Family Law Blog

Legal custody determines who gets to make major decisions about your child’s life. It’s separate from physical custody, which controls where your child actually lives. At Attorney Bernie, we help parents in Santa Clara County understand these distinctions because they fundamentally shape their relationship with their child after divorce or separation. What Legal Custody Actually […]

Trust funds add serious complications to divorce cases. Whether you’re the beneficiary of a family trust or you established one yourself, understanding how California courts treat these assets can make a massive difference in your settlement. At Attorney Bernie, we’ve handled plenty of high-asset divorces involving trusts, and the outcome depends heavily on what type […]

When you’re stepping in to care for a child who isn’t biologically yours, California gives you two main legal options. Both guardianship and adoption let you provide a home and make decisions for a child, but they’re fundamentally different in ways that matter long term. At Attorney Bernie, we help families in Stanislaus County figure […]

When your marriage isn’t working, you’ve got two main legal options in California. You can file for divorce, or you can pursue legal separation. Both processes address property division, spousal support, and custody issues, but they lead to very different outcomes. At Attorney Bernie, we help clients in Stanislaus County understand which path makes the […]

Bird nesting is one of the more creative custody arrangements we’ve seen gain traction in recent years. Instead of shuffling kids between two homes, the children stay put in one house while the parents take turns living there. It’s called nesting because, like birds in a nest, the children remain in their home while the […]

Cryptocurrency has become a common part of many people’s investment portfolios, but when your marriage ends, these digital assets add a layer of complexity to an already difficult process. At Attorney Bernie, we’ve helped plenty of clients figure out what happens to their Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital currencies when they’re going through a divorce. […]

Parents going through a separation or divorce often wonder if they can skip child support entirely. Maybe one parent earns enough to cover all expenses, or both parents agree they don’t need formal support. The short answer is no, you cannot simply waive child support in California. The state views this financial obligation as belonging […]

Filing for divorce is already a big step, but what happens when your spouse refuses to accept the papers? Many people worry that a spouse can block or delay the divorce process simply by refusing to cooperate. The truth is that while it may take some extra steps, the court does not allow one spouse […]

When couples decide on a collaborative divorce, one of the first steps is gathering the right documents. Collaborative divorce works best when both sides are transparent and willing to share the information needed to make fair decisions. Armed with decades of legal experience, we have guided many families through this process, and preparation is always […]

Many clients ask us the same thing: what is the real difference between legal separation and divorce? Both involve the family court, both require formal filings, and both allow the court to decide issues like property, support, and custody. But they lead to different outcomes, and it is important to know what each means. Our […]