“A loved one just passed away. Do I need to open a probate estate?” At Charles D. Stark, we hear this question often. In most cases, the answer is yes – an estate gives you greater control over your loved one’s assets. Sometimes, though, you do not need to open an estate. Probate is a […]

A six-month whirlwind engagement ended in a dream wedding for Guardians of the Galaxy actor Chris Pratt and bride Katherine Schwarzenegger, daughter of Maria Shriver and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Fox News covered the June 8, 2019 nuptials, including a ceremony and reception at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, CA. The couple announced their engagement in […]

On September 27th, 2018, California Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2274. Legislation that will radically reshape how dog custody will be resolved in divorce cases into law. Under the previous rules; California family law court treated dogs the same way that they treated couches, cookware, computers, or any other ordinary property. The courts put […]

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 […]

In this day and age, many people believe that they do not need to make a will or an estate plan for a variety of reasons.  Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth.  Everyone should have a will that determines what should happen to their estate in the event that they pass away; […]

Divorce is a complicated process that will only be more complicated if you don’t understand the process of dividing property in California. You will need to understand what is community property, what is separate property, what money has been commingled, and if a business split is involved. In this blog Charles D. Stark would like […]