There are many ways to build a family or run a household. And sometimes, you may need to ask the court to put orders in action to protect your family. When you need court orders to assert your family law rights, having a good Bay Area family law attorney at the helm of your case can make all the difference for a positive outcome.
You can find one of the best Bay Area family law lawyers at the Law Offices of Ali Yousefi, P.C. Our law team is highly rated, and has been helping families in California for a decade. We can help your family today.
Family Dynamics in the Bay Area
The Bay Area has a community that is approximately 40% married people, 14% children, 8% divorced or separated men, and 11% divorced or separated women. Considering that there are more than 800,000 people in the Bay Area, these figures regarding the family dynamics are significant. Whether you are getting married, already married and considering new arrangements for your union, getting a divorce, or seeking legal protections for your rights as a parent, a Bay Area family law lawyer from our firm can help you.
At the Law Offices of Ali Yousefi, P.C., we can help you with any of the following:
- Prenuptial agreements,
- Postnuptial agreements,
- Divorce,
- Legal separation,
- Property division,
- Spousal support,
- Child support, and
- Child custody.
We can negotiate your rights in a settlement, and we can protect your interests by representing you in family law court.
Child Custody and Child Support Cases
Whether you were married to your child’s other parent or not, you can seek help from the California court system to help make sure that your child is properly cared for and supported after a breakup. Obtaining support and custody rights can be an intricate process with many standards and the need for large amounts of evidence. Below, we give you the basics of support and custody cases.
Child Custody
In many cases, California courts strive to give parents joint custody. But every family is different, and some parents might require a different arrangement. Whatever arrangement you seek, it must be in the best interests of your child for the court to adopt and enforce it.
Factors the court looks at when determining what is in a child’s best interests include:
- Whether either parent has a history of abusive behavior;
- The safety, welfare, and health of the child;
- The amount of contact the child has with each parent;
- Whether either parent has any issues with substance abuse; and
- The nature of the contact each parent has with the child.
Courts seek to develop orders that encourage frequent and continuing contact between the child and each parent without regard for either parent’s sex or sexual orientation.
Child Support
When it comes to family law cases, child custody and child support orders go together. Just like parents have the duty to provide guidance, shelter, and food for their children, they must also provide financial support. And each parent’s custody rights and obligations affect who pays support and the amount they pay.
California law bases child support obligations on the following factors:
- Each parent’s income,
- The amount of time each parent spends with each child, and
- The number of children shared by the couple.
Making sure the court strikes the proper balance in custody and child support cases can be challenging. A Bay Area family law lawyer can help make sure that child support and custody determinations in your case are favorable to you. We can also help you receive a modification of your orders if your circumstances change.
Divorces and Legal Separations
In divorces and separations, the court must make decisions about child support and custody (if the couple shares a child) and how to divide a couple’s finances. The main financial decisions California family courts make are regarding property division and spousal support.
Property Division
California is famously a community property state. And in a community property state, each spouse receives an equal share of the community estate in a divorce and keeps their separate property. Each spouse is also liable for an equal share of community debts.
In general, the community estate consists of the property or assets spouses acquired jointly during their marriage. However, spouses can exclude assets from their community estate by entering into a written agreement that the property is separate.
With our years of experience, we can quickly identify what property of yours is subject to division in a divorce or separation. We can also negotiate and draft agreements for you that protect your separate assets before you and your spouse part ways.
Spousal Support
Not every spouse gets alimony (or spousal support) when they divorce or separate. But the court may order a spouse to pay support to the other based on:
- The length of the marriage,
- Each spouse’s earning capacity,
- Each spouse’s contributions to the other spouse’s professional development,
- The standard of living established during the marriage,
- Each spouse’s needs,
- Each spouse’s age and health,
- Whether there is any history of domestic violence, and
- Each spouse’s financial circumstances.
You may have to collect and present medical, financial, police, and employment records to prove your right to alimony or to prove that your spouse should not receive alimony. A good attorney can be key in gathering the right proof for your case.
Contact Our Office Today
You don’t have to do all the work in your family law case on your own. You can hire one of the best Bay Area family law attorneys by hiring the Law Offices of Ali Yousefi, P.C. We are an award-winning firm that knows how to get the best results for our clients in family court. If you need help, you can contact us online or call us to schedule an appointment.