# Family Law Agreements General contract law supplies the starting framework for premarital agreements, marital agreements, and marital settlement agreements. Apply that framework together with the Family Code provisions governing the particular agreement; a specific statutory rule can supplement or displace a general contract rule. See [[Cal. Civ. Code § 1550]] and [[Cal. Fam. Code § 1611]]. For example, Civil Code §1550 lists the general essentials of a contract, including sufficient cause or consideration. Family Code §1611 specifically requires a premarital agreement to be written and signed by both parties and makes it enforceable without consideration. Do not treat consideration as a universal requirement for family law agreements. Transactions between spouses also implicate the fiduciary rules in [[Cal. Fam. Code § 721]], including good faith, fair dealing, and the prohibition on taking unfair advantage, subject to that section's exceptions. ## Related notes - [[Glossary/C/Contract|Contract]] - [[Glossary/P/Premarital Agreement|Premarital Agreement]] / [[Glossary/P/Prenuptial Agreement|Prenuptial Agreement]] - [[Glossary/P/Postnuptial Agreement|Postnuptial Agreement]] - [[Glossary/M/Marital Settlement Agreement|Marital Settlement Agreement]] ## Sources - Civil Code §1550: [official source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=CIV&sectionNum=1550.). - Family Code §1611: [official source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=FAM&sectionNum=1611.). - Family Code §721: [official source](https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=FAM&sectionNum=721.). Authorities checked against California Legislative Information on October 27, 2026: Civil Code §1550 at 20:42:10 UTC, Family Code §1611 at 20:42:21 UTC, and Family Code §721 at 20:42:26 UTC. This overview is an original explanatory summary, not statutory text.