Century City Family Law Attorney
When residents of Century City face challenging family law matters, they need a Century City family law attorney who understands both the complexity of California law and the unique character of this dynamic Los Angeles business district. Whether dealing with divorce, child custody disputes, or complex property division, families in Century City deserve representation that respects their privacy while protecting their rights and interests.
Century City is home to Los Angeles County’s most prominent entertainment companies, law firms, financial institutions, and business headquarters. Located between Beverly Hills and Westwood, this prestigious area is characterized by iconic skyscrapers, the Westfield Century City shopping center, and proximity to some of Southern California’s most influential industries. High-net-worth divorces, executive compensation packages, stock options, business interests, and the need for discretion create complexities that require an experienced family law lawyer in Century City familiar with serving professionals and executives throughout Los Angeles County.
Conveniently located in Los Angeles County, Fernandez Law Group serves Century City residents and professionals with accessible legal services and comprehensive understanding of the local legal landscape. We recognize that your family’s privacy, financial security, and emotional well-being are paramount during difficult transitions, and we are committed to guiding you through every step of the legal process with professionalism and care.
Comprehensive Family Law Services for Century City Residents
At Fernandez Law Group, we provide comprehensive family law services designed to meet the diverse needs of Century City families and professionals. Our practice encompasses the full spectrum of family law matters, with particular attention to the complex issues that often arise in high-asset cases involving entertainment industry professionals, corporate executives, and business owners.
Divorce Attorney in Century City
Divorce represents one of the most significant life transitions you may face. When you need a divorce attorney in Century City, you need someone who understands that divorces in this community often involve substantial assets, executive compensation packages, stock options, deferred compensation, and heightened privacy concerns.
For Century City professionals, divorce can involve dividing complex financial portfolios including restricted stock units, performance bonuses, partnership interests, investment accounts, multiple properties, and retirement benefits. We work with forensic accountants, business valuation specialists, and compensation experts to ensure accurate assessment and equitable division of all marital assets. California’s community property laws can be highly complex when dealing with executive compensation, requiring skilled navigation to protect your financial interests.
Privacy is paramount for Century City residents, many of whom work in high-profile positions within the entertainment, legal, or financial industries. We employ strategies to keep sensitive information confidential, including pursuing private dispute resolution methods when appropriate. Our discovery department is thorough in identifying hidden assets, properly valuing business interests, and challenging improper valuations that could disadvantage our clients.
Child Custody and Visitation
Child custody matters require careful attention to the best interests of the children while respecting each parent’s rights. California family courts base all custody decisions on extensive statutory factors focused on the child’s welfare.
Century City families often need custody arrangements that accommodate demanding work schedules, frequent business travel, entertainment industry commitments, and late working hours common in corporate environments. We develop parenting plans that provide stability for children while allowing both parents meaningful involvement despite professional obligations. Whether pursuing joint custody or sole custody when necessary to protect children’s welfare, we advocate effectively for outcomes serving your children’s best interests.
Child Support
Child support calculations for high-income families can be complex. California courts may deviate from standard guidelines when parents’ combined income exceeds certain thresholds. We ensure child support orders adequately provide for children’s education at prestigious private schools, extracurricular activities, healthcare, and other needs consistent with the family’s standard of living. Our attorneys address income attribution issues, particularly when parents receive bonuses, stock options, deferred compensation, or have variable income streams common in entertainment and corporate sectors.
Spousal Support
Spousal support cases in Century City often involve substantial income disparities, particularly when one spouse has focused on homemaking while the other advanced a high-powered career. The court considers factors including marriage length, each spouse’s earning capacity, the standard of living established during marriage, and each spouse’s needs and ability to pay. We advocate for fair arrangements that recognize contributions to the marriage and allow reasonable transition periods for lower-earning spouses while ensuring paying spouses aren’t overburdened.
