Child custody encompasses the primary parental rights and responsibilities necessary to care for a child. As such, custody can either be granted to one parent or shared between them. It is possible for parents to develop a parenting and custody plan on their own, but any child custody arrangement must be approved by a family law judge before it can become an enforceable court order. If the parents cannot agree, the judge will hold a court hearing to hear statements from both and make a final decision. What Is the Difference Between Legal and Physical Custody? A child custody order addresses two types of custody—legal and physical. Legal custody grants …
Read MoreWhat Is the Minimum Child Support in California?
One of the biggest issues couples who are divorced or facing divorce must contend with is determining the amount of child support that one of them will pay. In the state of California, this figure is based on the amount of time each parent will be with the children, how many children the parents have, how much each parent earns, and whether they are eligible for certain tax deductions. Child support will be calculated in various scenarios, including some domestic partnership situations, paternity cases, separations, and divorces or dissolutions. The courts use a very specific calculation throughout the state, so that child support requirements are uniform and provide a minimum …
Read MoreShould I Get a Divorce?
It is natural for every married couple to argue and experience tension in their relationship, but sometimes these problems are symptoms of deeper relationship issues. Eventually, some couples decide that their marriage has passed the point of saving, and they have no other choice but to divorce. If you feel like you have reached this point in your marriage, you are probably asking, “should I get a divorce?” The reality is that no one can answer this question for you. It is ultimately up to you to decide whether to keep trying to save your marriage or to end things as swiftly as possible so you can move on with …
Read MoreSocial Media and your Family Law Case
I am not a morning person, I must have coffee, and while I am enjoying that hot cup of magical elixir that makes me human again, I like to scroll through Facebook or Instagram. Most days it’s a nice way to slowly greet the day and catch up on what the world is doing. However, once in a while, I come across a post or picture that ruins my coffee nirvana and makes me a tad cranky. Most of these posts have no redeeming value and are meant to show off or one up an ex or try to cause emotional harm or distress to another person. I keep my …
Read MoreLegalese and What It All Means
The legal world has its own vocabulary. It would make sense to say that you are filing for a “Divorce”, but in California courts, you are filing a “Dissolution of Marriage“. “Alimony” is actually “Spousal Support”. The courts and an attorney are going to know what you mean, but when the judges and attorneys start using this vocabulary in the courtroom it can be difficult to figure out exactly what happened. So, here’s a quick translation: In order to get divorced in California you must file for a Dissolution of Marriage. If you want “Alimony”, you must file for “Spousal Support”. You are “separated” if one or both of you …
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