Abstract

The recent changes in moral and the influence of other cultures caused that the traditional scope of the term “family” as people bound by the ties of marriage or blood is not so obvious. The Polish legislation does not provide for one legal definition of this term. The family status and its composition is determined by both the provisions of the Polish Constitution and other acts, but the scope of this notion fundamentally differs, depending on the area of legislation which is considered. The question then arises whether there is a need, and if so, whether it is possible to create a definition which would be common to different areas of law. The article contains a semantic analysis of the concept of “family” in Polish legislation on account of its structural scope.