Complex Property Division and High-Net-Worth Divorce
Complex property division and high-net-worth divorces are common. Our clients often own multiple properties, business interests, professional practices, entertainment industry assets, stock portfolios, and retirement accounts. We work with qualified professionals to accurately value assets and ensure equitable division, addressing executive compensation packages, stock option valuations, deferred compensation, and the characterization of assets as community or separate property.
Additional Family Law Services
We also handle prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, domestic violence protection, legal separation and annulment, paternity cases, modification of judgments, and order enforcement. Each matter receives the same thorough attention and skilled advocacy that has made us a trusted choice for families throughout Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Information for Century City Residents
Century City residents’ family law matters are handled by the Los Angeles County Superior Court system. The primary family law courthouse serving this area is the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. This courthouse handles most family law matters for central Los Angeles County, including Century City.
Filing requirements in Los Angeles County include specific forms, filing fees, and service of process requirements. Initial divorce filings require a Petition and Summons, along with filing fees that can be waived for qualifying individuals. All filings must comply with California Rules of Court and local rules specific to Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles County family law cases typically involve multiple court appearances, including case management conferences, settlement conferences, and trial if the matter cannot be resolved through negotiation or alternative dispute resolution. The court encourages parties to resolve disputes through mediation and collaborative methods when possible. Timelines vary depending on case complexity and court calendar availability. California law imposes a mandatory six-month waiting period before any divorce can be finalized, though complex cases involving substantial assets or contested custody may take considerably longer.
Our attorneys are thoroughly familiar with Los Angeles County Superior Court procedures, local rules, and the preferences of judges handling family law matters. This familiarity allows us to navigate the system efficiently and advocate effectively throughout the legal process, minimizing disruption to your professional responsibilities while ensuring your case receives proper attention.
Understanding Century City and Its Legal Landscape
Century City is one of Los Angeles’ premier business districts, characterized by high-rise office buildings, luxury condominiums, and headquarters for entertainment companies, law firms, and financial institutions. The community’s residents and workers include entertainment executives, attorneys, business professionals, and established families living in nearby residential areas.
The neighborhood’s demographics create unique family law considerations for any family law attorney in Century City. High incomes and substantial assets, including stock options and executive compensation packages, require attorneys skilled in complex financial matters. Professional demands often involve extensive work hours, business travel, and entertainment industry commitments, affecting custody arrangements and requiring flexible parenting plans.
Century City families often prioritize children’s education at prestigious private schools throughout Los Angeles, including nearby institutions in Beverly Hills, Brentwood, and West Los Angeles. Custody arrangements must accommodate school schedules, extensive extracurricular activities, and the social connections children have developed. Privacy concerns are heightened due to many residents’ positions in high-profile industries where reputation and discretion are critical.
The community’s location in Los Angeles County means legal matters are governed by California family law statutes and Los Angeles County local rules. Economic factors affecting family law cases include the high cost of living in the area, substantial real estate values in Century City’s luxury residential towers, and the complex compensation structures many professionals receive from entertainment studios, law firms, talent agencies, and financial companies headquartered in the area.
Our firm’s understanding of Century City’s professional community allows us to provide representation sensitive to our clients’ needs, circumstances, and priorities. We recognize each family’s situation is unique and requires tailored legal strategies that account for industry-specific considerations and demanding professional obligations.
Why Choose Fernandez Law Group as Your Century City Family Law Attorney
Choosing the right Century City family law attorney is one of the most important decisions you will make during this challenging time. Fernandez Law Group offers Century City residents and professionals numerous advantages that set us apart.
Our founding partner’s certification as a Family Law Specialist demonstrates our commitment to excellence. The CFLS designation is held by fewer than 10% of family law attorneys in California and requires demonstrated experience, ongoing education, and peer recognition. With over 100 years of combined experience among our team members, we bring extensive knowledge to every case.
Our firm’s Los Angeles County location provides convenient access for Century City residents and professionals while ensuring we remain thoroughly familiar with local courts, procedures, and judges. This familiarity provides strategic advantages throughout the legal process. We understand the importance of discretion and privacy for Century City professionals, employing practices designed to maintain confidentiality and protect sensitive information that could impact your career or reputation.
