Fraud Blocker

5 Situations Where You Need a Post-Judgment Modification

Most ex-couples assume that once their Final Judgment of the Dissolution of Marriage is filed, the terms of the divorce are permanent. That’s partly true, as California courts frown on arbitrarily changing one’s divorce decree. However, the law also recognizes that life is not static and will support a modification if you can demonstrate a significant change in circumstances since the divorce. Below is an overview Read More

5 Ways to Effectively Co-Parent After a Divorce

Jason and Kira knew that divorce did not end their relationship with each other. They had two beautiful girls, which meant that they would be attending graduations, weddings, and possibly the births of future grandchildren together. Although their marriage had not been a happy one towards the end, they committed to letting things go and working together calmly and productively as co-parents. This is a huge and Read More

Don’t Fuel the Fire: Protect Yourself from False Domestic Violence Accusations

Although Tracy constantly complained about the marriage, she was furious when Brad took the initiative by filing for divorce. Her first response was to threaten his access to the children by yelling, “You’ll never see your kids again!” When the court prevented that outcome by granting joint legal custody to both parents, she tried to turn their sons against him by saying, “Daddy left because he doesn’t love us Read More

What to Do When Your Ex Stops Paying Child Support

“Mommy?” It’s your four-year-old daughter, Ada, and she’s using that voice. The one that is usually followed by “I spilled juice on the rug” or “Spot ate a crayon.” You look up from the computer. Ada is standing in the doorway to your home office, one foot extended to show you the hole in the sole of her sneaker. “I need new shoes,” she says. You nearly exclaim, “Already?” But you don’t. It’s not her Read More

Building Your Case for Freedom: How to Document Domestic Abuse

When Kari was a teenager, she loved documenting her life. She still has a MySpace account floating around somewhere, its photo pages and diary entries full of evidence that she had a fun and fulfilling childhood. Now, as she faces the necessity of documenting her injuries due to domestic violence, the prospect of using words and camera aren’t so appealing anymore. Her feelings are understandable. Accounts of being Read More

Getting the Big Picture: Discovery During Divorce

Before she filed for divorce, Sharon used to say that Mark’s favorite pastime was speaking his mind, especially when it was to put her down. Now that the divorce is in progress, it’s like he’s forgotten how to talk. He also acts like his memory has been erased, answering, “I don’t know” to all questions regarding marital finances. Sharon was alarmed because Mark always handled their finances, but her divorce Read More

Understanding Parental Alienation

Jeff is concerned about his nine-year-old son, Ethan. The boy has been behaving strangely, and he suspects that his former wife, Tanya, is to blame. It began when Jeff started seeing his new girlfriend, Rosa. Although Jeff introduced Ethan and Rosa and the two seemed to hit it off, during the next weekend visit Ethan seemed unusually quiet and sullen. He never admitted that anything was wrong, but his tone and Read More

What Do California Courts Consider When Determining Child Custody?

Albert and Shannon have decided to get a divorce. Their friends and family are not surprised, as both parties have been unhappy for a while now. Unfortunately, their attitude towards each other during the divorce is equally predictable. Shannon is determined to have both legal and physical custody of their two young boys and give Albert as little visitation as possible. Albert concedes that seeking primary Read More

4 Situations Where You Might Need to Modify Your Original Divorce Agreement

You might be surprised to know that a California divorce agreement is not always set in stone. Although its terms address the current and anticipated needs and circumstances of both spouses, we all know that life can present us with unexpected changes such as job loss, disability, or sudden medical expenses for a child. California law accommodates this reality by allowing original divorce agreements to be Read More

Break the Cycle: What to Do If You’re a Victim of Domestic Abuse

For the longest time, Katie didn’t realize that she was in an abusive relationship. At first, Eric raised his voice when she disagreed with him and called her fat and ugly, even comparing her to other women. Soon, nothing she did was ever good enough. When he became angry, he would throw things around the apartment or subject her to the silent treatment for days. Today was different. When Katie accidentally broke Read More