Legal Matters
Get writing ideas and topics with the Genealogy.com Biography Assistant
Was he/she ever involved in divorce proceedings or a criminal lawsuit? What was the outcome? Did he/she ever serve time? Choose this Topic to help you record these events, whether they took place when he/she was a child or an adult.
Was he/she involved in legal matters as a youth?
- Was it a legal matter of his/her own or of his/her parents'? For example, was it a divorce or a custody battle? Was he/she accused of committing a crime or was he/she the victim of a crime? How did the situation come about?
- Was he/she old enough to understand what was happening? Did anyone try to explain it to him?
- Did he/she have to go to court? If so, what was the outcome? What was it like in court? Was he/she scared? Describe the experience. Who represented him?
- Were the police involved? If so, what was their role? Was an arrest made?
- If he/she committed a crime, was he/she sentenced? Did he/she have to pay a fine, do community service, or spend time in juvenile hall or jail? What was the reaction of his/her parents or guardians when they were notified? Were they surprised, angry, or disappointed?
Was he/she involved in legal matters as an adult?
- How old was he/she when he/she had legal problems?
- Did he/she personally have a legal problem? Was he/she accused of committing a crime? Was he/she the victim of a crime? How did the situation come about?
- Were the police involved? If so, what was their role? Did they arrest someone?
- Did he/she have to go to court? If so, what was the outcome? Did going to court intimidate him?
- If he/she committed a crime was he/she sentenced? Did he/she have to pay a fine, do community service, or spend time in jail?
- Was he/she ever involved in a lawsuit? If so, what were the circumstances? Was it a long or short process? Did it affect him emotionally?