In our first blog post, we take a closer look at family law, the legal practice area that regulates family relationships such as marriage, divorce, and adoption. Read on to discover more about family law and learn some important details about family law in California.
What Is Family Law?
As the term suggests, family law focuses on family and domestic relationships. Lawyers who specialize in family law are known as family lawyers or family law attorneys.
Some common reasons to seek the assistance of a family lawyer include all issues related to:
- Divorce
- Adoption
- Child support
- Alimony/Spousal support
- Property division
- Restraining orders
- Conservatorship & Guardianship
- Same-sex marriage
- Prenuptial agreements
- Among others
Succeeding as a family lawyer means combining the traits every effective attorney needs (such as strong analytic and communication skills) with a compassionate, deeply human touch. The reason is that family law matters are more emotionally charged compared to those of other legal practice areas and require a particularly sensitive approach
Family Law in California
Family law may vary from state to state, so it’s crucial to work with a lawyer experienced in your state’s laws and procedures.
These are some particularities of family law in California that you should keep in mind.
- California recognizes same-sex marriages and same-sex divorces.
- To get a divorce in California you must meet a residency requirement. Either you or your partner must have lived in California for the last six months and in the county where you plan to file for divorce for the last three months.
- The residency requirement outlined above doesn’t apply to same-sex couples because not all states recognize same-sex divorces. A same-sex couple married in California who lives in a different state that doesn’t recognize same-sex divorce can file for divorce in California without being subject to the residency requirement.
- California is a community property state. This means that each spouse owns one-half of the community property (including earnings) and is responsible for one-half of the debts. This determines how assets get divided at divorce.
At the Rivas Law Group, We Are Focused on You
At the Rivas Law Group, we offer a wide variety of professional and efficient services that go from preliminary legal advice to litigation and civil law for both corporate and private clients.
We have offices in Riverside, California, and Chino, California. Contact us today to learn more about our services. Hablamos español.