Our comprehensive approach addresses all aspects of your family law matter, from initial consultation through final resolution. We prepare each case thoroughly for negotiation, mediation, and litigation, ensuring we are adequately prepared regardless of how the case proceeds. Communication is a cornerstone of our practice, we maintain open dialogue throughout the process while respecting your demanding work schedule, offering flexible meeting times and efficient communication methods.
Our experience with high-net-worth divorces and entertainment industry cases has given us unique insights into the financial and professional complexities Century City residents face. We work with forensic accountants, business valuation specialists, compensation experts, tax advisors, and real estate appraisers when necessary to build strong cases when needed. We understand how to value executive compensation packages, stock options, deferred compensation, and industry-specific assets that require specialized knowledge.
Most importantly, we recognize that family law matters involve more than legal issues, they involve your family’s future, your children’s well-being, your career considerations, and your emotional and financial security. We provide compassionate support alongside skilled legal representation, helping you navigate this difficult time while minimizing disruption to your professional life.
Contact Our Century City Family Law Attorneys Today
If you are facing a family law matter in Century City, we encourage you to contact Fernandez Law Group for a consultation. Our experienced family law lawyers in Century City are ready to listen to your concerns, evaluate your situation, and provide honest guidance about your options and the path forward.
During your initial consultation, we will discuss the specifics of your case, answer your questions about California family law and local procedures, and explain how we can help protect your rights and interests. This consultation provides an opportunity for you to learn about our firm’s approach, meet the attorneys who may handle your case, and make an informed decision about representation.
Family law matters often require prompt attention, particularly when urgent issues such as domestic violence, child safety, or financial emergencies are involved. We are responsive to our clients’ needs and work diligently to address time-sensitive matters quickly and effectively while accommodating your professional schedule.
Whether you are contemplating divorce, facing custody disputes, need modifications to existing orders, or have other family law concerns, Fernandez Law Group has the experience, knowledge, and dedication to help you achieve the best possible outcome. Our commitment to client service, legal excellence, and favorable results has made us a trusted choice for families and professionals throughout Los Angeles County.
Contact Fernandez Law Group today or call (310) 622-9434 to schedule your consultation with an experienced Century City family law attorney. Let us put our experience and dedication to work for you and your family during this important time.
Frequently Asked Questions for Our Century City Family Law Attorneys
How do stock options and restricted stock units get divided in a divorce?
Stock options and restricted stock units (RSUs) present unique challenges in Century City divorces, particularly for professionals working in entertainment, technology, and corporate sectors. The division depends on whether the stock options or RSUs were granted before marriage, during marriage, or after separation. California courts use various formulas to determine what portion is community property subject to division.
For stock options, courts often apply the “time rule” formula, which considers the period from grant date to separation date relative to the total vesting period. Unvested options may still be partially community property if earned during the marriage. RSUs follow similar principles, though their structure differs from traditional stock options. Courts examine when the compensation was earned, not just when it vests or becomes exercisable.
Valuation becomes complex when dealing with privately-held company stock, performance-based vesting schedules, or options subject to restrictions. Tax implications significantly affect the actual value each spouse receives. Some couples agree to divide the stock itself rather than liquidating and splitting proceeds, while others negotiate offsetting assets to avoid the complexity of shared stock holdings.
What happens to our children's private school tuition after divorce?
Courts examine several factors including whether the children attended private school during the marriage, whether both parents agreed to private education, each parent’s ability to afford private school costs, and the children’s educational needs and preferences. If children attended private school throughout the marriage, courts often found this established the family’s standard of living and may order continuation of private education if financially feasible.
The court can allocate private school costs in various ways: including them in the child support calculation, ordering percentage-based sharing between parents, or designating one parent responsible for tuition while the other handles other expenses. Some parents negotiate specific provisions addressing tuition, fees, uniforms, supplies, and extracurricular activities. Provisions often include requirements for mutual consent before changing schools or processes for selecting schools if parents disagree.
