Not all love unions end in "happily ever after." When children are involved, parents may struggle to come to agreement on which parent their children should live with and how they should organize their parenting time. When the parents are from two different countries, though, the issues become even more complicated when the foreign parent wants to take the child back to his or her home country.
International child abduction: How the Hague Convention applies
Divorce has financial aftershocks
Divorce poses many problems that require consideration of finances and California's family law. This is particularly true for older couples, especially those over 50-years old whose rate of divorce has doubled since the 1990s.
What is a prenuptial agreement?
Engaged couples should consider the unpleasant and unromantic but prudent step of entering a contract before marriage that will govern property division and resolve other legal and financial issues if they ever divorce. California family law governs these prenuptial agreements.
Custody of the debt after the relationship ends
At the end of a marriage, property division and allocating debt may be resolved through family law proceedings before a California judge. Unmarried couples, however, face significant hurdles with resolving debt issues.
What if I fall behind in my alimony in California?
Family law issues in California can be complex and difficult to navigate in any circumstance, but when there is a former spouse who has been ordered to pay alimony to the other spouse and cannot keep current with them, it is the foundation for dispute. There are certain legal matters that must be understood with alimony and other support. If a spouse has been ordered to pay, it is an enforceable court order until it is changed or ended. It might also have a specified date at which it concludes.
What does California family law do about paternity issues?
It is not uncommon for there to be a dispute over paternity in California. There can be numerous reasons for this, but there are certain common denominators when straightening the matter out. If the couple was married at the time of conception, then paternity is already established as the husband has the legal presumption of fatherhood. If, however, an unmarried woman has a child, it is necessary for paternity to be established so the child's legal rights can be established.
Can income be withheld for child support in California?
When parents are ordered to pay child support in California, it must be adhered to under the law. If it is not, there are alternatives that the state can use to collect. This includes withholding income, also known as a wage assignment. With a wage assignment, the employer of the supporting parent will be required to deduct money from the paycheck to make the payments. This will be based on the most recent court order, but it can rise if the amount owed rises.
Can my child support be modified in California?
When there is an order for child support in California, circumstances can arise in which it can be modified. This can be requested by the custodial parent who is receiving support or the noncustodial parent who is paying support. Parents who are in a situation in which they believe that a child support modification is warranted should understand the criteria that the state uses to decide.
Legal assistance with all aspects of family law
When family legal issues arise in Los Angeles, one of the most important factors in settling them in a satisfactory manner is to have competent legal advice. In some instances, people are under the impression that they can handle the matter themselves and save some money and time by doing so. This may be a mistake. Given the litany of issues that will inevitably arise with finances, division of property, custody, child support, spousal maintenance and factors that will be in dispute, having a lawyer can be essential.
Under California family law, when can a marriage be annulled?
For some California couples, not only do they want to end their marriage, but they would like to have it legally viewed as if it never even happened at all. This is referred to as an annulment. There are certain issues that can allow for a marriage to be annulled. Those who are experiencing family legal issues and would like to annul their marriage should understand when this is possible.
