Tag: <span>Service</span>

Divorce Papers in California

February 9, 2021February 1, 2021
by Briana White

In order to initiate your divorce, California law requires that you let your spouse know you’ve begun the legal process—and in this case, shooting off a quick text won’t cut it. For your notice to be valid, you must provide the other party copies of the same paperwork you filed with the court, and it has to be done in a certain way. In legal speak, this is called service of process—but most people simply call it “serving divorce papers,” or “service.”

How to Serve Divorce Papers in California

One important thing to keep in mind, is that your judge will not be able to make a judgment, or create any permanent orders until divorce papers have been properly served to the other party. During your initial divorce consultation, your Stockton divorce lawyer will explain the different service methods, but if you haven’t yet had a chance to meet with an attorney yet, here’s a quick run-down of how to make sure your divorce isn’t delayed by improper service.

Using a Process Server

One way of serving divorce documents, is good old-fashioned hand-delivery. This method is called personal service, and in California—so long as they meet the right criteria—any of the following people can serve divorce papers on your spouse:

Friend
Relative
Coworker
County sheriff or marshal
Professional process server

However, there are certain things might disqualify one or more of these individuals from carrying out the task. In order for these individuals to qualify as a proper process server, the person must:

Be over the age of 18; and,
Not be part of your divorce case.

In addition to these two requirements, the person you choose must serve the paperwork within sixty days from the day you filed for divorce (though, more time can be requested, if needed). They must also fill out a proof of service form, and return it to you, so that you or your lawyer can file it with the court. A proof of service form tells the court who was served, when it happened, where it happened, and how it happened.

Substituted Service

Substituted service is only available when you have already made several unsuccessful attempts to personally serve the other party. If your situation qualifies, your server will be allowed to leave the papers in the possession of someone else at the other party’s house (so long as they are at least 18 years old). The same restrictions for service of process apply in substituted situations, and the server must also to write up a “Declaration of Due Diligences” detailing the efforts that were made to serve in person prior to substitution.

If your spouse does not agree with the divorce, and is trying to stall the proceedings by making it difficult for you to serve, you may need to consider service by posting or publication, instead.

Service by Publication or Posting

Service by publication involves publishing the summons and complaint in a newspaper where the other party is likely to be. For this method, the court’s permission is mandatory, and can be obtained by filing a Form FL-980. The notice must also run at least once a week for four weeks, the cost of which will come out of the plaintiff’s own pocket.

Service By Posting

Alternatively, if you don’t know where your spouse lives, you may be able to complete service by posting. This involves asking the court for permission to post notice at the courthouse, which is only granted if special requirements can be met, including detailed proof that substantial due diligence was made to contact the other party via other avenues, to no avail.

Service By Mail

A person who is not part of the case may also mail the documents to the other party’s home or business. Service is considered complete after five days from the date of postage, however it isn’t always the most reliable. Which is why it’s really good idea to stick to Certified or First-Class mail.

What Happens if My Spouse Ignores Service?

Sometimes during divorce, one party wants to split, while the other doesn’t. If your spouse is attempting to stall your breakup by not responding to properly serviced documents, you don’t need to worry. Individuals who don’t respond within thirty days are in danger of default. In a default divorce, the dissolution will continue on without the other party, usually with the judge simply agreeing to the terms put down by the party who filed.

Do You Need to Talk to a Stockton Family Lawyer About Divorce?

Navigating the requirements of document service can be tricky and overwhelming. Luckily, this isn’t a process you have to complete on your own. If you need to advice about serving papers, or want to talk about other divorce-related matters, one of our Stockton attorneys can help. Call us at (209) 546-6870 for a consultation. Let us help you develop a strategy that gets you the best possible outcome in your case.

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How to Enforce Spousal Support in California

February 5, 2021February 1, 2021
by Briana White

When your ex refuses to pay spousal support, is late on payments, or doesn’t give you the full amount, this can be understandably frustrating. Especially since the entire point of spousal support is to help a homemaker become economically independent after a divorce. Without this reliable, financial assistance, getting back on your feet becomes much more difficult.

If a judge included spousal support in your divorce order, it isn’t optional. Your ex might not like you, or agree with the verdict, but the hard truth is, that court orders are as iron clad as any other law—the only difference being, that it’s personalized to you. And California courts don’t look kindly on law breaking.

If you need to enforce spousal support in California, here’s how that might look in your situation.