As children’s educational needs evolve, modifications may become necessary. A child advancing to high school, requiring special services, or qualifying for selective programs may justify revisiting educational cost allocations. For Century City families invested in their children’s education at institutions throughout Los Angeles, we help craft agreements that provide stability for your children while fairly allocating substantial educational expenses. Contact us at (310) 622-9434 to discuss educational provisions in your family law matter.
Can my spouse claim a portion of my unvested bonus or deferred compensation?
Yes, your spouse may be entitled to a portion of unvested bonuses or deferred compensation earned during your marriage, even if the money hasn’t been paid yet. California applies community property principles to compensation earned during marriage regardless of when it’s actually received. This is particularly relevant for Century City professionals in entertainment, law, finance, and corporate sectors where substantial portions of compensation are often deferred or contingent.
Courts determine what portion of deferred compensation is community property by examining when the compensation was earned, not when it’s paid. If you performed the work or services during the marriage that earned the bonus, the court will likely consider at least a portion community property subject to division. The analysis becomes complex with performance bonuses spanning multiple years, retention bonuses requiring future employment, or compensation tied to both past service and future obligations.
Various formulas exist for allocating deferred compensation, including the “time rule” that prorates based on marriage duration relative to earning period. Some arrangements involve one spouse retaining the deferred compensation while providing offsetting assets to the other. Others establish a division formula that allocates funds when actually received, which may extend financial ties between former spouses.
How does the court handle custody when both parents have demanding careers?
Courts examine each parent’s actual availability despite work demands, flexibility to adjust schedules for children’s needs, ability to arrange quality childcare when necessary, history of involvement in children’s daily lives and activities, and commitment to prioritizing parenting time. Having a demanding career doesn’t automatically disadvantage you, but the court will look at how you manage professional obligations with parenting responsibilities.
Many Century City families create custody schedules accounting for long work hours, late meetings, business travel, and entertainment industry demands. Solutions might include weekday custody primarily with one parent while the other has extended weekend time, splitting weeks to accommodate irregular schedules, utilizing quality nannies or caregivers during work hours while maintaining parent-child time evenings and weekends, or seasonal adjustments reflecting production schedules or fiscal year demands.
Courts expect parents to prioritize children by adjusting schedules when possible, maintaining regular communication with children during work travel, participating in school and extracurricular activities when available, and being present during their designated parenting time rather than routinely delegating to caregivers. The parent who has been more available and involved in daily parenting often receives preference in custody determinations, though both parents can maintain strong relationships with appropriate planning.
What should I know about divorce mediation versus litigation?
Choosing between mediation and litigation significantly impacts your divorce experience, timeline, costs, and ultimate outcome. Understanding both processes helps you make informed decisions about your case approach.
Mediation involves a neutral third party helping you and your spouse negotiate all divorce terms including property division, support, and custody. Benefits include greater privacy than court proceedings, typically lower costs than full litigation, faster resolution in many cases, more control over outcomes rather than judge-imposed decisions, and reduced conflict beneficial when co-parenting. Mediation works best when both spouses can communicate reasonably, both are willing to compromise and negotiate in good faith, full financial disclosure is provided voluntarily, and no domestic violence or significant power imbalances exist.
Litigation involves court proceedings where a judge decides contested issues. This becomes necessary when mediation fails or isn’t appropriate due to high conflict, hidden assets or financial dishonesty, domestic violence concerns, or one spouse unwilling to negotiate reasonably. Litigation provides formal discovery tools to uncover hidden assets, court orders compelling compliance with disclosure requirements, and judicial authority to enforce custody and support orders.
How is spousal support calculated for high-income earners in entertainment or business?
Spousal support calculations for high-income Century City professionals differ significantly from standard cases. California provides guideline formulas for temporary support, but courts deviate from these formulas when dealing with substantial incomes, particularly in entertainment, executive, and business sectors.
