As blogged about in Part 1 of my previous blog entitled “More than Two Legal Parents Recognized in California Family Law Courts” new legislation was enacted changing the traditional perception of “family” in the California court system. Until recently, children were presumed to have only one or two parents. Having…
If you open up a fresh copy of the 2014 Family Law Code and do some heavy reading, you might notice the modifications to Section 3040, 4057, 7601, and 8617 as well as the addition of Section 4052.5. Back in October 2013 new legislation was signed which now allows California…
Over the last few years many states have expanded the traditional idea of “family” by granting parental rights to parties under a variety of new circumstances. Now, non-married couples, same-sex couples, and even single parties can adopt children throughout the United States. Recently, a New York judge expanded the notion…
Going through a divorce may be equally difficult for the children of the divorce as it is for the two spouses. Although they may show their grief in different ways, children are typically grieving right alongside their parents. The news of an impending divorce usually causes children to initially experience…
Once a spouse decides that his or her marriage is over, he or she may want to take steps to prepare for divorce before filing the initial paperwork and/or discussing it with his or her spouse. If you are considering your first divorce just the thought of the overall process…
Sibling relationships are often the longest and most important relationship a child will develop. But what happens to that relationship when siblings are torn apart as a result of two parents that can’t get along and decide to divorce. In many divorces, custody disputes become very heated and in some…
During a divorce, parents often disagree about whether a certain parenting tactic is appropriate for their children. Divorce can also create a sense of mistrust between former spouses that can affect their willingness to trust the other parent regarding his or her parenting strategy. At the request of the parties…
Despite the oppositional nature of family law, many cases are able to proceed through the court system with little to no conflict between the parties. However, for a variety of reasons, some cases are so high conflict that the parties are consumed by their family law matter. This high conflict…
January is often referred to as “Divorce Month” because of the high influx of divorce filings. Many people look at the New Year as an opportunity for a new, fresh beginning. To many, this may mean more time at the gym, less sweets, or even an honest attempt to quit…
In San Diego family law cases “four-way” meetings are commonly used to settle divorce cases. A four-way meeting (commonly referred to as “four-way”) in a divorce action is a face-to-face meeting between the two parties and their respective attorneys. Four-ways are notoriously dreaded by family law litigants because the litigants…