Family
Mar. 11, 2026
The future of family law is here: When society leads, the law follows
See more on The future of family law is here: When society leads, the law followsEvery day, practitioners enter courthouses built for a bygone society, facing disputes once legally invisible, raising the question of whether law shapes society or society shapes law.
Angel M. Bermudez
Judge (ret.)
Hon. Angel M. Bermudez (Ret.) is a JAMS mediator, arbitrator and neutral evaluator with more than 18 years of judicial experience on the Riverside County Superior Court. He spent nine years presiding over complex civil matters, including business and commercial disputes, contract claims, and catastrophic personal injury, professional negligence and real property cases. Prior to his judicial service, Judge Bermudez worked for 16 years as a senior deputy district attorney in Riverside County, focusing on white-collar criminal matters. A native Spanish speaker with university-level Spanish education, he is dedicated to culturally informed and accessible dispute resolution. He can be reached at abermudez@jamsadr.com.
Every day, practitioners walk into courthouses built for a society that no longer exists. Yet the disputes brought before those courts reflect families, identities and relationships that would have been legally invisible just decades ago. This tension raises a foundational question for modern practice: Does the law shape society, or does society shape the law?
The courthouse and a changing society
For generations, cour...
For only $95 a month (the price of 2 article purchases)
Receive unlimited article access and full access to our archives,
Daily Appellate Report, award winning columns, and our
Verdicts and Settlements.
Or
$895, but save $100 when you subscribe today… Just $795 for the first year!
Or access this article for $45
(Purchase provides 7-day access to this article. Printing, posting or downloading is not allowed.)
Already a subscriber?
Sign In