How Does Domestic Violence Affect Child Custody Orders in California?
Domestic violence affects not only your life but your children, as well, regardless of whether they were directly subject to the violence. It is essential to understand how your custody case will be determined by the Court if there’s a finding of domestic violence. How Does California Define Domestic Violence? California Family Code 3044 describes what […]
Why LGBTQ+ Same-Sex Family Law?
As Laughlin Legal Partner and LGBTQ+ lawyer, Caitlin Ashton, has observed, “As half of a gay couple, married in California, I feel lucky that we were able to legally get married. It has only been since 2013 that that has been an option. So I’m proud to identify myself as an LGBTQ+ lawyer. These days, […]
How Do You Divorce A Narcissist And Win? By Choosing A Domestic Violence Lawyer
If you’re planning to divorce a narcissist and you think this article is not about you because your spouse has never physically assaulted you, think again. One of the definitive traits of narcissistic personality disorder is manipulative and controlling behavior. And in California, verbally abusing or belittling your partner, controlling what your partner does, who […]
How An Experienced International Divorce Lawyer Can Make Your International Divorce A Lot Less Complicated And A Lot Less Expensive
Domestic divorce is complicated enough. But international divorce, especially for couples with substantial assets, is uniquely complicated. For starters, you have to determine where you’re going to file and for what. For example, if mom and the children are in the United States, dad is living in China, and most of their property is also […]
HOW TO NEGOTIATE A FAIR AGREEMENT? Don’t. Let your spousal support lawyer do it for you.
This post is going to start and end with the same sentence because I want to make sure everyone gets the message: No one who isn’t a skilled spousal support lawyer should ever try to negotiate their own spousal support agreement. The timing of the negotiation can be significant. Many spousal support lawyers fail to […]
THINK ABOUT IT: IS IT REALLY SO STRANGE TO HAVE A TRANSACTIONAL REAL ESTATE LAWYER AT A FAMILY LAW FIRM?
We find it kind of curious that most family law firms do not have an in-house real estate person. Think about it. Real estate is the major investment for many of our clients in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. And houses are sold during the process of divorce all the time. Businesses with a […]
So You Think You Need To Hire A Litigation Attorney
Most attorneys hate litigation. Taking a case to trial is a big deal. The prep work can take months, even years in extreme cases. And once you’re in court, it’s stressful and not for everyone. What is a litigation lawyer? A litigation lawyer is the special minority of attorneys who relish the opportunity to advocate […]
Should you get a prenup?? Let’s ask a skilled family law and prenuptial agreement attorney.
Prenuptial agreements or prenups are definitely on the rise. Those of us in family law find that encouraging. Having handled many divorce cases over the years, we believe that it’s in the best interest of a healthy relationship to talk about the very issues you least want to talk about, and do it well in […]
Is Your California Child Support Lawyer Getting You All The Support You’re Entitled To?
Maybe, maybe not. But since child support laws vary from state to state, let’s first identify exactly how child support is defined in California. According to California Child Support Services, the state agency that governs child support, “Child support is the ongoing contribution of money to help pay for the living and medical expenses of […]
Premarital Agreements in California: What You Need to Know
Getting married is an exciting time, but it is also important to consider the legal ramifications of your marriage. It is a common misconception that premarital agreements are only for the rich and famous. A premarital agreement, also known as a prenup, is a contract created before marriage that can help define property rights, financial […]