Mediation and Child Custody: Process Description and Preparation Tips By Sandra McCarthy|September 3rd, 2020|Family Law| Sometimes, mediation for child custody agreements is mandated by the court. During mediation, parties will typically have the opportunity to present their concerns to the mediator and to the other parent. Then, the mediator will provide both parents with the necessary tools to reach an agreement on contested issues. However, there are tips that parents can use to reach this agreement more quickly. Read on to learn more about mediation for child support in California, and how you can prepare for it. Read More 11
California Family Support Order in Divorce By Sandra McCarthy|August 28th, 2020|Family Law| If you're considering requesting court orders for child or spousal support during your California divorce, you may instead benefit from family support orders! These special orders combine child and spousal support into one payment. Plus, they come with tax benefits for the paying and receiving spouse. Read on to learn more to determine whether family support orders are right for you. Read More 2
Modifying Spousal Support in California: What You Need to Know By Sandra McCarthy|August 23rd, 2020|Family Law| If you're considering submitting an order for a change in spousal support, there are some factors you may need to prove beforehand. More specifically, to increase, reduce, or terminate support, you must prove a significant change in personal circumstances. These circumstances may include loss of a job, remarriage, or retirement. Read More 17
Child Custody Orders in California – An Overview By Sandra McCarthy|April 24th, 2020|Family Law| You may be tempted to create an unofficial custody plan with your child's other parent. However, the absence of legal visitation and child custody orders could result in one parent abducting the child without any repercussions. On the other hand, any parent who violates legally established visitation and child custody orders will face legal action for not returning their child. Read More 6
Factors that Determine Spousal Support in California By Sandra McCarthy|October 7th, 2018|Family Law| In a divorce or legal separation proceeding, a judge may order one spouse to pay the other alimony or spousal support as part of the separation judgment. With this in mind, what are the factors that determine spousal support? First and foremost, spousal support is based on the extent of each spouse’s earning capacity and how much is required to maintain the standard of living the pair enjoyed as a couple. Read More Comments Off on Factors that Determine Spousal Support in California
Co-Parenting Children After Divorce When You Don’t Agree By Sandra McCarthy|September 3rd, 2018|Family Law| Co-parenting children after a divorce requires a lot of patience and hard work. From juggling busy schedules, to working together to raise children in two households, parents often feel overwhelmed with the tasks of co-parenting. There are many benefits to having a co-parenting plan, and studies show that co-parenting works best when both parents cooperate and manage their emotions. It also helps to have a defined schedule and co-parenting agreement. Read More Comments Off on Co-Parenting Children After Divorce When You Don’t Agree
Get an Earnings Withholding Order to Collect Support By Sandra McCarthy|September 2nd, 2018|Family Law| What can you do when you have an order for child support but the other parent refuses to pay? An earnings withholding order to collect support requires an employer to deduct a specified amount from the employee parent's paycheck automatically. Courts often issue withholding orders when a person refuses to pay a child or spousal support order voluntarily. Read More Comments Off on Get an Earnings Withholding Order to Collect Support
How to Get a California Ex Parte Child Custody Order By Sandra McCarthy|December 4th, 2017|Family Law| The purpose of requesting a California ex parte child custody order is to allow a judge to hear and make a decision on a legal issue on short notice rather than on the court’s regular calendar. Learn the court requirements to get a California ex parte child custody order approved. Read More 36
Spousal Support By Sandra McCarthy|April 15th, 2014| Spousal Support Spousal support in California is typically ordered by the court in long-term marriages. There are many issues that are considered by the court when making an award of spousal support. In rare instances, a court may award spousal support be paid in short term marriages. Issues Considered by the [...] Read More 0
What Can You Do When Your Divorce is Taking Too Long? By Sandra McCarthy|August 5th, 2020|Family Law, Divorce| While all divorces take at least six months to finalize, divorce does NOT have to be a lengthy process. Believe it or not, some divorces can be delayed due to a lack of urgency by your attorney! On the other hand, disputed matters such as child support and alimony can also slow down the process. However, when you work with a legal document assistant, we have no reason to delay, as all of our services are a flat fee! Reach out today to learn how we can help you speed up your divorce finalization. Read More 24
