How to Establish Legal Parentage or Paternity in California
California law presumes that when married people or registered domestic partners have a child, the spouses or partners are the child’s parents. There is no need to do anything to establish legal parentage. But if the parents were not married or in a registered domestic partnership when the mother became pregnant or when the child…
Read MoreThe Importance of Family Code Section 4320 Factors Rule to Your Spousal Support Order
A California family court will sometimes order spousal support, commonly referred to as alimony, when issuing a divorce order. Though the judge has flexibility in making their decision, they must make it based on the factors outlined in Family Code Section 4320. The Factors the Divorce Judge Must Consider Family Code Section 4320 factors include:…
Read MoreSpecial Immigrant Juvenile Status: Quick Green Card for Abused, Neglected or Abandoned Children in California
Children who are not citizens and who have been abused, neglected or abandoned are particularly vulnerable. Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) enables them to quickly get a green card giving them permanent residence in the United States. It’s far from an easy process, however, and to increase your chances, you will want to get the…
Read MoreWhat You Can Do if Your Spouse is Hiding Income or Assets During Divorce
Do you think your spouse has been acting cagey since the two of you have been considering divorce? California is a community property state, which means with some exceptions such as inheritances, income earned, and assets accumulated during the marriage are split evenly in the event of divorce. It is irrelevant that one spouse may…
Read MoreCan a Parent Move a Child Against the Other Parent’s Wishes?
What you Need to Know about California Move Away Orders When people reach a child custody agreement, they often do not anticipate that one of the parents may want to move with the child at a later date. Usually, when a parent wants to move away with a child, it is because of an important…
Read MoreThe Basics of Applying for U.S. Citizenship
The path to U.S. citizenship is paved in red tape and fraught with possible missteps. If you take a wrong turn, you may lose your chance to become a U.S. citizen. If you plan to apply for U.S. citizenship, it is the greater part of wisdom to hire an experienced, successful immigration attorney who will…
Read MoreWhat You Must Know Before Applying for a Fiancé Visa
You have met the love of your life overseas and you want to apply for a fiancé visa so they can come to the United States to marry you. Certainly, it seems that the government should not stand in the way of true love, but applying for a fiancé visa is a quest filled with…
Read MoreUsing California Community Property While Separated Can Cost You: What You Need to Know About Watts Charges
When you separate from your spouse in preparation for a divorce in California, it’s common for one of the spouses to continue to use community property at the exclusion of the other spouse. For example, when people are separated, often one of them will live in the house bought after the marriage at least until…
Read MoreGet Reimbursed for Expenditures During Separation: What You Need to Know About Epstein Credits
After you separate from your spouse in California, determining how to pay your bills can be a bit confusing. The court has not yet divided your property between you or approved an agreement you arrived at yourselves, but your mortgage, car payment, credit card bills and all the other bills that are part of living…
Read MoreHow to File for Divorce in California
How to File for Divorce in California You and your spouse have reached a point where you are considering living your lives apart. This is already one of the most stressful times of your lives, but now you must worry about negotiating the bureaucracy of getting a divorce. Let’s take a birds-eye view of some…
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