It’s been estimated that nearly one in three married women earn more than their husbands. With women outnumbering men in college and getting into formerly “male” professions, this number is only expected to grow. One study found that these women are 50% more likely to...
Family Law
Should you actually fight over the house in a divorce?
Many couples who decide to get divorced can't decide what to do with the home. The easiest solution is to sell the home and divide the earnings, but they may both want to keep the house. This can result in long legal battles as they try to determine what needs to be...
Agreeing on expectations for the babysitter after divorce
If you share custody of your children, you’ll want to spend as much of your allocated parenting time with them as possible. However, you’ll probably still need a babysitter from time to time. If one or both of you is moving to another part of the city, your current...
Should you hire a private investigator for your divorce?
Private investigators (PIs) aren’t as commonly used by those considering divorce or in the midst of a divorce as they used to be. For one thing, with no-fault divorce now the norm, even if you have evidence that your spouse is cheating on you, it’s likely not going to...
Just what is “community property?”
If you and your spouse are looking into a divorce right now, one of the things you should know is that you are in a community property state. If you haven’t ever heard this term before, it can be confusing. Community property states believe that each person in a...
What happens if you hide assets during your divorce in California?
Divorce is one of the most draining experiences you can ever go through. Besides the emotional stress and pain, the financial implications of a divorce can also be taxing. Property division is usually one of the most contentious issues during the divorce process. It...
How do you divorce a spouse you can’t find?
As we’ve discussed previously, your spouse can’t stop you from getting a divorce -- no matter how averse they are to the idea. You do, however, still have to go through the proper steps in the divorce process, and that means first making sure that your spouse is...
If your spouse won’t cooperate, can you still get divorced?
There are many cases in which two spouses do not agree on the decision to get divorced. One person wants to end the marriage and the other wants to stay together. They’re not making a joint decision, but the person who doesn’t want to split up usually understands that...
Handling the delicate process of child custody negotiations: 3 tips for success
When you're a parent, ending a marriage means that you’re going to have to come up with a plan for the children you share with your spouse. In California, child custody disputes are often handled through mediation. This can be immensely helpful in diffusing...
Do child support orders survive the death of the payor?
In March’s issue of Contra Costa Lawyer magazine, Virginia Ekelund of Doyle Quane discusses the treatment of child support upon death of the payor. Virginia is a litigator with over thirty years of successful advocacy for her clients in State and Federal courts...