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Oct 12

8 Ways to Improve Your Co-Parenting Situation

You and your now ex-spouse likely don’t get along and probably have not been getting along for quite some time now. It’s…

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Oct 11

Rights & Benefits of Divorced Spouses in the Military

Divorce between civilians is already a complex process, but military divorce brings a host of other concerns into play. As a family…

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Oct 10

Telling Your Children about Your Divorce

No matter how many times you run it through your head, planning what you are going to say, what you visualize likely…

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Oct 08

How Children Understand Divorce

In Laura Broadwell’s Parents blog, entitled “Age-by-Age Guide to What Children Understand About Divorce,” she breaks down the normative behavioral patterns in children in…

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Oct 07

Tips to Make Joint Custody Work

Kate Bayless’s “9 Rules to Make Joint Child Custody Work” Kate Bayless’s article consults work from renowned clinical psychologists and researchers of…

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Oct 05

Cohabitation and Spousal Support

Family Code, Section 4323 provides the legal authority about cohabitation and the spousal support obligation. The codes section states “Cohabitation with nonmarital…

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Oct 04

Child Custody Considerations for Members of the Military

Military divorce can result in difficult circumstances for service member parents. The demands of military life can make a regular visitation schedule…

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Sep 16

Why Some Alimony Rulings Are Hard to Predict for Clients

The one issue in family law where the judge has the most discretion is spousal support (aka alimony). This discretion, however, is…

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Sep 14

How Do Social Security Payments Received Get Applied to My Child Support Arrears?

The below story and example regards the marriage of Hall and Frencher. In 2003, a trial court ordered Bruce Frencher Sr. to pay…

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Sep 12

Did DCSS Properly Serve the Summons & Petition?

This was recently discussed by the court of appeal in Yolo County Department of Child Support Services vs. Myers. In May 1989,…

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Aug 25

Why You Should Go with Experience When it Comes to Counsel

"The court continued it yet again.” “Why?” “Not sure…I think they just wanted to give her one final chance.” “But you said…

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Aug 10

Are You Self-Employed? Choose Your Divorce Lawyer Carefully.

"The child support attorney did what?" I could not believe what I had heard. He had to repeat it. "She said ‘I…

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Aug 05

Lawmakers Have Made a Major Divorce Update

In 2015, the California Supreme Court, in Davis v. Davis, ruled that for the purposes of defining separation (which triggers when a debt…

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Aug 03

The Problem with Local Child Support Agencies

The local child support agencies (LCSAs) have groups on their behalf lobbying for laws to make their jobs easier. We cannot necessarily…

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Jul 28

Do I Really Need an Attorney?

Recently I heard something disturbing from a new client. While representing herself, she had gotten a bad custody ruling from a particular…

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Jul 06

Can I Opt Out Of California Property Division / Support Laws?

Questions regarding property division and support payments are often some of the most confusing issues faced in a divorce proceeding. California is a “community property” state—meaning…

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Jun 30

Passport Denial for Delinquent Child Support Obligors

One of the harshest enforcement actions the Department of Child Support Services is mandated to take against delinquent child support obligors is to report…

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Jun 21

How Could Bankruptcy Affect My Divorce?

Nothing complicates a divorce or family law proceeding like a bankruptcy filing. The bankruptcy can be filed by the obligor or the obligee. Regardless of…

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Mar 24

Hardship Deductions in California Child Support Cases

People think it is automatic – you have other children and so you get a hardship for those kids in calculating child support,…

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Mar 23

Offset for Social Security Benefits

IT’S NOT FAIR! John and Annette get married on March 12, 1994. During their marriage, both worked as attorneys-John worked in private…

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Mar 22

There Was No Court Reporter?

No Court Reporter Means No Meaningful Appellate Review A recent decision from California Court of Appeal (6th District) stated the oft-repeated rule…

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Mar 08

Pitbulls and Child Visitation Rights

I was once in the courtroom and saw a very reasonable judge make a very unreasonable ruling: “Until you get rid of…

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Feb 11

Marriage Presumption

What is the Marriage Presumption? What most people think is routine or normal, is not necessarily normal in the family law court. Incredible fact…

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Feb 11

Social Security and Child Support

Not All Social Security Benefits Are the Same. Family Code section 4058 broadly defines income “from whatever source derived.” And in its…

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Jan 08

POP Declaration and Your Options

You have been sued for paternity and child support by your local child support agency (LCSA). You get served with the paperwork, you recognize the woman…

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Dec 10

Can a Couple Live in the Same House but be “Living Separate”?

