Law Office of John P. Jarrett, Esq.
(916) 932-7152
FAX (888) 818-4970
jjarrett@sbcglobal.net
DIVORCE:
Divorces are also called “Dissolutions” in the California courts, and they are usually filed in State Court in the County of your residence. California has a no fault provision in the Family Code that permits spouses to petition for dissolution of their marriage based on “irreconcilable differences” without assigning fault to either spouse. The process takes at least 6 months or longer depending on the complexity of issues that may be involved.
Nobody plans that when they get married that one day they may need to hire a divorce attorney and very few are prepared for the legal and emotional roller coaster during this next phase of their life. There are many personal issues that were once private between you and your spouse that may come up during the dissolution proceeding and it can be overwhelming to have to deal with it all by yourself.
We can help you by providing competent legal representation and advocate your position during this difficult time. We will prepare all of your paperwork, give you legal advice at all phases of the case, appear with you at all court hearings and speak to the judge on your behalf at these hearings.
CUSTODY:
You may be asking yourself questions like:
”Who will my children live with?”
“When will I be able to see my children again?”
“How can I fight for custody?”
“How can I support my children?”
“Can I modify my current custody order?”
“My ex is moving to New York with the kids, What can I do?”
These are very difficult questions to answer as each family situation is unique and has specific circumstances and facts that vary from case to case. The court frequently follows the presumption in the law that allows both parents to share joint custody to allow each parent frequent and continuing contact with the children. However, exceptions can apply that would make joint custody not in the children’s best interest; some of these can include a parent who has a current or past history of drug or alcohol abuse, child abuse (abuse, neglect, endangerment, or failure to protect), abandonment, criminal history, current restraining orders or past issues with domestic violence.
Custody issues are our most important cases because of the impact to you and your family and the high stakes involved. While a great number of custody cases can be resolved by agreement between the parents, many custody disputes may be more involved and may require the assistance of an attorney to help you navigate the complicated legal processes, stand by your side and protect your parental rights.
CHILD SUPPORT & MODIFICATIONS:
California uses a complex algebraic formula to calculate “Guideline” Child support. This amount based primarily on each parents’ income and the parenting time that they spend with their children. Other factors that are also considered are health insurance costs, tax filings and deductions, remarriage and new spouse income, other supported children, special hardships, etc. It is recommended that you seek the advice of a qualified attorney to help make sure that your support amount is correctly calculated.
Law Office of John P. Jarrett, Esq. * The attention that you deserve.