When a California court needs to make decisions regarding child custody, the judge will consider multiple aspects of the child’s life. Ultimately, what the court decides or the parties agree to must be in the child’s best interest. If you are involved in a California divorce or other child-related case, you may be wondering: What does the “Best Interest of the Child” mean in a California custody case? Continue reading
When you think of divorce, you may imagine having to endure a dramatic trial. However, the majority of California divorce cases settle outside of court. One way of reaching a settlement is through divorce mediation. For many, mediation can be an effective way to resolve disputed divorce issues. If you have a California divorce, you may use mediation during your case. Therefore, you will want to know: What happens during a California divorce mediation? Continue reading
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 you are a parent going through a divorce, you will have to determine how you and your ex will share custody of your kids. Although you are ending your relationship with each other, you will remain connected as co-parents. Further, your children, and by extension, you, will continue to have ties with your ex’s family members. In-law and other family dynamics can be complicated both during and after divorce and are not always easy to navigate. This can be especially true when it comes to managing your children’s time with their grandparents post-divorce. If you are going through a divorce involving kids, you will want to know how grandparent/grandchild visits will work after the case is over. Here is more about understanding grandparent visitation rights under California law: Continue reading
When you file for or are served with a divorce, it can immediately impact your daily life, including your living situation. Once your case begins, you and your ex may decide that you no longer want to live together. While living apart during divorce can provide each person with the physical space they need, it can also raise certain practical issues that will need to be addressed. Having temporary orders in place while your divorce case is pending can help clarify each person’s responsibilities and minimize conflict. The good news is that it’s possible to get temporary orders during your divorce. However, temporary order issues can be just as complex as those raised during divorce. Therefore, it’s important to understand temporary orders and how they may operate during your California divorce case. 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