Family law disputes can be difficult and, in some cases, ugly. In especially thorny cases involving child custody and visitation, California family law courts may require the parties to undergo mandatory counseling to resolve issues that they are unable to
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How to Begin a Divorce in Stockton, CA
Divorces can take a while to become finalized. Unless your divorce is uncontested, you should prepare for the divorce process to take several months — and perhaps even longer, depending on the issues to be resolved. But regardless of how…
Is Divorce After a Short-Term Marriage Easier?
The longer a couple has been married, the more complex their divorce is likely to be, particularly if there is no prenuptial agreement in place. This is because couples in long-term marriages are more likely to have commingled their assets,…
Do California Courts Favor Mothers in Custody Decisions?
One of the most commonly held assumptions about divorce (and family law more generally) is that courts tend to favor mothers in child custody battles. This is not unreasonable, as the trope has been dramatically reinforced in the media many…
What Happens to Student Loan Debt in a Divorce?
About 43 million Americans currently have outstanding federal student loan debt, or about 13% of the population. It stands to reason, then, that a significant portion of individuals going through divorce have student loan debt that will need to be…
6 Financial Issues That Can Lead to Divorce
There are lots of reasons why couples get divorced. In some cases, there is an identifiable reason — such as infidelity or domestic violence — while in others, there is no single reason but rather a gradual cooling of affection. One of the…
How the Six-Month Rule for Divorce Works in California
Divorce is not a decision to be taken lightly. The breakdown of a marriage rarely comes out of nowhere, but taking the step of filing a petition for divorce often feels like crossing the Rubicon. While most couples want to…
The Types of Alimony Available in California Divorces
Alimony — also known as “spousal support” — can be one of the most contentious issues in divorce. Historically, the prospect of having to pay substantial amounts in alimony has discouraged unhappy couples from divorcing. However, alimony serves an important…
Child Support Add-Ons and How They Are Apportioned
If you are getting a divorce and you have children, child support is likely a top-of-mind issue for you. Both parents are responsible for the care and maintenance of their children under California law. Typically, the non-custodial parent (i.e., the…
Coercive Control and How to Fight It
Domestic violence takes many forms. Some assume that domestic violence is primarily physical in nature, but that is a misconception. In reality, domestic violence is a much broader category of behavior that often involves psychological abuse. One of the most…