In a divorce in which one spouse earns less than the other, the higher-earning spouse may be ordered by the courts to pay the lesser-earning spouse alimony. Alimony or spousal support is intended to help the lesser-earning spouse support themselves in the months and...
Focusing On Family Law – And You
Year: 2023
Five tips for effective communication during divorce
The divorce process is often riddled with emotional and logistical challenges. Depending on the facts surrounding your marriage dissolution, you may experience a deep sense of hurt, and the reality of your normal life being upended can leave you frightened of the...
Tips for a healthy divorce
Sometimes married California couples stay together because divorce seems complicated, overwhelming and emotionally challenging. While all of these things can be true about divorce, there are many things you can do to increase your chance of a healthy divorce. There...
How does child support address extraordinary expenses?
When a California couple divorces and a child support order is put into effect, it is not necessarily set in stone. There are guidelines that the court will use when making its order. However, as circumstances change, so too might the support that is needed and must...
How does the type of custody order impact a parental relocation?
After a divorce or a relationship has ended, the parties might choose to move to a different location. In California, those who share a child need to understand how the child custody and parenting time arrangement will be affected by this. A parent wanting to relocate...
Which parenting time options are available in California?
Divorce is difficult for everyone involved, but it is especially difficult for a child. In California, the courts take great care to keep the child’s best interests as a top priority. Parents will also want to make sure to address the child’s needs. However, the...
The step-by-step process of divorce in California
Every divorce case in California is different, but there is a fairly standard legal process that must be followed in most cases. Following that process can help make sense of a legal matter that might be emotionally and financially stressful. Step-by-step process For...
Resolving divorce issues through mediation
Divorce is among the most difficult experiences in a person’s life. There is often significant hurt and uncertainty as spouses move through the divorce process. Increasingly, divorcing couples are turning to mediation in hopes of resolving issues surrounding divorce,...
What do you need to know about “community property”?
If you are beginning to consider a divorce in California, you may not realize that our state follows a property division rule that is in the minority in the United States—a rule known as “community property.” So, what do you need to know about “community property”...
Can you cancel paternity if doubts arise in the future?
If a mother wants to seek child support from a man she was not married to when the child was conceived and is not currently married to, she must establish paternity. Paternity in California is also referred to as parentage. Establishing parentage means legally...