In California Family Law proceedings, between the date of the initial filing and trial there may be a date set by the Court, or by joint agreement through the Parties, prior to trial, for a Mandatory Settlement Conference to occur. A common question that results from...
PERSONAL MATTERS.
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Divorce
The Meet and Confer Requirement
You may often hear, while in Court with your attorney, the Judge asks if counsel has met and conferred yet and you may be wondering what that means and why we must do it? There is a “meet and confer” requirement when filing and litigating a Request for Order amongst...
“Friends with Benefits”: What Relationships “Count” for a Domestic Violence Restraining Order
The Court of Appeals recently released an opinion that may affect who qualifies to request a domestic violence restraining order. The case, M.A. v. B.F., addressed the question many people avoid, what is the relationship status of “friends with benefits”? This...
What is a Default Divorce?
A default divorce occurs when the “Responding Party”, also known as the Respondent, does not answer or submit the filings necessary to participate in the dissolution proceedings. So, it comes down to “Pleading Party”, also known as the Petitioner, is left to navigate...
Protections the Stay-At-Home Girlfriend Has
You have probably seen this trend all over social media, especially on TikTok. This TikTok usually starts with a woman– gracefully opening some blinds, engaging in excessive morning skin care routine, going to Pilates, hanging out by the pool, etc. A...
How to Use Discovery to Drive Settlement
“Discovery” is the process of obtaining information for determining the applicable claims, defenses, and information which may be used in anticipation of trial. This can include serving requests for written responses from a particular party to the litigation to be...
How will Senate Bill 741 Impact my Domestic Violence Case?
Senate Bill 741 will prohibit discovery pursuant to the civil discovery act for purposes of the Domestic Violence Prevention Act (“DVPA”) except when a Court grants a request for discovery upon showing of good cause by the party making the request. The Court must...
How Do the Holidays Impact My Visitation Schedule?
The holiday season can be a time of joy and celebration, but for divorced or separated parents in California, it can also pose challenges when it comes to navigating visitation schedules. Unfortunately, it’s also the seasons of visitation and custody disputes and many...
How to Prepare for a Divorce in the New Year
The holidays are often difficult to get through, especially if you are considering a divorce in the new year. If you are in this position, you are not alone. There are many people that stay together through the holidays with the plan of divorce in the new year. There...
Normalize Sharing the Holidays
Let’s normalize making Christmas on December 27th or celebrating on December 24th or Thanksgiving on Black Friday. I think people often forget that the holiday is not actually a certain day of the year, but more about the effort put in and the time spent with our...