Family Law Blog

People ask me all the time if they can just waive child support in California. Usually, they’re thinking about it because things are amicable with their ex, or maybe they make enough money that they don’t feel like they need the support. Sometimes, both parents have agreed they’d rather handle things their own way. The […]

Collaborative divorce offers an alternative to traditional courtroom battles, and the four-way meeting is where it all happens. You’ll sit down with your spouse and both of your attorneys to work through divorce issues together. It’s cooperative instead of combative. Understanding how these meetings work can help you figure out if this approach makes sense […]

Contested divorces don’t wrap up quickly. You’re looking at months, sometimes years, before a judge signs off on your final decree, but life doesn’t pause while your case winds through the court system. Bills still come due, kids need care, and someone has to pay the mortgage. Temporary orders solve this problem by setting ground […]

Divorce is hard enough on its own. Add valuable art collections, rare vehicles, or designer jewelry to the mix, and things get complicated fast. When you’re dealing with high-value possessions, California’s community property laws still apply, but figuring out what everything’s worth and how to split it fairly takes careful planning and often professional help. […]

You’ve poured everything into building your business. Long nights, personal savings, calculated risks. Now you’re planning to get married, and the last thing on your mind is what happens if things don’t work out. But here’s what most entrepreneurs don’t realize: California’s community property laws can put your company at serious risk during a divorce. […]

Most couples entering collaborative divorce focus on keeping things civil and avoiding courtroom drama. That’s understandable. But there’s another aspect of your settlement that deserves just as much attention: taxes. The financial decisions you make during your collaborative divorce won’t just affect you this year. They’ll follow you for decades. Understanding these tax implications now […]

You’ve made the decision to end your marriage. You filed the papers. Now your spouse is refusing to sign anything, and you’re sitting there thinking you’re stuck. Fortunately, California divorce law doesn’t work that way. California Doesn’t Require Both Spouses To Agree This is one of the most important things to understand about divorce in […]

If you receive stock options as part of your compensation package, they’re likely one of your most valuable assets. When your marriage ends, these options don’t just disappear, they get divided. California treats stock options acquired during marriage as community property, which means both spouses have a claim to them. It doesn’t matter whose name […]

California family courts don’t take domestic violence allegations lightly. If there’s evidence of domestic violence, courts operate under what’s called a rebuttable presumption. That means the law assumes it’s harmful to give custody to an abusive parent. It’s not impossible to overcome, but the burden falls squarely on the accused parent to prove otherwise. This […]

California’s community property laws treat businesses differently than you might expect. Any business interest you acquired or grew during your marriage typically becomes marital property. It doesn’t matter if you’re running a sole proprietorship, holding partnership interests, or managing corporate shares. Courts won’t just split your business down the middle. They’ll determine what portion belongs […]