Brentwood Family Law Attorney

Legal conflicts involving families are challenging and emotionally draining for everyone involved.  While no one wants to be part of a family law matter, having a Brentwood family law attorney from Fernandez & Karney by your side can make the process less frustrating and reduce the overall stress experienced.

At Fernandez & Karney, our family law attorneys are:

• Prepared to fight for your legal rights about children, property, spousal support, or any other matter
• Compassionate yet aggressive when advocating for your legal goals and expectations
• Experienced in all areas of family law dispute resolution, from arbitration and mediation to courtroom litigation

Put your mind at ease. Have your family law questions answered in a confidential setting by competent legal counsel. Reach out to Fernandez & Karney today.

Let Our Brentwood Family Law Attorneys Help You

At Fernandez & Karney, our Brentwood family law lawyers will guide you through the family law process and court system.  Our goal is to ensure you understand California’s family laws as they apply to you and your situation.  

Fernandez & Karney will keep you informed of any changes as they occur and openly communicate with you about potential case outcomes. We can also do the following:

• Draft and file any court documents
• Negotiate with the opposing party or their counsel
• Assist you in preparing a child custody and visitation plan
• Calculate your child support payment
• Assess your case for alimony
• Advise you in or prepare a premarital or postmarital agreement
• Enforce or modify existing court orders
• Litigate your case before a judge
• Much, much more

Let Fernandez & Karney review your family law matter. We will provide you with an honest evaluation of your case and suggest your most productive legal steps.

What is Family Law?

Family law is an area of civil law consisting of statutes and case precedents that govern the legal relationships between individuals. While most family law cases involve parties related by blood or marriage, family law can impact those in more distant or casual relationships.

As many family law issues result from a marital relationship or divorce,  they affect most people at some point in their lives.

Common family law cases include but are not limited to:

• Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
• Legal separation
• Divorce
• Child custody and visitation
• Child support
• Alimony or spousal support
• Modification and enforcement of previous court orders

Although it can straddle both the criminal and family courts, domestic abuse also falls under the realm of family law.

Family Law Issues in Brentwood

Some family law issues are more frequently disputed in Brentwood than others. These are matters concerning the following:

• Child custody and visitation
• Child support
• Property division in divorce

The following is a brief explanation of these. For more information on any family law matter, contact an experienced Brentwood family law attorney.

Child Custody and Visitation in Brentwood

The most frequently disputed issue in family court is child custody. Parents going through a divorce or legal separation are often distrustful of one another and highly concerned with the welfare of their minor children.

There are two types of child custody in California, legal custody and physical custody. A parent with legal custody can make significant decisions regarding a child’s welfare. In comparison, physical custody refers to where a child primarily resides.  

Parents may share joint legal and physical child custody or one parent may have sole custody. Unless it is against a child’s best interests, a non-custodial parent will be granted visitation with a child.

The court prefers parents make their own child custody and visitation plan but will make these decisions for parents when necessary. When spouses cannot agree on child custody and visitation, the court does so based on the best interests of the children and other statutory guidelines.

Child Support in Brentwood

Parents are legally obligated to financially support their children. In Brentwood, child support is calculated according to state statutory guidelines.  

The child support guidelines take several factors into account including but not limited to:

• Each parents’ income
• Each parents’ time spent with the child
• Any health insurance costs and premiums
• Any child support paid by the non-custodial parent for other children

Child support may be modified upon a significant change of circumstances such as a job loss, drastic change in income, or parental incarceration.

Property Division in a Brentwood Divorce

California is a community property state. This means any assets or debts acquired during a marriage belong equally to both spouses. Therefore, they are to be divided equally upon a divorce.  

There are exceptions to this rule including property excluded by a premarital or postmarital agreement and a spouse’s separate property. Separate property is property a spouse brings into a marriage or is gifted or in during a marriage.

Contact an Experienced Brentwood Family Law Attorney

To discuss your case with an experienced Brentwood family law attorney, contact Fernandez & Karney. Our family law attorneys are ready to assist you in any issue regardless of its complexity.  

At Fernandez & Karney, we negotiate and litigate new and existing court orders as well as represent clients in ongoing proceedings. Do not wait to get the valuable legal advice you deserve.  Call Fernandez & Karney today.