For permanent support following trial, courts consider Family Code Section 4320 factors including marriage length, each spouse’s earning capacity, standard of living during marriage, each spouse’s age and health, documented needs, and ability to become self-supporting. With high-income earners, determining “need” becomes complex. Courts examine the marital standard of living, not just basic needs but the lifestyle actually maintained, including luxury housing, travel, dining, entertainment, and charitable giving.
Entertainment industry income presents unique challenges with variable earnings from project-based work, residuals and royalties with uncertain duration and amounts, profit participation dependent on project performance, and income fluctuations based on career phases. Business owners face scrutiny of salary versus distributions, personal expenses paid by businesses, and retained earnings available for support.
What evidence should I gather if I'm considering divorce?
Preparing properly before initiating divorce proceedings protects your interests and positions your case favorably. While you shouldn’t feel you need everything perfect before consulting an attorney, certain documentation proves particularly valuable.
Financial documentation should include recent tax returns (typically three years), pay stubs and W-2s for both spouses, bank statements for all accounts (at least six months), credit card statements showing spending patterns, investment and brokerage account statements, retirement account statements, mortgage statements and property tax assessments, business financial statements if applicable, and documentation of stock options, RSUs, or deferred compensation.
For property division, gather title documents for real property, vehicle titles and loan information, appraisals or valuations of significant assets, documentation of premarital assets or inheritances, and records of separate property contributions to community assets. If custody will be contested, maintain calendars showing your involvement in children’s lives, school communications and report cards, medical records and appointment attendance, documentation of extracurricular activities and your participation, and photographs showing parent-child interactions and activities.
Can we create a parenting plan that works with entertainment industry schedules?
Absolutely. Many Century City families successfully create parenting plans accommodating entertainment industry demands including production schedules, pilot season, location shooting, post-production hours, and awards season events. The key is developing flexible arrangements centered on children’s stability while acknowledging career realities.
Effective entertainment industry parenting plans often include defined regular schedules for typical work periods, protocols for production schedules and location work, advance notice requirements when schedules change, make-up time provisions when work conflicts with parenting time, and virtual contact arrangements during physical separations. Some parents create “base schedules” that apply during regular work periods and modified schedules during production, location shooting, or intensive post-production periods.
Technology enables parents to maintain connections with children during work travel through video calls, messaging appropriate to children’s ages, and sharing photos and updates. Children benefit from predictability even within flexible arrangements, so plans should provide as much structure as possible while building in necessary flexibility.
How does California's six-month waiting period affect my divorce timeline?
California law imposes a mandatory six-month waiting period before any divorce can be finalized, regardless of whether you have an uncontested case or complete agreement on all issues. This waiting period begins when your spouse is properly served with divorce papers, not when you file. Understanding this timeline helps set realistic expectations about your divorce process.
The six-month minimum means even the most straightforward, uncontested divorces take at least this long. However, many Century City divorces extend well beyond six months, particularly those involving substantial assets, business valuations, custody disputes, or complex financial structures requiring extensive discovery and analysis. Cases involving high-net-worth property division, contested custody, or disputes over support commonly take 12-24 months or longer from filing to final judgment.
What happens in the initial consultation with a family law attorney?
An initial consultation provides an opportunity to discuss your situation, understand your legal options, and determine whether our firm is the right fit for your needs. Coming prepared helps us provide more specific, valuable guidance during this meeting.
During the consultation, we’ll discuss your current circumstances and immediate concerns, the history of your marriage or relationship, your goals for property division, support, and custody if applicable, any urgent issues requiring immediate attention, and your questions about California family law and the legal process. We’ll explain how California law applies to your specific situation, what outcomes are realistic based on your circumstances, our approach to handling cases like yours, anticipated timeline and process for your matter, and our fee structure and what legal representation involves.
To maximize the consultation’s value, bring relevant documents if available including marriage certificate, any existing court orders, recent financial statements or tax returns, and lists of significant assets or debts. However, don’t delay scheduling the consultation if you don’t have documents readily available, we can obtain them later, and early legal advice often proves crucial.