Family Law Specialists*
Steve Fernandez and Mark Karney are Certified Family Law Specialists*
Family Law Blog Posts
Read the latest blog posts from legal professionals regarding divorce, child custody and property division.
How to File a Restraining Order in California
California courts can issue an order to make sure someone stays away from you. This is done by applying for a restraining order. It is also commonly called a protective order. An order restricts someone from making contact with their alleged victim. It is usually...
Child Support Arrears
An arrear is a legal term that means someone is behind on an outstanding debt or liability. This term can apply to many different types of law. In family law, it is often used in the context of child support when one parent is behind on a payment that they owe the...
Differences Between a Lawyer and an Attorney
If you’re facing a divorce or other family law issue, you’ve probably been advised to hire a lawyer or attorney to guide you through the process.Hopefully, you’ll take that advice because it’s definitely not in your best interest to represent yourself in any legal...
California Divorce Statistics
Divorce is a legal proceeding in all 50 states. Couples do not get married with the intent of needing a divorce attorney; however, it does happen to many couples. While many people believe that over one-half of marriages end in divorce, it is worthwhile to look at the...
8 Signs That It Might Be Time for a Divorce
In the beginning, marriages are happy and full of hope. However, as time goes on, you or your partner may begin to question the relationship. You may be contemplating separation or you may even already be living independently.If you are day-dreaming about life without...
Heterosexual Couples Can Register for Domestic Partnerships Under New California Law
A new California law makes it legal for heterosexual couples to file for domestic partnerships. This gives all couples in the state the right to choose between either a marriage or a domestic partnership option to declare their commitment to each other and to gain...
What’s the Difference Between Alimony and Spousal Support?
There are many contentious issues that can come up when you are getting divorced. Often, these include child custody, child support, property division, alimony, and spousal support. Of all of these, issues concerning alimony and spousal support seem to be the most...
What is an Order to Show Cause?
The divorce and separation process can take a long time. There may be multiple properties or assets to divide. There may also be children involved. This adds to the complexity of the separation because custody, visitation, and child support payments all need to be...
6 Signs You’ve Hired a Bad Lawyer and How to Avoid Doing it in the Future
So, you have hired a lawyer for your case. You thought you made a good choice but lately, you have been feeling like something is wrong. Maybe they are hard to get in touch with or they don’t have any enthusiasm for your case. Or perhaps you have a personality clash...
What Can a Process Server Do to Serve Papers?
If you are about to initiate a legal claim - whether that’s filing for divorce or asking a court to grant you custody of your children - you will have to serve notice to the other side to let them know that you are initiating the process. The purpose of this is to...