Voluntary Declaration of Parentage in San Diego A voluntary declaration of parentage (VDOP) is a legal form that creates parentage for a child in California outside of the court system. When both parents sign a VDOP, they both attest that they are the child’s legal parents, which gives the father/second…
Dividing Community Property in a California Divorce Dividing community property in a California divorce is a crucial step in the process of legally ending a marriage. As California is a community property state, most assets and debts acquired during the marriage are considered jointly owned and must be divided equally…
Understanding How California Determines Spousal Support Payments Spousal support can be an important part of your California divorce, helping the spouse with a lower income maintain financial stability during and after separation. It’s important for the paying and receiving spouse to understand how California determines spousal support payments. The court…
Non-Traditional Families and the Law Families today don’t always follow the “Mom-Dad-Kids” template. Around San Diego, you’ll find LGBTQ+ co-parents, polyamorous families, platonic co-parents, cohabiting exes, stepparent blends, and chosen families of every kind. Yet, California’s legal framework, which is built largely for traditional two-parent, biological scenarios, can leave these…
The Reality of Divorce PTSD Divorce is often talked about as a legal process, referencing a set of documents, court dates, and custody schedules. However, for many adults, divorce can shake their sense of safety, identity, and trust, leaving emotional wounds that feel more like trauma than just heartache. Legally,…
The Role of a Forensic Accountant in Property Division If you’ve ever heard the term forensic accountant, you may or may not understand exactly what their job responsibilities are. While they do not solve murders by poring over their clients’ bank records, their job is important in uncovering financial crimes…
Custody Cases With Domestic Violence California Family Court is conscious of the need for assistance and programs that address the issues of domestic violence. At the same time, whenever possible, they want to allow every child to have the opportunity to have a relationship with both parents, despite the presence…
Cracking the Code on Attorney/Client Privilege Many people don’t realize that the attorney/client privilege applies to all attorney/client relationships, even those existing within family law. For instance, when a spouse hires a divorce attorney, they should feel comfortable disclosing the full truth to their attorney without fear that it will…
Can California Child Custody Mediation Work for You? For many parents who disagree on child custody, family law mediation can be a step in the right direction. Mediation is a last-chance effort to establish agreeable terms and avoid litigation. In many cases, parties enter into mediation hoping to find common…
4 Ways to Protect Your Assets During a Divorce in California One of the important steps in finalizing a divorce is determining how to divide property between the two spouses. In some cases, the division of property can be simple and straightforward. However, it’s possible for complications to arise. It…