The answer to that question up until July 19, 2015 of this year would have been maybe (or it depends on the…

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Nov 25

DCSS Has Attorneys…..Do You?

DCSS Has Attorneys Representing Them, So Should You! “It is quite simple….., you just input the numbers in a computer program and…

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Nov 20

Health Insurance Assignment Order

It wasn’t bad enough that your wages were garnished. Now your employer is telling you that another chunk of your salary is…

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Apr 15

I Want to Change Custody

Many times parents want to change primary custody of the children as opposed to modifying visitation. Statutory and case law makes changing custody much more difficult than…

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Mar 19

Attorney Jeremy Roark

The Edgar & Dow is proud and excited to announce that Attorney Jeremy Roark will take over the day to day operations of…

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Mar 01

What Is the UCCJEA?

The purpose of the UCCJEA is to allow states to determine which states has jurisdiction regarding custody and visitation and for the court to determine who…

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Jan 30

Can A Party Stop A Divorce?

If one party files for a dissolution of marriage, the other party can not stop it unless there is a mutual agreement for…

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Nov 13

How Do Courts Determine the Date of Separation?

The date of separation is a pivotal question that either the parties must agree to or have the court make a determination.…

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Nov 09

How Much Does Divorce Cost?

This is a commonly asked question in all consultations with the attorney – How much does divorce cost?. Unfortunately, this question can not be…

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Oct 19

Effect of Rent Free Housing On Child Support.

The impact of a parent’s mortgage-free or rent-free housing on his or her living expenses and resources may warrant a special circumstances…

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Oct 18

Imputed Income For Child Support

In line with a substantial body of case law on the subject, Fam.C. § 4058 vests trial courts with discretion to consider a parent’s earning…

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Oct 18

Fluctuating or Seasonal Income

To arrive at “monthly net disposable income,” the annual net disposable income figure (above) is normally divided by 12. [Fam.C. § 4060; Marriage of…

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Oct 18

Are Recurring Gifts Treated As Income?

One-Time Gifts Are Not Usually Treated As Income for Child Support By analogy to tax law, which excludes gifts and inheritances from…

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Oct 14

Custodial Timeshare: Daycare & School

There are many factors that the court can consider in making a timeshare determination. A parent’s custodial timeshare percentage can include the time the…

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Oct 14

A Parent Quits Work To Take Care of New Family?

What Does the Court Do When a Spouse Quits Work and Relies On an Affluent New Spouse? The fact a parent intentionally remains…

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Oct 12

What Happened to Proposition 8?

Prior to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Hollingsworth v. Perry, the California Constitution, as amended by “Proposition 8” (eff. 11/5/08), limited a…

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Oct 12

Does My New Spouse’s Income Matter In Child Support Calculation?

NO. New spouse income “ shall not” be considered in fixing child support except in specified extraordinary circumstances. [Fam.C. § 4057.5(a) & (b)] In fact,…

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Oct 12

Can the Other Parent and I Agree to a Child Support Amount?

The issue here is whether the agreement is above or below guideline. However, generally the court will not stand in the way…

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Oct 11

How Long Do I Have to Pay Child Support?

You will have to pay child support until the child is 18 or graduates from high school. Absent agreement by the parents (Fam.C. §…

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Sep 26

Picking the Right Attorney

Many people who are going through a family law issue have never had to hire an attorney or have even dealt with the court…

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Sep 26

Establishing Paternity in California

If you have a child and were not married to the child’s mother, you will need to establish paternity to ensure your rights as…

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May 10

When Can I Change My Child Support? Modifying Child Support

A parent who does not pay child support could face serious penalties, including jail time. If you are unable to pay the full amount…

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May 03

Divorcing a Controlling or Emotionally Abusive Spouse

Many people find themselves divorcing a manipulative spouse, which can make the divorce or separation process more difficult. We can move your case forward and get…

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Apr 17

Can My Powerball Lottery Winnings Be Used For Child Support?

Everyone dreams of winning the Lottery – especially now that Californians get to play Powerball. Many people would believe that Lottery winnings…

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Apr 13

Can My Ex Garnish My Wages? Child Support Wage Assignment

Many clients ask the question: Can my Ex Garnish my wages? The answer is yes they can, even if you are current…

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