Happy New Year everyone! I have been engaged in two very complex and ongoing settlement conferences in an effort to prevent the case from going to trial and incurring substantial legal fees and costs for my client. One case will need to be “bifurcated” (a separate trial for one or more particular issue). In this…
This issue is sometimes litigated in divorce cases. In California, there are many scenarios in which a Family Code (FC) 2640 analysis will apply. The most common one deals with reimbursement of a separate property down payment on a home. For example, the residential home is purchased during the marriage and a down payment is…
Apart from settlement, a divorce trial is the only way that a court can make a final decision about your case. Settling a divorce case does not necessarily mean you and your ex-spouse have to agree on everything. You can reach a partial settlement on some issues and decide to allow the court to rule…
Divorces could take years and in California, at least six months minimum would be required. If you want or need to get divorced sooner, there is a Motion for Bifurcation in which a party asks the court to terminate the marriage and restore each spouse to their single status. In some situations, the parties’ or…
Family Code (FC) 2030 (a) to (d) enables a party without financial resources to have an “equal” playing field. Access to representation and preservation of each spouse’s rights is critical. This code section applies to divorces, annulment or legal separation cases and any subsequent family law matter related to those three types of actions. The…
Not having the funds to retain an attorney is a source of great anxiety for many family law litigants. Proceeding without an attorney can have negative economic consequences. It is already an emotional issue and it seems even more impossible to navigate and comply with the strict guidelines required in a divorce case. Without a…
If you think your divorce will be a fight, prepare to take the steps prior to the start of your divorce. Part of the divorce process is figuring out how you will pay for things until your divorce settlement is finalized. Despite significant gains by women, in many marriages it is still the husband who…