Enforcing Spousal Support: Earnings Assignment

The easiest and fastest way to enforce spousal support in California, is to file an earnings assignment with your county clerk immediately after your divorce is finalized. An earnings assignment—also known as wage garnishment—is a legal document that requires your ex’s employer to pay you spousal support before giving them their take-home pay. This type of enforcement is automatically available to every California divorce.

Filing an Earnings Assignment in California

The only requirement to filing an earnings assignment, is that your divorce is finalized. Once you have your support order from the judge, activate your earnings assignment by completing:

A Findings and Order After Hearing (Form FL-340);
Any of the required attachments; and,
An Earnings Assignment Order for Spousal or Partner Support (Form FL-435).

Upon completion, take the finished forms (and attachments) to your local clerk for signatures. After everything has been processed, you can pick them up and have copies properly served to both your ex and his or her employer. This is done via mail, and must be initiated by someone who is not a party to the case (meaning: you can’t do it yourself). Make sure to have your server fill out two proof of service forms (one for your ex, and one for the employer), as these will also need to be filed with the clerk.

Earnings Assignments Are Not Required

Although convenient and efficient, wage garnishment isn’t actually required. If both parties agree, an earnings assignment can always be “stayed,” or rather: put on hold. Though, it’s important to note, that a stay of earnings can always be reversed, if proper payments are not made on time in the future.

How Long Before an Earnings Assignment Takes Effect?

Once everything has been filed and served, your ex’s employer will have ten days to begin deducting spousal support from the paycheck. If they do not, the employer could be held liable for payments in your ex’s stead.

Enforcing Spousal Support in California: Other Tactics

If your ex falls behind on payments, or you are having trouble with an employer not meeting the terms of a valid earnings assignment, you may need to involved the court again. In these situations, a judge might reinstate an earnings assignment, or possibly hold an employer liable for noncompliance, if applicable. During this process, you will likely need to make an accounting of all missed payments, so that the increased amount can be included in the amount owed.

While it’s possible for you and your attorney to do these things on your own, if you are still having problems, at this point you might also want to consider soliciting outside help.

Local Child Support Agency (LCSA)

One way to get help enforcing spousal support in California, is to open a case with your local child support agency (or LCSA). The LCSA is authorized to help enforce orders of both spousal support and child support, and they can do so at no charge to you.

The biggest benefit to using the LCSA, is the arsenal of enforcement tools they have at their disposal—tools that certainly aren’t available to the average citizen. To enforce spousal support in California, the LCSA can:

Report all late and missed payments to major credit reporting agencies, detrimentally effecting credit scores;
Notify the U.S. State Department, who can place a holds on the passport of any individual owing $2,500 or more in support payments;
Put a lien on your ex’s land or house, so that if the property is sold, profits can’t be collected on the proceeds until support payments are made;
Suspend any state-issued licenses, including any driver’s, business, or professional licensures your ex might have;
Use the Franchise Tax Board to collect money from bank accounts, real property, deposit box cash, or even vehicles owned;
Notify the IRS to take support payments out of tax refunds before they issue anything to your former spouse;
Take the owed support out of unemployment benefits, or workers compensation; and even,
Claim lottery winnings—if your ex happens to be so lucky. (And there’s definitely some satisfying karma in that, we think.)

As you can see, the tactics used by the LCSA are much more motivating than anything you can do on your own, and since they’re available at no cost to you, it might make a lot of sense to just skip the drama, and involve them in your case as soon as possible.

Contempt of Court

In extreme cases, it might be necessary to enforce spousal support by holding your ex in contempt of court. Unlike divorce cases, which are held in civil court, a charge of contempt is a very serious criminal charge, and could result in jail time.

When deciding on contempt, the judge will analyze whether or not the support was withheld on purpose—particularly if your ex was able to pay, but just decided not to. Because while you can’t (technically) get thrown in jail for being in debt, intentionally ignoring a court order can definitely get you there. This is usually a measure of last resort, though, and most judges will attempt to find a reasonable solution before putting anyone behind bars.

Spousal Support Modification

Because there are such serious consequences attached to not paying spousal support, if you are on the paying end and cannot fulfill the court’s order, it’s important you notify them as soon as possible. The court understands that life is unpredictable, and circumstances change. That’s why there are ways to modify a spousal support agreement—ones that don’t involve enraging the Powers at Be for not paying (which, really, is never a good idea).

