Services
San Diego family law services
Clear, Compassionate Guidance Through Divorce & Family Law Matters
We provide focused legal support across all areas of family law, helping you move forward with clarity at every stage.
Divorce
Property division
Child custody & visitation
Child support
Spousal support
Domestic violence restraining orders
Civil harassment restraining orders
Pre-marital agreements
Mediation/settlement services
Questions we often discuss in initial consultations:
What should I know before filing for divorce or custody?
When is the best time to file for divorce?
What counts as income to a parent when calculating child support?
How long does the divorce process usually take?
How do I find out what assets and debts my spouse and I have?
How do we fairly divide up assets and debts from the marriage?
What happens to property that I bought before I got married?
Frequently asked questions
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What should parents know about the child custody process?
The child custody process in San Diego Family Court begins with filing a Petition for Divorce (dissolution), Legal separation, Parentage (if unmarried), or sometimes filing a Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. The next step is to file a Request for Order (RFO) asking for: Legal custody (decision-making), Physical custody (where the child lives), and/or a parenting schedule. The RFO is served on the other parent. Both parents then must attend a custody mediation with Family Court Services. With the help of a custody counselor, the parents attempt to come to an agreement. Whatever the parents cannot agree to, the custody counselor will write recommendations on custody to the judge. Both parents attend the hearing and ask for the custody orders they want. The judge considers the requests from both sides, any evidence presented and the recommendations from Family Court Services. The judge makes orders which are then put into writing.
What should parents know about the child and spousal support process?
The child and spousal support process in San Diego Family Court begins with filing a Petition for Divorce (dissolution), Legal separation, Parentage (if unmarried), or sometimes filing a Request for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order. The next step is to file a Request for Order (RFO) asking for support. The RFO is served on the other party. Both parties will need to exchange Income and Expense Declarations, disclosing all sources of income. If the parties cannot agree on a support amount, they attend a hearing where the judge makes orders.
To calculate child support, the court uses a program called XSpouse. This calculates California’s guideline child support based on each party’s income, certain deductions and the time each parent spends with the children.
To calculate spousal support, the court uses the XSpouse program for temporary support. For support at the end of your case, the court considers the factors listed in Family Code section 4320. These factors include the length of the marriage, the roles each party played during the marriage, each party’s ability to earn (if they are under-earning), and more.
Are there any misconceptions about family law matters?
Most people think that divorce must be a nasty, drawn-out process. It does not need to be. Many divorces end with an agreement on how to divide property and how to handle custody. Many partners and spouses attend mediation and consult with financial planners, tax professionals, therapists and others while working with their attorneys to finalize their divorce.