When involved in divorce proceedings or other family law matters, you are likely to have questions that are best answered by an experienced attorney. At Violet P. Woodhouse, APC in Newport Beach – serving Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties – an experienced divorce and family law lawyer can provide the information you are seeking. Whether you have questions regarding paternity, child custody, or child and spousal support or are interested in exploring financial planning options for divorce, the attorneys at our firm can help.
Our firm is dedicated to providing individuals and families with high-quality, personalized guidance in a variety of challenging family law matters. Our skilled trial attorneys and nationally renowned CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional, Violet P. Woodhouse, are committed to helping clients understand the legal, financial, and tax realities of divorce while assisting them in obtaining swift, equitable settlements.
Depending on a variety of factors, the actual length of the divorce proceedings will vary. Once the initial filing has been completed and papers have been served on the opposing spouse, the shortest amount of time in which the proceedings can be completed in California is in six months and one day. However, the more complicated the issues to be resolved and/or conduct of the parties, the longer the divorce will take. At Violet P. Woodhouse, APC in Newport Beach serving Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties, a divorce lawyer with our firm will work to negotiate a favorable agreement and expeditious settlement of your divorce.
California is a no-fault divorce state, meaning that either spouse may initiate divorce proceedings without the consent of the other.
The court will set up a child custody arrangement that satisfies the best interests of the children and ensures their health, safety, and welfare. Some of the factors that the court considers when making its determination are:
There are different custody arrangements upon which the court may decide. One or both spouses may be given legal authority to make decisions regarding the children's health, education, and welfare (legal custody). The court will also determine whether one or both spouses are to provide residence for the children (physical custody). The final arrangement can be a combination of types of custody, legal and physical.
You can request the court modify the custody arrangement if you can demonstrate that since the last order circumstances have changed that compromise the welfare of the children, or that a change is in the child(ren)'s best interest. Some factors the court considers when modifying custody arrangements are:
At our firm serving residents of Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, and surrounding areas, a divorce lawyer can assist you with resolving disputes over the modification of custody arrangements.
In California, community property is all assets or debts that each spouse or registered domestic partner (domestic partnerships may be available to same-sex couples and some opposite sex couples in which one party is at least 62 years of age, and are afforded many of the same rights granted to married couples) acquires during a marriage or domestic partnership, unless otherwise specified in a previously drafted marital agreement.
During a divorce or legal separation, all community property will be equitably divided by the courts unless the spouses have been able to come to another agreement. When spouses cannot agree on how to divide their property, the court will divide assets and debts so that the net total value of property or liabilities that each spouse receives is equivalent. For example, one spouse may be awarded the family residence while the other may receive the family business and real estate investments equaling the value of the home.
To ensure favorable division of assets and debts, contact our Newport Beach firm near Laguna Beach to review your case with a divorce/ family law lawyer. Our firm provides the most current information on family law matters affecting you and your family.
In a marriage, spouses are obligated to disclose the details of financial transactions to each other. This includes providing access to financial statements and disclosing transactions that affect the couple's community and separate property.
At Violet P. Woodhouse, APC, we also provide limited scope representation to help clients afford the cost of legal representation. This service allows clients to work their case themselves while hiring an attorney to handle other aspects. With limited scope representation, you can maximize your litigation budget by hiring us to handle those portions of your case that you are unable to handle and to consult with.
If you have additional questions not answered on this page or on this website, please contact our Newport Beach firm near Laguna Beach. A divorce lawyer with our firm will provide the family law information you require.
At our Newport Beach firm serving Laguna Beach and all of Orange County, an experienced divorce lawyer can answer your questions. For additional family law information, contact Violet P. Woodhouse, APC.
Violet P. Woodhouse, APC
Newport Beach, CA
2 Corporate Plaza
Suite 250
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone (949) 640-8861
Fax (949) 640-8862