Communication is the biggest key, here. As soon as you are aware of the change in circumstance, don’t wait. Notify the court, and fill out the necessary forms to initiate a hearing to modify. Amount changes cannot be applied retroactively, so acting fast is critical, as you’ll still be on the line for the original amounts, however long it takes you to get the wheels rolling.

Depending on the reasons for your request, the court may reduce the amount, though they’re unlikely to eliminate altogether.

Attorneys to Enforce Spousal Support in California

For many divorcees, spousal support is a critical means of income in the post-divorce era, and not receiving these funds in full and on time can be extremely stressful and financially crippling.

If you are entitled to receive regular spousal support, and are not getting it, we can help. Call us at (209) 989-4425, or get in touch online to schedule your consultation today. With our assistance, we can make sure you receive the funds you’re entitled to, without the stress and headache of going it alone.

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How to File for Divorce

January 28, 2021
by Briana White

If you’re ready to end your marriage, you’re probably wondering how to file for divorce. The process can be daunting, and with so many different ways to secure a split, it can be tough to know where to start.

Luckily, it’s not a process you have to do alone.

Here’s everything you need to know about how to file for divorce in California, and how the team at Maples Family Law can help you.

How to File for Divorce: The Process

The first think you need to know about filing for divorce in California, is that you live in a no-fault divorce state. This means that—unlike in days gone by—you don’t have to assign blame in order to break up your marriage. Furthermore, neither spouse needs to secure the permission of the other. The only requirement is irreconcilable differences.

This is a massive simplification of a process that used to turn divorce court into a circus of false accusations and perjury. In lieu of these archaic notions, couples can now obtain a divorce without subjecting themselves (or their children) to a needlessly contentious environment, creating a much healthier transition, overall.

So, now that you know fault isn’t a requirement, here are the next steps to take when filing for divorce in California.

1. Talk to an Attorney

For most people, it just makes sense to work with a lawyer. Whether you’ve been married a long time or just a little while, there aren’t very many divorce scenarios where a couple is better off by not hiring personal representation.

This is because divorce law is complicated, and on your own, it’s too easy to make mistakes and give up essential rights. Some of which can be extremely expensive—if not impossible—to reverse.

An experienced attorney can help you avoid these potential pitfalls, and guide you through complex issues like child custody, spousal support, and property division without mishap, making their services well worth added hourly expense.

In general, you should only forgo representation if you have no significant assets or debt, and don’t have children. Even then, it’s still wise to have an attorney review your uncontested divorce agreement before filing.

2. Check Residency Requirements

Whether or not you choose to hire an attorney, you will still need to meet both state and county residency requirements in order to file for divorce.

In California, you must have lived in the state for at least six months. Residents of San Joaquin County will also need to have lived there for at least three.

3. Determine Which Type of Divorce Will Work Best for You

As we mentioned above, there isn’t just one way to divorce. Indeed, contrary to what Hollywood might have you believe, a high stakes court trial isn’t the only want to secure a split. Indeed, not only can you dissolve a marriage outside of court, but it’s almost always preferable to litigation.

Some of these out-of-court methods include:

For those who aren’t quite ready for the permanence of a full-on divorce, California also allows couples to negotiate a legally-binding agreement through legal separation.

The method that’s best for you will depend on a number of individualized factors. Some of these might be whether or not you have children, how amicable your breakup is, the amount of property and debt you have, and whether or not you have a valid prenuptial agreement.

If you aren’t sure, a Maples Family Law attorney can help you determine which might be best for your situation.

4. File the Correct Forms

In order to initiate a divorce, you will need to file a petition for divorce with the court, as well as a property declaration, and paperwork about child custody and visitation.

This is where having an attorney will come in handy. A lawyer will not only make sure you have the correct forms, but also that they are filled out accurately, ensuring your divorce process isn’t held up by faulty paperwork. Your attorney will also file these documents with the county clerk on your behalf, freeing up your mental energy for more important things.

If submitting paperwork on your own, keep in mind that you will be responsible for paying for any filing fees associated with these documents.

Once tendered, the county clerk will give you (or your attorney) copies of all your forms with a stamp that says “Filed.” In addition to whatever your attorney keeps, make sure to always retain copies for your own personal record, as well.

