California Family Law Lawyer Referrals

California family law is a legal practice field that focuses on family relationship problems, such as adoption, divorce, and custody of children, among others. 

In family court cases or similar negotiations, lawyers practicing family law may represent clients and draft essential legal documents such as court applications or property agreements. Some family law lawyers also handle adoption, father rights, custody, or different matters not necessarily related to a divorce. 

States like California set their own 'fair formal requirements' to establish a legal marriage, including age requirements, legal ability, as well as specific rules and processes related to divorce and other issues relating to California family law. Other issues also deal with marriage (and divorce) to same-sex couples. 

Useful Terms to Know in California Family Law

• Emancipation: A court procedure by which a minor becomes self-supporting, assumes responsibility for his or her wellbeing for adults and is no longer under his or her parents' care. 

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• Marital property: Assets acquired during marriage by either partner, which is subject to separation upon divorce. 

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• Alimony: A set of rules set forth before or after a civil separation or divorce to one spouse by the other for financial support. 

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• Paternity: Origin or descent from a father (to determine paternity is to affirm the identity of the biological father of a child). 

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• Prenuptial Arrangements: An agreement between two people before marriage in which, in the event of a divorce or death, they give up future rights to each other's assets. 

Reasons for hiring a California Family Law Attorney 

In divorce cases and other divorce-related issues, most family attorneys represent on of the partners. But family law, including foster care and reproductive rights, is a relatively broad practice field. 

As family law legal issues are so close to home, having a pre-screened and ethical family law attorney at your side will support you during the legal proceedings to ensure that your loved ones are adequately represented and secured. 

Common reasons for hiring a California family lawyer include: 

• Divorce: Each partner hires his or her lawyer who, to prevent further legal proceedings in court, will help organize a mediation agreement. Family lawyers in California can often divide common property, negotiate spousal support, and make recommendations on issues like visitation, child custody, and financial support arrangements (if applicable). 

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• Child Custody / Child Support: The most common divorce cases usually involve family court orders and arrangements dealing with both custody and support but may be modified if certain circumstances change. For example, child care can be restructured after the financial condition or employment status of the non-custodial parent changes. 

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• Paternity: In most cases, this is a legal process to obtain child support payments from a parent absent from the child's life; the mother usually brings paternity cases. In some cases, biological fathers seek paternity to be present in their child's life. For the most part, paternity is proven in family court through a DNA test. 

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• Adoption / Foster Care:  Adoption in California is a complex legal process that changes based on the type of adoption, variances in local and state laws, and other variables. Therefore, consultation with an experienced family law attorney is a must. Foster parents, for example, adopt their foster kids, but legal representation is not usually required for the foster legal process. 

Other Fields Related To Family Law

Sometimes, family law in California crosses over with a variety of other fields of legal practice. For example, domestic violence and child abuse cases usually require police investigations (and can lead to arrests and criminal charges). 

In contrast, California family courts are charged with deciding how best to protect victims and ensure that all those involved are in a reasonably secure environment. Such similar fields of legal practice include: 

• Mediation and Law for Partnership 

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• Planning for Estate 

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• Legislation on Immigration and Naturalization