divorce

FAMILY LAW

Let us help you with the stressful part of preparing the paperwork so you can focus on getting your life back. In California, we are a “no fault” state and we use the grounds of “irreconcilable differences,” instead of having to provide a reason for the decision to divorce, legal separation, or annulment. You DO NOT have to prove which spouse did something wrong, just that you cannot work it out. We can assist you with Dissolution of Marriage/Legal Separation/Annulment with or without children, Custody and Visitation, Child and Spousal Support, Ex-Parte (emergency) hearings, Marital Settlement Agreements, Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, Modification of Existing Orders/Request for Order, and QDRO’s (Qualified Domestic Relation Orders/Retirement accounts). All of these services are provided for all individuals without judgment, including LGBTQIA marriages, co-habitants, etc.

There is a $435 filing fee paid due to the court. A fee waiver is available if you cannot afford to pay the filing fee with requirements.

Divorce with and without children

Our services include services for divorce with or without children.

Paternity

Paternity cases have the court assist in determining who the biological father is of a child/children through DNA testing. This is determined for several reasons, included but not limited to, financial support, inheritance, presence in a child’s life, benefits from their biological parents, and awareness of mental and physical health genetics.

Custody and Visitation

There are 2 types of custody: legal custody and physical custody.

Legal Custody is when a parent makes important decisions for a child, such as health care, education, and welfare of a child. Physical Custody is who the child spends a majority of their time with and lives with. Both types of Custody include Joint (shared) or Sole (primary custodial) Custody.

Visitation of child/ren could include scheduled, reasonable, supervised, or no visitation from the non-custodial parent.

Child Support and Spousal Support

Child support is the amount of money paid monthly from one or both parents to financially support the living expenses of the child/ren. The monthly amount may get calculated by California guidelines or by agreement if not collecting any government assistance. This amount is based on the income of both parents.

Spousal Support is a monthly payment from one spouse to another. There is temporary spousal support and long-term spousal support (usually over 10 years of marriage). This amount is based on income of both parties.

Ex Parte

A Ex Parte Request for Order is an expediated hearing for an emergency situation for the health and safety of a child or parent.

Marital Settlement Agreements

Marital Settlement Agreements is an agreement made between the parties about all of the issues in their divorce. For example, they have separated their belonging and assets by negotiation and compromise and do not need any further assistance from the court to make those decisions for them.

Prenuptial and Postnuptial

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements made between the parties prior to marriage or after marriage regarding their premarital or separate assets or debts.

Modifications of Existing Orders

A Request for Order is used to ask the court to modify previous Judgments or ruling due to changes in circumstances, such as child support, spousal support, visitation of the children