5. Ensure Proper Service

From filing, it’s then time to tell your spouse you’ve started the legal process. Forget texts, phone calls, and snapchat, though, because telling your spouse you’ve just filed for divorce requires a little more formality than a simple Facebook message.

In California, proper service requires someone to deliver physical copies of all divorce paperwork to your spouse, usually in person, face to face (though, there are some limited exceptions). As a party to the case, you cannot be the one to deliver the paperwork, however the qualifications are pretty open, and there’s usually no need to hire a professional process server.

A qualified server must:

Be over eighteen;
Not a party to the case;
Serve paperwork within the proper time frame;
Fill out a proof of service form; and,
Return the proof of service form to you, so that you (or your attorney) can file it with the court.

This step is essential. Without proper service, the court could potentially dismiss your whole case (another point for team “Just Hire an Attorney, Already”).

What Happens After Service

What comes after these five steps really depends how your spouse responds to your petition. For partners who are capable of constructive communication, a few sessions of out-of-court mediation is probably all that’s needed to iron out important issues. In contrast, couples with bad feelings, strongly opposing views, or vast amounts of property or marital debt might not be able to settle without a trial.

No matter what the emotional environment of your divorce is, however, once your petition has been properly filed and served, your spouse will have thirty days to respond. And—we should note—this isn’t really a deadline you want to be messing with.

Failure to Respond

Just like the state of California can’t keep you married if you don’t want to be, neither can your spouse, and failure to respond to properly served divorce paperwork won’t stall out the proceedings. Instead, it will just put your spouse in danger of defaulting.

In a default divorce, the court essentially treats your petition like an uncontested divorce, and proceeds as if your spouse had agreed to all the terms. Which is great, if you’re the petitioner, but not so much if you’re on the other end.

Hence, if you’re thinking about trying to stay married by not responding to service, think again. This tactic won’t work, and it most certainly is not in your best interest.

Temporary Orders

If you are worried about retaliation from your spouse during this thirty-day waiting period, talk to your attorney. If necessary, they can petition the court for a temporary order.

This type of order can be tailored to your situation. It can both prohibit your spouse from committing certain behavior, and set down guidelines to govern things like childcare, bills, and spousal support. Protecting you, your children, and your assets while your divorce is pending.

Do You Need to Talk to a Lawyer About How to File for Divorce?

If you are getting a divorce, give yourself a break, and let an attorney handle the stress of paperwork, processing, and deadlines. Not only can they relieve you of this stress, but an experienced family law attorney can also refer you to a therapist, offer valuable, case-specific legal advice, and much more.

For more questions about how to file for divorce in California, call us at (209) 989-4425 or contact us online, and let the team at Maples Family Law help guide you through this complex transition as smoothly as possible.

Divorce

The California Divorce Process, Step by Step

January 6, 2020January 22, 2020
by Angie

The California divorce process, step by step, includes nine major components:

Preparing paperwork to file
Filing
Serving divorce papers
Responding to the divorce
Temporary orders
Financial disclosures
Discovery
Settlement
Trial

The California Divorce Process, Step by Step

While no two divorces are exactly alike, most California divorces follow the same series of events. Every step requires you, your spouse or your attorney to take different actions, so here’s a closer look at each.

#1. Preparing paperwork to file

For most people, the best choice is to work with a Stockton divorce attorney who can provide legal advice every step of the way. Preparing paperwork to file for divorce can be complicated, and you’ll need to gather up several pieces of documentation. You need:

Birth certificates	Pay stubs	Tax returns	Mortgage statements
Retirement account statements	Credit card bills and statements	Insurance policies and other documents	Other personal or financial documents, which your attorney can explain to you

#2. Filing

When your attorney has completed the summons and petition for your divorce, she’ll file it with the court system. If you have children from your current relationship, she’ll also file a special form that outlines their residences over the past 5 years.

#3. Serving divorce papers

Serving divorce papers simply means that you’re notifying your spouse that you’ve filed for divorce. (If your spouse has already filed, there’s a good chance that you’ve been served with divorce papers.) Your attorney will handle this part for you.

#4. Responding to the divorce

Your spouse will have a chance to respond to the divorce paperwork you filed – or, if your spouse filed, you’ll have a chance to respond. If the person who receives the papers doesn’t respond within 30 days, the divorce can move forward without his or her input.