Importance of a Custody Order For Unmarried Parents By Sandra McCarthy|January 1st, 2019|Family Law| Many unmarried parents are raising children together, but what happens to the children if they split up? When a married couple divorces, the must settle child custody, visitation, and child support issues before they can finalize a divorce. But there is no requirement for an unmarried couple to go through the courts to end their relationship. Furthermore, there is no requirement for the couple to settle custody, visitation, and child support issues as part of their break up. In this regard, a custody order for unmarried parents becomes critical. Even if the split is amicable and the couple is in total agreement about all of the child-raising issues, it is important that they get a custody order from the court. Read More Comments Off on Importance of a Custody Order For Unmarried Parents
How to File for Divorce in Ventura County, CA By Sandra McCarthy|September 12th, 2022|California Courts, Divorce, Family Law| We have created this article to give you the best, easiest, and most reliable way you can file for divorce in Ventura county, California. Read More 2
What Is My Wife Entitled to in a Divorce in California? By Sandra McCarthy|August 17th, 2022|California Courts, Divorce, Family Law| If you're thinking about (or are in the process of) divorcing your wife in California, you know navigating a divorce can be a demanding and perplexing time in your life. Establishing who obtains what assets and child support go to whom is stressful, to say the least, but recognizing what you are entitled to [...] Read More 0
What You Should Know about Mental Incapacity Divorce in California By Sandra McCarthy|April 11th, 2022|California Courts, Divorce, Family Law| Divorce isn’t easy. You have to agree on difficult topics like custody of children and division of property, all while dealing with painful emotions. A mental incapacity divorce in California complicates things even further. It's not enough to show that your spouse acts erratically or irrationally; they have to fit very specific criteria for [...] Read More 2
What Is a Permanent Managing Conservatorship? By Sandra McCarthy|November 15th, 2021|Probate| There are many reasons why someone may be unable to care for themselves. The government knows this, which is why the constitution of most sovereign states or nations makes provisions for people in this category. In the US, when someone is unable to take care of themselves (be it minor or adult), there are [...] Read More 0
Divorce Decree vs. Divorce Certificate: What’s the Difference? By Sandra McCarthy|November 1st, 2021|Divorce| No one really likes paperwork, but it's part of a lot of the important processes of life. This includes divorce. Once you make up your mind to file for divorce, you’ll encounter different types of documents before, during, and after the completion of the divorce process. Arguably the most important of such documents is [...] Read More 0
How Can I Have an Amicable Divorce in California? By Sandra McCarthy|August 23rd, 2021|Divorce| Divorce is not fun. Married couples seeking a dissolution of their marriage often must undergo an agonizing and lengthy legal process. However, it does not have to be that way. Luckily, there comes a less painful and complicated alternative—the amicable divorce. Many people wonder how an amicable divorce is even possible. For one, it [...] Read More 0
Everything About Uncontested Divorce California Wants You to Know By Sandra McCarthy|July 19th, 2021|Divorce| If you’re looking for a divorce in California, it usually goes one of two ways: contested divorce or uncontested divorce. If you’re getting an uncontested divorce California can process it fairly quickly. A contested divorce, on the other hand, can take a long time to move through the system. So, what’s the difference? A [...] Read More 0
Can I Get a Free Divorce Lawyer in California? By Sandra McCarthy|July 12th, 2021|Divorce| The legal process of going through a divorce is never easy, especially when dealing with complicated issues and related expenses. Taking divorce action in California can be a difficult time with all the different types of paperwork to consider, and options to take with the court. This usually raises the question of whether those [...] Read More 20
8 Steps to Divorce in California [2022] By Sandra McCarthy|June 28th, 2021|Divorce| Filing for divorce in California needs some due diligence and proper planning. To ensure you follow the right steps to divorce in the Golden State, you need to know what the applicable law (divorce law). The divorce process entails some legal procedures (steps) that lead to a default judgment. As a divorcing spouse, you [...] Read More 0