fam·i·ly /'fam-lē, 'fa-mə-/ n pl -lies
1: a group of individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption
2: a group of usu. related individuals who live together under common household authority and esp. who have reciprocal duties to each other
◇ The interpretation of the word family in a law context depends upon the area of the law concerned (as contract or zoning law), the purpose of the document (as a statute or contract) in which it is used, and the facts of the case. Often for zoning purposes, the occupants of a group home are considered a family if the organization is like that of a family or if the home is going to be a permanent rather than a transitional residence for the occupants.
fa·mil·ial /fə-'mil-yəl/ adj
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam-Webster. 1996.