#5. Temporary orders

Sometimes temporary orders are necessary. They’re orders the judge in your case makes, which are good until the divorce is final; sometimes these orders become permanent. Judges often issue temporary orders for things like:

Child custody
Child support
Spousal support
Exclusive use of property (for your home or other property)
Payment of attorney’s fees

Either party can ask the judge to create a temporary order during the divorce proceedings.

#6. Financial disclosures

You and your spouse are required to disclose your financial situations to the court during the divorce process. Because California is a community property state, and because some property is considered separate property (meaning that it belongs to only one of you), the courts need an accurate picture of your situation. You’ll have to provide documentation to back up your claims, which can include:

W-2s
Check stubs
Bank statements
Federal and state income tax returns
Titles and deeds
Retirement account statements
Credit card statements
Insurance policies

You may need other documentation as well. Your attorney will explain what you need.

#7. Discovery

Discovery is the legal method of getting the information you need from your spouse during the California divorce process. Your attorney will file a formal legal request and may ask your spouse to answer written questions – and your spouse will have to admit or deny the truth of a statement under penalty of perjury. Your attorney may also want to depose your spouse, which means he or she will have to give oral testimony under penalty of perjury.

#8. Settlement

You and your spouse will reach a settlement (you can reach a settlement without Step 7 if you both agree that you’ve provided all the necessary documentation) at some point during your divorce process. The settlement is the result of a give-and-take negotiation where you and your spouse find common ground on things like property division and child custody. Your settlement agreement will also include information on:

Child custody and visitation
Child and spousal support
Property division
How you’ll handle your debts
Your new marital status and, in some cases, a name change for one party

#9. Trial

Not all divorce cases end in a trial. In fact, you only have to go to trial if all your other settlement options have failed. Either you or your spouse can request a trial, but in some cases, the judge will set one even if neither of you asks.

The best way to keep your divorce out of court (other than to get a judge’s signature on your divorce paperwork) is to settle things with your spouse on your own. Trials can be time-consuming and expensive, and if you go to trial, your divorce will take much longer than it would if you settled.

Do You Need to Talk to an Attorney About the California Divorce Process, Step by Step?

We’ve helped many people in Stockton, and we can help you, too. Call us at (209) 546-6246 to set up a consultation to talk about your case and get answers to all your questions, including those about child custody and child support, property division and more.

Divorce

What Are the Legal Stages of Divorce in California?

May 6, 2019May 10, 2019
by Angie

When you and your spouse are splitting up, there are a few ways you can go about it. Some people qualify for annulment or choose legal separation, but most people use divorce as a means to dissolve their marriages.

Divorce is a legal process. You don’t need grounds to split up from your spouse, and you don’t need to prove that he or she did anything wrong – you just have to let the courts know that you’re unable to continue living within the confines of your marriage.

So what are the legal stages of divorce in California, and how long does it take to get through them? Here’s what you need to know.

What Are the Legal Stages of Divorce in California?

Divorce, like any other legal process, has certain phases and steps you and your Stockton divorce attorney must take. Here’s a rough outline of the legal stages of divorce:

The divorce petition
Temporary orders, if necessary
Service of process
The divorce petition response
Negotiations
Trial, if necessary
Order of dissolution

Legal Stage of Divorce #1: The Divorce Petition

Every divorce starts with a petition that goes to the court. It’s a legal document asking the court to grant an order of dissolution – the document that officially ends your marriage.

Your lawyer will create a petition that states the grounds for your divorce, such as irreconcilable differences.

Legal Stage of Divorce #2: Temporary Orders

Judges don’t always have to issue temporary orders during divorce, but sometimes they’re necessary for things like child support or financial support. Temporary custody orders can come into play here, too. Once a couple splits up, they’re put in place to last until permanent orders take over.

Legal Stage of Divorce #3: Service of Process

After petitioning the court for a divorce, the party who filed is responsible for showing the court that a copy of the petition went to the other party. Your attorney will handle all of this for you – it’s not something you have to worry about, but it is one of the legal stages of divorce.

Legal Stage of Divorce #4: The Divorce Petition Response

Once your spouse gets a copy of the divorce petition, he or she will file a response to it. If he or she disagrees on things like property division, child support, child custody or anything else, they’ll be in the response.

Legal Stage of Divorce #5: Negotiations

You and your spouse can negotiate based on what’s in his or her response. Your attorney will most likely encourage you to come to your own agreements about all the important issues in your divorce. If you can’t agree, the judge in your case will have to make decisions for you – and while that’s fine if it’s necessary, you’ll save time and money if you don’t have to go to trial (that’s the next legal stage in divorce).

