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What Is a 730 Custody Evaluation in California?
A 730 evaluation is an assessment by a court-appointed neutral expert, usually a psychologist, who recommends a custody arrangement.
Rebutting the Family Code Section 3044 Presumption: A Legal Guide for California Custody Cases
Family Code 3044 presumes that awarding custody to a parent who committed domestic violence harms the child, and that presumption can be rebutted.
How Do You Change a Custody or Support Order in California?
To change a custody or support order, you file Form FL-300 and show a material change in circumstances.
Paternity Rights for Unmarried Fathers in California: How to Protect Your Relationship With Your Child
Unmarried fathers have no automatic rights in California until paternity is established by declaration or court order.
What Does Best Interest of the Child Mean in California?
Best interest of the child is the standard for every custody decision, with the child’s health, safety, and welfare first.
How a Parentage Case Begins in California: A Guide for Unmarried Parents
Unmarried parents establish legal parentage by signing a voluntary declaration or by filing a petition in court.
What Happens If Your Spouse Does Not Respond to a Divorce Petition?
If your spouse doesn’t respond within 30 days of service, you can request a default and finish the divorce without them.
Soberlink in California Child Custody Cases: What Parents Need to Know
Soberlink is a portable real-time alcohol monitoring device used in custody cases involving a parent’s history of alcohol abuse.
When Can You Get an Annulment in California?
An annulment declares that a marriage never legally existed, unlike a divorce, which ends a valid marriage.
Spousal Support Buyout in California Divorce: What You Need to Know
A spousal support buyout replaces ongoing monthly support with a single lump-sum payment.
Legal Separation vs. Divorce in California: Differences, Process, and Costs
Legal separation divides property and sets support and custody, but it does not end the marriage, so neither spouse can remarry.
Family Code 4320: The 14 Spousal Support Factors, Plus How Cohabitation Affects Support
Family Code 4320 lists the factors courts must weigh in setting the amount and duration of long-term spousal support.
Family Code 3044: Domestic Violence and Child Custody in California
California presumes that giving custody to a parent who committed domestic violence is against the child’s best interest.
Attorney's Fees in California Domestic Violence Cases: What Family Code Section 6344 Provides
Courts can order one party to pay the other’s attorney’s fees and costs in a domestic violence restraining order case.
False Child Abuse Allegations in California Custody Cases: What Family Code Section 3027.1 Does
Courts can sanction a parent, witness, or attorney who knowingly makes a false child abuse allegation in a custody case.
Does Child Support Affect Your Credit Score in California?
Child support can affect your credit score, mainly when payments are missed or go unpaid for an extended period.
California Family Code Section 3025: Non-Custodial Parents' Rights to Access Child Records
A non-custodial parent cannot be denied access to a child’s medical, dental, and school records just for lacking physical custody.
California Family Code Section 2640: How to Protect Your Separate Property in Divorce
Family Code 2640 lets a spouse be reimbursed for separate funds used to buy or improve community property.
