In June 2022, California state Sen. Susan Rubio introduced a bill that would require training for judges on domestic violence and child abuse. In August, the bill, known as Piqui’s law, was passed by the state State Assembly in a unanimous, bipartisan vote. However, in September, Sen. Rubio rescinded the bill in the face of strong opposition from the Judicial Council of California. Here is more on the domestic violence and child abuse law that may be back in the near future. Continue reading
Children and their grandparents can share a unique bond. Under the best of circumstances, grandparents can be a support to parents and an essential part of their grandchildren’s lives. When there is a divorce or parent death, grandparents may lose their ability to see their grandchildren. However, California law may provide a way for grandparents to maintain relationships with their grandchildren after death or divorce. Here is more on understanding California grandparent visitation. Continue reading
When a couple decides to divorce, they will have to divide their assets and liabilities. Depending on their circumstances, they may have to contend with significant secured and unsecured debts during the process. Determining the most equitable way to divide debt during a California divorce can be complicated, and it’s essential to know the facts. Here is more on debts and California divorce. Continue reading
During a divorce, there can be a lot of trial and error as you figure out your custody routine. Ideally, you and your ex will have clear temporary custodial terms that help you avoid issues as you share time with your children. Even under less contentious circumstances, getting through the holidays with your kids during divorce can be challenging. The good news is that there are ways to help make the process run smoother while sharing holiday time with your children. Continue reading
Thousands of people move into California each year. Some of these new residents are parents with children who are subject to out-of-state custody orders. When another state’s court establishes a child’s custodial decisions and the child and their parent move into the state, the original order will need to be transferred to California. Therefore, if you have an out-of-state order, you need to know: How do I transfer my out-of-state custody order to California? Continue reading
Generally, California law favors parents having equal decision-making authority and time with children. However, there can be circumstances when a parent will have supervised visitation. If you believe that supervised visitation may be an issue in your California child custody case, it’s important that you understand how this type of supervision operates. So, how does supervised visitation work in a California child custody case? Continue reading
In California, unmarried couples who live together are considered to be cohabitating. If you and your partner cohabitate, you may wonder: Do unmarried couples have rights in California? The short answer is yes. However, couples who cohabitate have different legal rights than those who are married. Continue reading
When a military couple divorces, they will contend with many of the same issues as non-military couples. As in any divorce, in California, the parties must divide their shared (community) property. However, there are unique considerations with respect to certain military benefits. Here is more on dividing military benefits in California. Continue reading
In 1996, California became the first state to legalize medical cannabis. In 2016, the substance became legal for personal use. Since then, the industry has grown to the point that it’s not uncommon to see marijuana sold at retail dispensaries throughout the Golden State. Although marijuana use is legal in California, that doesn’t necessarily mean it is widely accepted in child custody courts. Therefore, if you have a potential or pending child custody matter with this concern, it’s important to know: Can marijuana use impact my child custody case? Continue reading
Divorce can be incredibly stressful, especially when there is high conflict. Under these conditions, it’s not uncommon for one or both parties to strongly express how they feel about the case and each other. However, sometimes angry comments can get out of hand to the point of becoming misleading and inaccurate. Depending on what gets said, these statements may be so false and damaging as to constitute defamation. Here is more on defamation and California divorce. Continue reading