Articles Tagged with co-parenting

What to Know About Child Support

What to Know About Child Support

Divorce is a difficult process, even if the former couple is able to be respectful and work together to find the best solutions. In many cases, children suffer the most during a divorce because their lives are turned upside down and they have no control over the circumstances. It is essential during a divorce involving children that their needs are met and that they continue to be cared for effectively. This is often accomplished through child support. If you are dealing with a divorce and need assistance with child support, the expert team at Bickford Blado & Botros can help.

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How to Resolve Contested Divorce Mediation

How to Resolve Contested Divorce Mediation

Many divorcing couples in California are taking advantage of alternative dispute resolution to save time and money on their divorce cases. Divorce mediation has quickly grown to be the most popular form of alternative dispute resolution, allowing divorcing spouses to resolve their dissolutions under the supervision and direction of a neutral mediator. However, while many choose alternative dispute resolution to avoid the time investment, stress, and expense that divorce litigation demands, the reality is that even divorce mediation can devolve into a hotly contested legal battle.

It’s important to remember that divorce mediation only requires both you and your spouse to be willing to negotiate. Even if the two of you have trouble having the most basic civil discussions, you can still take advantage of the benefits of divorce mediation when you have legal counsel you can trust.

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Can I Sue My Ex for Their Actions During Our Marriage?

Can I Sue My Ex for Their Actions During Our Marriage?

Divorce is likely to be one of the greatest challenges you face in life, and almost every divorce involves some measure of contention or unease between the divorcing spouses. While some couples can divorce amicably, others cannot. The emotional stress of their divorces and the underlying causes of their marriages’ breakdowns can make negotiation very difficult. It’s also possible that one spouse endured prolonged abuse during their marriage, and it’s natural to wonder if one in this situation has any legal recourse.

In a hotly contested divorce, both spouses are likely to wonder whether they have grounds for direct legal action against one another. However, if you suffered measurable losses due to your spouse’s actions during your marriage, or if the underlying cause for your marriage’s failure is their unethical, illegal, or outright abusive actions, you may have more options for addressing these details than you initially realize.

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What Are the Main Elements of a California Divorce?

What Are the Main Elements of a California Divorce?

Divorce is always challenging, but it is also often more complex than many realize as they begin their dissolution proceedings. Regardless of the reason for your divorce or the apparent complexity of the issues you believe you face, it’s vital to have legal representation as you navigate your divorce so you are prepared to meet the various challenges your case presents. While every divorce is unique, there are a few foundational elements that all divorces must cover.

As you search for a California family law attorney to represent you, it’s vital to evaluate the core issues of your divorce. At Bickford Blado & Botros, we provide our prospective clients with the information they need to make informed decisions about their family law cases. The following are the core elements of most modern divorces in California.

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How to Find the Right Family Law Attorney in California

How to Find the Right Family Law Attorney in California

Family law is a unique branch of civil law pertaining to legal matters among family members. Divorces, adoptions, child custody determinations, and spousal support determinations are just a few cases that would fall within the purview of family law in California. Therefore, if you are bracing for a divorce and need to resolve custody over your child or face any other type of legal issue about family law, it is vital to seek legal counsel from an attorney you can trust.

The right family law attorney can be invaluable, regardless of your case. If you take the time to find an attorney familiar with cases like yours and they have a solid track record of professional success behind their firm, you can significantly improve your chances of securing a favorable outcome for your case. With thousands of attorneys practicing throughout California, it can feel overwhelming to approach the task of retaining the right one for your case. The following are a few essential considerations when looking for legal counsel for any family law matter in California.

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Presumed Paternity Versus Alleged Paternity in California

Presumed Paternity Versus Alleged Paternity in California

Granting parental rights in California doesn’t always involve just biological parents. Fathers, non-biological parents, romantic partners, or spouses of a child’s biological parents may have a claim to parental rights. Legal issues involving children and their care are some of the most sensitive and complicated cases dealt with in courts, and the counsel of an experienced San Diego family law attorney is important for your interests.

There are obvious legal advantages to being the biological mother in a parentage case. The connection to the child is easily documented and irrefutable. However, confirming the father’s paternity stake may require additional legal work.

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How Does the California Family Court Determine a Child’s Best Interests?

How Does the California Family Court Determine a Child’s Best Interests?

Whenever unmarried parents decide to raise their children separately or when married parents divorce, the parents must have legally enforceable custody orders that outline their respective parental rights and responsibilities. Regardless of whether the couple is married, they will need to have the California family court determine the outcome of their custody dispute. This is not a legal matter that parents can resolve privately, and all parents facing custody determinations should prepare for difficult and emotionally stressful court proceedings.

The California family court has a legal obligation to protect any children the court’s rulings affect. This means preserving a child’s best interests in every family court case. However, “the child’s best interests” are relatively open to interpretation, and every case will involve unique details. Therefore, if you are preparing for a custody determination in California family court, it’s vital to know how judges make these decisions.

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How Can a Parent Lose Parental Rights in California?

How Can a Parent Lose Parental Rights in California?

Child custody cases are some of the most emotionally challenging experiences in parents’ lives. The outcomes of these cases have undeniable effects on the lives of the children affected by them. If you face any child custody determination, a domestic violence case, or any other family law matter in which parental rights could be in jeopardy, it is vital to understand how these cases unfold and how a parent might lose their custody rights.

Whenever the court must rule on a child custody dispute, the judge is legally obligated to rule in favor of the best interests of the child their ruling affects. This may sound relatively open to interpretation, and every custody dispute will involve different issues. However, a parent may completely lose custody and parental rights over their children if the judge determines this would be in the children’s best interests.

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What to Do If You Suspect Your Ex of Neglecting or Abusing Your Child

What to Do If You Suspect Your Ex of Neglecting or Abusing Your Child

It is a devastating realization when a parent finds evidence that their children have been neglected or abused. When the mistreatment occurs at the hands of a close family member who is taking care of them, such as the other parent, you can feel powerless. It is vital for a divorced parent to be aware of the steps they should take to ensure their children’s safety if they discover that their child has been abused or neglected in any way by the other parent during visitation or shared custody time.

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Important Factors That Influence Child Custody Determination in California

Important Factors That Influence Child Custody Determination in California

Child custody disputes are some of the most challenging legal cases any parent can face. Married parents who decide to divorce will need to resolve child custody through the family court system, and unmarried parents who separate and intend to raise their children separately will need enforceable family court orders for custody as well. Whatever your situation entails, it’s vital to understand the child custody determination process and what a judge must evaluate in making these determinations.

While it’s possible to resolve many divorce-related issues privately through alternative dispute resolution, this does not apply to child custody. The California family court system is legally obligated to protect children’s best interests affected by court rulings. For example, if you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse and co-parent intend to take advantage of mediation to resolve your divorce, you must be prepared to spend time in court to settle child custody.

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