About Sandra McCarthy

Sandra M. McCarthy, founder of A People’s Choice, has worked exclusively in the legal field since 1976. She served as the 2004-2005 President of CALDA (California Association of Legal Document Assistants). She obtained a Paralegal Certificate from the University of California, Santa Barbara. During her career in the legal field, she has worked as a freelance paralegal, law office manager and paralegal studies teacher. She has co-authored numerous legal publications and written hundreds of self-help legal articles and is dedicated to the expansion of affordable, low-cost, self-help document preparation.

How to Set Aside a Paternity Judgment

Establishing paternity is a major psychological and economical factor that affects a child’s life.  For a child born to a married couple, that child is considered legitimate under California law. However, if a mother is unmarried, the person named as the child's father on a birth certificate does not, in fact, legally establish paternity. Furthermore,  [...]

By |September 14th, 2016|Family Law|Comments Off on How to Set Aside a Paternity Judgment

Abandoned Property Left by Tenant

California requires landlords to follow rules when disposing abandoned property left by tenant. In particular, California law has three different ways a landlord can remove and get rid of a tenant’s personal property. The proper procedure the landlord follows will depend on the situation. Read on to learn more about what to do with property [...]

By |September 7th, 2016|Estate Planning|Comments Off on Abandoned Property Left by Tenant

Trust Administration – What is It?

Trust administration is not a court ordered process. It involves the transfer of property from the creator of the trust to the trust’s beneficiaries. Unlike probate proceedings, trust administration allows for the simple distribution of property to beneficiaries. Read on to learn more about trust administration. Get Trust Administration help [...]

By |September 2nd, 2016|Estate Planning|Comments Off on Trust Administration – What is It?

Dealing With Parental Alienation

Parental alienation syndrome (PAS) is a psychological condition often seen in children that have been traumatized by high conflict divorce. One of the main signs seen in children that are experiencing PAS is an unfounded hatred toward a parent for no logical reason. This article is an overview on how to identify and deal with [...]

When a Minor Child Inherits Property

It is not uncommon for a minor child to be named as a beneficiary in a will. In California, minor children are not allowed to inherit large sums of money outright. When a minor child inherits property, a guardian of the child’s estate must be appointed until the child turns 18-years-old or is deemed mature [...]

By |August 23rd, 2016|Family Law, Probate|Comments Off on When a Minor Child Inherits Property

Best Business Structure for Non-US Residents – LLC or Corporation?

As a non-US resident, forming an LLC or Corporation in California is quite easy. California does not restrict non-US residents, or foreign companies from forming an LLC or Corporation. This allows non-US residents and non-US citizens alike the ability to set up a business in California. More importantly, it allows foreign residents and companies the [...]

By |August 16th, 2016|Business|Comments Off on Best Business Structure for Non-US Residents – LLC or Corporation?

Securing a Loan With Deed of Trust

In California, loans can be secured by real property through a deed of trust. Accordingly, a deed of trust is a security instrument that functions like a mortgage. For the most part, people refer to a home loan as a “mortgage.” Technically, however, a mortgage is not actually a loan but rather a document given [...]

By |July 26th, 2016|Estate Planning|Comments Off on Securing a Loan With Deed of Trust

How to Get an Apostille in California

You have been told you need to get an apostille in California. Like many others, you may not know what that is or what it means. The literal meaning of an apostille is certification. The word stems from the Hague Convention, a treaty between over 100 countries. This treaty allows documents issued in one country to [...]

By |July 21st, 2016|California Courts|Comments Off on How to Get an Apostille in California

Petition to Establish Fact of Marriage Granted After Judge Has Change of Heart

What do you do when you and your spouse "think" you have been married for over 30 years and then unexpectedly discover that your marriage certificate was never officially filed with the Court Clerk? Well, this is exactly what happened recently to clients of ours. Our clients, whom we will call Sam and Betty,  had [...]

By |July 10th, 2016|Family Law|Comments Off on Petition to Establish Fact of Marriage Granted After Judge Has Change of Heart