When a couple goes through a divorce, one of the main issues they will face is how to divide their shared property and funds. During this process, you may hear that your marital assets are considered “community property.” Those unfamiliar with this term may be wondering, what is community property? Here is what you need to know about California divorce and community property: Continue reading
Going through a divorce with minor children will involve you and your ex making several decisions about their future care. Ultimately, how you share decision-making and time with your kids will become part of a court-ordered parenting plan that you and your ex will be required to follow. Often parents will negotiate and develop their own plan terms rather than leaving decisions about their family up to the court. When they can’t agree, each parent can ask the court to grant their request for their preferred parenting plan terms. Therefore, it will be crucial to know which terms you need in your parenting plan as you proceed through your case. Here is more on the key elements to include in your parenting plan. Continue reading
Couples in an average marriage face some pretty common issues when they file for divorce. For example, they have to divide their property and debts. If they have children, they must develop a good parenting plan that covers custody and visitation. And, since divorce records are public, friends and family could discover their very private dealings, but it’s unlikely their peccadilloes will hit the news or go viral. High-profile divorces take common issues up a notch or two (or three or four, depending on the couple). Continue reading
When we think of alimony (a/k/a spousal support), we usually think of this scenario: the husband is ordered to make monthly payments to his ex-wife for a number of years. But courts do not make spousal support rulings based on the gender of either the payer or the receiver. Continue reading
Are divorce rates rising again? This is not necessarily an easy question to answer. For example, two articles posted by the New York Times proposed opposite viewpoints on the matter just a few short months apart. Continue reading
Amelia had been considering leaving her husband for some time. But when it came to actually filing for divorce, she had no idea where to start. Deciding to divorce your spouse is usually a difficult decision. You have to consider a number of different factors – from where to live to how you can go about the business of legally terminating your marriage. Her friends told her one thing; her family told her something totally different. Finally, Amelia decided to ask a California divorce lawyer for guidance based on California family law. Continue reading
As a married couple, Noah and April shared everything – their finances, homes, and friends. They also shared their pet. Desi was a ball python they had raised for more than seven years. Although snakes are not generally considered cuddly pets, both Noah and April loved hanging out with him. But pet custody never entered their minds until they decided to end their marriage. Since they both wanted to keep Desi, deciding what was in the best interests of their python became a major obstacle. Continue reading
It’s no secret that divorce can be very hard for children. That’s one reason that the California Family Code and California courts try so hard to ensure every ruling is done “in the best interests of the children.” But even though lawyers and judges are concerned about the effect divorce has on children, telling the kids about your divorce is ultimately up to you. To make things a little easier for you, we’re offering some tips. Continue reading
In 2020, both marriage and divorce rates dropped. Some experts had predicted that divorce would skyrocket because COVID-19 lockdowns put a strain on married couples. Also, some people may have decided to wait until after the public health emergency before ending their marriage. However, rates have been rising since 1990 for one group. That’s because gray divorce is on the rise. Continue reading
The United States Supreme Court upheld California’s decision to allow same-sex marriages in 2013. In another case heard two years later, a Supreme Court decision prevented states from banning same-sex marriage. But even so, these decisions did not iron out all of the legal wrinkles faced by gay couples. For example, spouses sometimes found they were not their child’s legal parent unless they went through a formal adoption. One reason for this is that it was difficult, if not impossible, to have a birth certificate with two moms or two dads. Continue reading