How is Child Support Calculated?
Child support is ordered in every divorce or separation that involves a minor child of the parties. The family law courts see both parents as being financially responsible for their child, regardless of custody or visitation agreements. The amount of child support varies based off of a few factors that reflect financial resources of the parents and the residential time each parent spends with the child. Child support in California…
Read MoreWhy Family Code Section 3042 Should be Amended
No statute or court rule requires a child to testify in a California custody proceeding. (Court, rule 5.250(a).) However, if a child wishes to address the family law court, how does the judge decide whether to consider child’s custody preferences. California Family Code section 3042 confers on children “of sufficient age and capacity to reason so as to form an intelligent preference as to custody or visitation” a limited right to address…
Read MoreParenting Agreements 101
If you are divorcing and you have children, you have an important decision ahead of you: putting your children before spousal disagreements, rather than forcing a court to decide how you’ll continue to parent together. At Fernandez & Karney, our LA family lawyers specialize in creating parenting agreements specific to your family’s needs. What is a Parenting Agreement? A parenting agreement or plan is a written document that defines how…
Read MoreInternational Family Custody Attorneys
International child custody is a very specialized area of law that may involve multiple courts in multiple countries, laws of different nations, as well as international treaties. As cross-border marriages proliferate, so do international family law disputes: while to a parent, a move-away case within the United States might appear no less daunting, removal of children into a foreign jurisdiction requires a very specific skillset from a lawyer. INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGES…
Read MoreTraits of a Superior Divorce Attorney
Traits of a Good Family Law Attorney Communication Skills: the act of transmitting a message accurately Courage: the ability to conquer fear or despair: bravery, valor Determination: the act of coming to a decision or conclusion. A fixing of the extent position or character of something. Empathy: the experiencing as one’s own of the feelings of another, also the capacity for this. Fearlessness: free from fear: brave Generosity: free in giving…
Read MoreHeidi Klum and Seal Custody Battle
Much to our surprise, Heidi Klum and Seal have announced they are headed for divorce. Sadness! The seemingly happy couple even renewed their vows each year on their anniversary (May 10)The two married in 2005 and have 3 children together: Henry, 6, Johan, 5, and Lou, 2. Heidi also has a daughter from a previous relationship named Leni, 7, that Seal legally adopted.
Read MoreCertified California Family Law Specialists
Why does the State Bar certify legal specialists? • To help the public identify attorneys who have demonstrated proficiency in specialized fields of law; • To encourage the maintenance and improvement of attorney competence in specialized fields of law. Family law is complex and constantly changing – a Certified Specialist stays current with the law. What does it mean when an attorney is a Certified Specialist? A Certified Specialist is…
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