One thing’s for sure, though: Couples who reach their own agreements without the court having to intervene are generally more satisfied with the outcome. Each party can walk away feeling more like he or she won rather than lost. Unless you and your spouse absolutely cannot agree, it’s in your best interest to try to negotiate.

Legal Stage of Divorce #6: Trial

Issues that you and your spouse can’t resolve between yourselves will go to trial. Your attorney and your spouse’s attorney will present evidence to the judge in your case, and the judge will make a decision for you. Judges can make all kinds of determinations, including child custody and property division – but again, it’s better if you and your spouse can reach agreements on important issues rather than go to trial.

Remember, too, that there’s no way to predict how a judge will rule… even if you think you have all the evidence you need to get what you want.

Legal Stage of Divorce #7: Order of Dissolution

After the judge has signed off on the agreements you’ve made (or the judge has made decisions on all the issues that he or she needs to settle for you), the court will give you an order of dissolution. The order of dissolution – your divorce decree – will spell out how you’re dividing property and debts, where your kids will live, how much child support will change hands, and every other issue that you and your spouse have settled.

Need Help Understanding the Legal Stages of Divorce?

If you’re divorcing your spouse, even if he or she has already filed for dissolution, we may be able to help you.

Call us at 209-546-6870 to schedule a consultation with a divorce attorney in Stockton. We’ll answer all your questions and begin developing the strategy that gets you the best possible outcome.

Divorce

Serving Divorce Papers in California

November 1, 2018July 16, 2019
by Angie

If you’re like many people going through a divorce, or if you’re just thinking about it and haven’t filed any paperwork yet, you’re wondering how to serve divorce papers in California.

For most people, it makes sense to work with a Stockton divorce attorney who handles all the logistics – including service of process, which is the technical term for serving someone divorce papers. But that aside, here’s what you need to know about serving divorce papers in California.

How to Serve Divorce Papers in California

If you intend to serve your spouse with divorce papers, you have several options, including:

Personal service
Service by mail
Service by notice and acknowledgement of receipt
Service by publication or service by posting (in very rare instances)
Substituted service

Personal Service of Divorce Papers in California

Personal service means a person serves your soon-to-be ex with divorce papers by placing them in his or her hands. There are several ways to go about personal service, including:

Serving them yourself
Having a friend or relative, or a coworker, serve your spouse
Having a county sheriff or marshal serve your spouse
Hiring a professional process server
Asking anyone who’s over 18 who is not part of the case to serve your spouse

In every case, the person serving the papers on your spouse must:

Be 18 or older
Not be party to the case
Fill out a proof of service form
Give you the proof of service form to you so you can file it with the court

Service by Mail for Divorce Papers

Service by mail requires someone who isn’t a party to the case. This person mails the documents to the other party – and while it’s simple (just drop the paperwork into the mail), it’s not very reliable

Service by Notice and Acknowledgement of Receipt

If the other party agrees to be served by mail, and if he or she is willing to sign a document saying that the papers came as expected, you can use this method. The server has to mail the summons and complaint to the other party with two copies of a form called a Notice and Acknowledgement of Receipt. The other party signs a copy of the receipt and sends it back. Then, the server has to take a few additional steps.

Service by Publication or Service by Posting

You have to have the court’s permission for service by publication or service by posting. The first – service by publication – involves you publishing the summons and complaint in a newspaper in the area where your ex is likely to be. Service by posting involves you posting the summons and complaint at the courthouse. You only use these methods if you can’t find your spouse.

Both of these methods require you to get a judge’s permission, and they’re not usually used. However, the California family court system does have procedures in place for you to file these types of papers when you don’t know where your spouse is.

Substituted Service

Usually, substituted service is one of the last methods someone can try. It usually only happens after several attempts at personal service have failed.

Learn About All Your Options. Talk to a Stockton Divorce Lawyer Now.

Working with a Stockton divorce attorney means you don’t have to worry about which method to use and how to do it properly – your lawyer can give you the guidance you need for your specific situation.

If you’re thinking about divorce, or if your ex has already filed, we can help you.

Call us at (209) 989-4425 or get in touch with us online to talk to a lawyer right now. We’ll help you with every aspect of your divorce, from child custody and child support to alimony and property division.