Though it just concluded its second season on July 21, 2019, HBO’s hit show “Big Little Lies” has already drawn critical acclaim as a crime drama that follows the lives of five women in Monterey, CA. One story arc features a character who loses custody of her twin sons to the mother of her recently […]
Reporting cases of child abuse or neglect is only the first step in the long process that the state of California has created to protect children from their abusers. However, many reports of child abuse have little to no merit, mainly because of the low evidentiary standard that these reports require. While this low standard […]
When the court decides upon child custody, the criteria it bases its decision upon is very simple: What is in the best interest of the child? There are many factors that are taken into account when making the decision, but the child’s best interest remains the foundation principle. The court will examine every aspect of […]
When the court decides upon child support, some believe that the amount is final. However, it is not set in stone. Child support may be modified at any point down the road when there has been a change in circumstance from the time of the last child support order. Examples of changed circumstances include, but […]
Generally decisions regarding a child’s medical treatment and overall well being are made at the discretion of the parents. A parent with sole custody is expected to make any and all medical decisions for the child. Parents who jointly share legal custody can, in some cases, have very different opinions when faced with these important […]
It is very common for one partner to move away after a divorce or breakup either for a job, remarriage or even just a change of scenery. But if the split up involves child custody, moving away from the hometown is no simple matter. A “move away” by a parent can disrupt a child custody […]
Above all else in a child custody case is the best interests of the child. No matter what decision is handed down by a family court judge, it will always be in the best interests of the child. But what exactly does this mean in the context of your case, and what goes into determining […]
Divorce affects many people, not just the spouses who are getting divorced and their children but their extended families as well. Many divorcing couples will fight over custody arrangements and child support regarding their children, but these fights rarely address figures that are often ever present in children’s lives: their grandparents. If one spouse wins primary […]
Many clients feel relieved after divorce proceedings end, hoping that everything is “over.” Unfortunately, that is not often the case. Often, situations change and either, or both, parties feel the need to request a change to an existing order in court. If you feel that an important aspect of your life has changed and requires […]
Often, the term “unfit parent” is used as a casual term that many people use to describe a parent who simply does not meet a particular standard of parenting, for whatever reason. What many people do not know is the fact that the term “unfit parent” is also a legal term of art with real […]