Editor, to our assumption of the responsibilities. We hope to live up to the example Professor Brinig has set.

This year’s edition comes as we begin to resume in person activities and, over the next year, we will mark the International Society of Family Law’s golden jubilee. As the world recovers from COVID-19, this edition will mark the developments across the globe and examines some of the innovations that have arisen in the context of the disease and how these innovations have been integrated into family law practice.

An extraordinarily broad review of developments from around the world is included in the 2022 Survey. The volume examines the growing inclusion – and continuing limitations – of LGBT families into family law adjudication, chronicling developments in China, Ireland, and South Africa. It considers the status of de facto relationships in the Czech Republic, and the challenges of determining parenthood in the context of assisted reproduction and surrogacy in Belgium and France. A number of contributions report on the incorporation of international treaties into domestic law, particularly in Norway, Hong Kong and Australia, whilst others explore the challenges of managing cross-border issues involving the enforcement of foreign judgments and migration in France, Sweden, and Chile. Articles address the fragmentation of family law in Australia’s federal system and the role of artificial intelligence in family law adjudication in Italy. In addition, this volume reports on grandchild adoption in South Korea, the decision-making capacity of the disabled in Poland, abortion in England and Wales, grounds for divorce in the Seychelles, the impact of COVID-19 on Slovenian custody adjudication, spousal support developments in the United States, and the impact of demographic changes on spousal support in China.

Our thanks go to Christine Bidaud and the Family Law Center of the Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3, who have provided the French translations for the contributions.