The coming of age: Why aging matters in family law and public policy

Abstract Demographic trends manifest in family law cases, and this article examines the demographic factor of age. Beyond metaphors of a “graying society,” population aging affects family structures, caregiving responsibilities, and legal disputes. Through a U.S. perspective with comparative insights, this article highlights how aging intersects with custody, divorce, domestic violence, multigenerational interdependencies and responsibilities, and family conflict dynamics. Case studies illustrate why age‐inclusive approaches and multigenerational perspectives on family cases can facilitate dispute resolution. We also extend attention to the aging of family law professionals as we increasingly work in multigenerational spaces with potentially difficult conversations around capacity and retirement.