Family Law Blog

California divorce forms are standardised statewide, published by the Judicial Council, and available free. That is the good news. The complication is that there are dozens of them, and which ones you need depends on your circumstances. This sets out the divorce paperwork in the order you will actually use it, and flags the forms […]

Child support in California does not stop by itself in every situation, and the assumption that it does causes real problems. Parents keep paying past the end date, or stop before the obligation actually terminates and accumulate arrears. Here are the rules, the exceptions, and the steps that actually end the obligation. The General Rule […]

An emergency custody order in California is granted where waiting for the normal hearing process would expose a child to immediate harm. The procedure is called an emergency ex parte request, and it moves in days rather than weeks. It is also frequently misused, and a request that does not meet the standard damages your […]

An uncontested divorce in California is a divorce where both spouses agree on every issue—property, debt, support, and any custody arrangements—so the legal process can move forward without a judge deciding disputes. For individuals and couples in California, especially in Orange County, who want a simpler alternative to contested litigation, that often means a faster, […]

The preliminary declaration of disclosure is the mandatory financial exchange in every California divorce, legal separation and nullity case. Both parties must complete and exchange detailed financial documents, and it cannot be waived. For individuals and couples in Orange County who are going through or considering divorce or another family law matter, this is where […]

The FL-300 is the California family court form used to ask the court to make, change, or enforce an order in an existing family law case. If you need a judge to do something in a pending divorce, parentage, support, or other family law matter, this is usually the form you file. People in California […]

A registered domestic partnership in California carries nearly all the same rights and obligations as marriage under state law. Ending one works largely the same way as a divorce, and the process catches people out for exactly that reason. People who registered years ago, before same sex marriage was available, sometimes assume the partnership can […]

Divorced spouses can claim Social Security benefits based on a former spouse’s earnings record if they meet the federal eligibility rules, including the 10-year marriage requirement in many cases. Many people in Orange County, California who are divorced or going through divorce do not know this, and some claim years later than they could have. […]

Filing for divorce in California without an attorney is entirely possible. The forms are free, the procedure is published, and every court has a self-help centre. Thousands of people complete an uncontested divorce this way each year. It is also possible to make an irreversible mistake, and the mistakes cluster in predictable places. This guide […]

A 50 50 custody schedule divides the child’s time equally between two homes. California has no presumption in favour of it, and courts order it where it serves the child’s best interests and where the practical conditions support it. For parents in Orange County facing a custody case or trying to understand whether equal parenting […]