Contrary to what you might hear, it’s not always the case that women are the default or preferred parent in child custody cases! The California Family Code presumes that joint custody is in the best interest of the child. This is only a presumption, which can of...
In thirty-five years of practicing family law, no one has ever walked through my door and asked, “when do we get to go to court?” Instead, the common concerned question is this: “do we have to go to court?” Here’s the truth: if you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse can...
It can be a substantial emotional and social responsibility to care for children with disabilities. The time, effort, and energy involved in providing access to special services, private schools, and medical equipment can be hard on a marriage. Understanding...
Everybody loves drama—it’s why People magazine is so popular. In California, anyone (including journalists or even the IRS) can sit in on a hearing, and anyone can go to the courthouse and look at submitted files and documents. A court file could contain information...
When it comes to managing a divorce, a neutral financial professional can be one of the most helpful members of a Collaborative Divorce team. A Neutral Financial Professional Provides Education and Expertise A financial neutral can gather up information in an...
Couples eager to start planning a deferred wedding, as well as those who have been previously married can benefit from a productive discussion about their premarital assets. Prenuptial agreements ensure partners can be clear about their stock, investment, savings, and...
Adult children in a divorce are often an overlooked group of people that are impacted by the divorce. Parents wrongly assume their divorce will not affect children who are no longer living at home and who have built lives of their own outside of the family unit....
Many people consider Pets to be family members, and yet the law considers pets to be property in a divorce case. During a divorce, spouses can, and often do, create a custody agreement for the pet. Deciding how to handle pet custody depends on your relationship with...
After a divorce, it is sometimes challenging to harness intense emotions and keep them from spilling into other relationships. You may wonder, “Why is it important to preserve the relationships that you have?” There are many reasons to maintain and protect your...
As difficult as divorce is for spouses, children are innocent victims of the family disruption. Children do not have a choice about whether their parents will divorce. The lives of the children change in many ways and they are the ones that must do a lot of the work....
