When you’re facing a child custody dispute in California, one of the first questions you may ask yourself is: Do I really need a lawyer for this? The answer depends on the complexity of your case, your relationship with the other parent, and how comfortable you feel navigating California’s family court system on your own….
Facing overwhelming debt can leave you feeling trapped, anxious, and unsure where to turn. If you’re drowning in credit card bills, medical debt, or facing collection lawsuits, Chapter 7 bankruptcy may offer the relief you need to reset your finances and get a true fresh start. But Chapter 7 is not a decision to take…
If your child’s health, safety, or emotional well-being is in danger, the court can step in right away—but you must act fast and with clear, documented evidence. Here are examples of situations where emergency custody may be appropriate: In these cases, filing an ex parte request under California Rule of Court 5.151–5.165 may be the…
Life changes—and sometimes, so should your child support order. Whether you’ve lost your job, taken a pay cut, your child’s needs have changed, or your custody schedule looks different than it used to, you might be wondering if it’s time to modify your California child support order. The answer? Maybe. But before you make a…
Navigating a child custody case in California can feel overwhelming—especially when you’re trying to do what’s best for your child. Many parents come to us at Scott Mitchell Law with one main goal: to spend equal time with their children. In many cases, a 50/50 custody timeshare is not only possible but encouraged, as long…
You had a drink or two at your best friend’s party and are now heading home. You’re pretty certain you aren’t over the legal limit, but what if you happen to swerve over the line and get pulled over? Will the officer automatically suspect that you’re driving while intoxicated? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…
When two people have a child together when they aren’t married, one of the parents must file a paternity action with the court in order to establish who the legal father is. A paternity action is similar to a family law divorce case, to the extent that child custody and child support issues are handled…
Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs is a serious criminal offense in California. Now, more than ever before, law enforcement officers throughout the country are intent on cracking down on impaired motorists and reducing high rates of preventable accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Despite new focused anti-DUI efforts, nationwide campaigns, and stiffer penalties…
Divorces of people aged 50 and over — such as that of the recent news of the impending divorce of Rhea Perlman and Danny DeVito — are referred to as gray divorces, after the hair color of many of those affected. These divorces do not involve complications of child support and child custody that may…
Twitter, Facebook, blogs and all the other online connections make it so easy to share your thoughts and feelings with the rest of the world. Maybe too easy. Experts say that social media postings are increasingly being used as evidence in divorces, custody and visitation cases. More and more people are learning, to their dismay,…
A common question I get in my law practice is,” should I wait until after I am divorced to file bankruptcy, or should I file bankruptcy before I file divorce?” The answer typically is that you can file your divorce and get the ball rolling, and then file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy before you finalize…
As a practicing child custody attorney in Modesto California, I have handled literally hundreds of child custody cases, and I have seen what works and what doesn’t work in child custody cases. I have created this list as a quick overview of thoughts and tips for people who are facing child custody battles. I hope…
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