From The blog

“Do’s and Don’t’s of Texting in Family Law Cases” Texting is rapidly becoming the most common form of modern communication. It is used extensively in cases where custody and visitation schedules are being discussed, followed, or changed. They often end up in evidence in a contested court hearing. Here are some do’s and don’t’s to keep in mind: DO make sure your communications are polite, despite...

“Homeschool, Independent Studies, and Court Orders” One of the most difficult issues to work through after a separation are disagreements about schooling. Parents can disagree about whether or not to use public school, private school, a charter school, independent study through a county school, or an independent home schooling program. The options have increased greatly in the last 10 years, and...

“What Is A Hardship Deduction?” In child support matters, a term that is often heard is a “hardship deduction.” Many times people think that this is a general reduction of child support due to the fact that they have a lot of debts or bills or a high mortgage. However, none of those things are what is being referenced. A hardship deduction is a deduction to your income for support purposes based...

“How To Pick An Attorney” When choosing an attorney, there are several things that you need to keep in mind to help you find a good fit. It is usually a big decision, and you need to make sure that the business relationship is going to be strong throughout the process. Here are some thoughts to keep in mind: 1. Personality matters. You need to have someone that you get along with, who...

“How Does A Family Law Judge Handle Visitation With A Disabled Child?” In normal custody situations, California courts try to give general schedules, but encourage both parties to use their discretion in making changes. This can be very different with children with disabilities, however. Many times there are medical issues which must be taken care of on schedule, and the court can order a...

“How Do California’s New Marijuana Laws Affect Custody and Visitation?” It used to be, at least in many counties in California, that a positive test for marijuana could mean a change of custody or supervised visitation. California’s changing laws, with first the legalization of medical marijuana, and finally the legalization of recreational marijuana, have caused some major changes. PLEASE BE...

“Should I Live In A Home Owner’s Association?” Neighborhoods that are governed by a Home Owners Association (HOA for short) are often very attractive; they are often cleaner, neater, and visually better looking than other neighborhoods. They can offer communal amenities such as pools and game rooms, or even golf courses. These are all solid upsides to living in an HOA. There are a few downsides...

Today I've asked Anselmo Moreno, the owner of Innovative Credit Solutions, to provide some information on protecting credit during a divorce. Protecting Your Credit: During and After a Divorce CREDIT REPAIR, DIVORCE, LOANS ▸ APRIL 14, 2017 By Anselmo Moreno Debts that are commonly divided in divorce proceedings are typical consumer debts such as mortgages, car loans, and credit cards. These...

“Debt Division During Divorce” In a divorce, the judge will not only divide up assets, but also debts. Generally speaking (with some exceptions) any debt incurred during the marriage is community debt. This means that it is split evenly, or else is balanced against other assets. For instance, one party could take a car worth $10,000, and also $10,000 in credit card debt, for a net asset value of...

“The Family House In Divorce: To Sell Or Not To Sell?” One of the main assets in a divorce is often the family residence. There are two possible scenarios, depending on whether or not the house has any equity in it. If the house does not have any equity, the decision is to either let the house go in foreclosure (this can be financially advantageous, but has negative credit consequences) or for...