Law Offices of Randall B. Brown & Associates
Estate Planning, Divorce-Property Division, Custody, Support, Real Estate, Small Business Law     Tel: 619-546-8320
3 Locations: La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo and Mission Valley

 

           
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Information You Can Use
Things you should know:

Most initial consultations are free of charge.  Call to find out if the initial consultation for your case is no charge.

3 Locations to make seeing a San Diego lawyer convenient: La Jolla, Rancho Bernardo and Mission Valley.

An Estate plan is not a will or a trust, it is a combination of instruments together with a listing of all property and debt that enables your successor to administer your wishes thoroughly and effectively.

If you are married, not all property is community property.  Any property acquired before or after marriage or by gift, bequest or devise is considered separate property under California law.

Small businesses can eliminate self employment tax by effectively organizing their business as a recognized California business entity.

 
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San Diego Law Firm
Our Law firm offers the finest litigation strategies for San Diego litigants involved in almost any legal dispute.
 
Quote
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."

-Winston Churchill

   

We offer a host of solutions for small businesses and families when confronted with troublesome legal issues.  Here are some frequently asked questions and our answers regarding the practice areas where we focus our expertise.

Divorce, Custody and Child Support

What happens when a couple decides to divorce?

In a mediated divorce, the parties sit down at a conference table, discuss all issues related to their divorce and settle them all in a marital settlement agreement that is then drafted and entered in to the court.  This is the most efficient method of dealing with a very complicated process and is highly desirable in the face of an alternative like a contested divorce.  In a contested divorce, the parties appeal to the court for critical decisions.  The procedural aspects of a contested divorce can be divided in  to two parts: The first half of a divorce where temporary orders are made during the waiting period and the second half where a final order is made.

There are several considerations when a party to a divorce files a petition and commences the "first part". 

First, a summons with automatic restraining orders must issue and be served on the other party.  The restraining orders apply to disposing of real and personal property, they may also apply in situations where domestic violence is a part of the case.

There is a minimum 6 month "waiting period" for a divorce in California.  During this period, one of the parties will typically want to make temporary orders pending the final judgment in the divorce.  These temporary orders may contain specific protections for property or establish who is liable for different debts of the couple while one or the other inhabits the family residence.  Also, temporary child support and custody are determined pending the final judgment.  These orders come from an order to show cause hearing where a judge listens to the relevant parties, makes appropriate calculations and determines how the parties will live during the first part of there separate lives.

After all relevant evidence has been produced for a judge's consideration or the parties have decided to settle their case, a final judgment of dissolution can be entered and the process is over.  No matter what you read or see painted on the sides of cars, there is no such thing as a "fast divorce" in California unless, in your opinion, 6 months is "fast" and very rarely is a divorce concluded in such a time frame.

After temporary orders are established, the parties prepare for the trial of contested issues and hopefully settle issues that can be settled.  Child support and spousal support are determined by reference to a computer calculation and usually remain in effect except for cases where the parties income is substantially at issue.  Child custody issues, such as in the case of a "move away", are prepared for trial.  Property division is also negotiated and contested during this period leading up to a court date where the court resolves all remaining issues.

Feel free to Contact Us and see if we can help 

 

 

 
Copyright 2006.   Law Offices of Randall B. Brown.   All rights reserved.