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Alimony, which is known as spousal support in California, is a payment made from one spouse to the other to help support them either during or after the divorce. It is among the many issues that need to be settled during the divorce process. The others are equitable distribution of the marital es...

Any individual who is paying or receiving child support may ask for a child support order. However, for the court to change the current arrangement, you will need to establish by proof with evidence that your material circumstances have significantly changed. These new circumstances would affect ...

In California, parents typically get to decide who their children will spend time with. A situation could arise where a grandparent is denied access to their grandchildren because one parent has become estranged from the other or is denied custody and visitation rights. In these cases, the grandp...

California law defines domestic violence as “abuse committed against an adult or a minor who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant or person with whom the suspect has a child or is having or has had a dating or engagement relationship.” It is important to recognize that domest...

As the name implies, a prenuptial agreement is an agreement put into place prior to the marriage. While many couples do not want to “prepare for a divorce,” it is helpful to think of a prenuptial agreement as being an alternative to the one used by the state of California. That's right. You alrea...

For Sacramento couples looking to grow their family through adoption, there are numerous considerations that you will have to make along the way. One way to ensure the process goes smoothly and quickly is to hire a Sacramento adoption attorney to guide you through each step of the adoption proces...

When it comes to divorce, there are two ways to dissolve a marriage. The first is through mediation. The second is through the adversarial process known as litigation. Litigation is what you see dramatized on television and in the movies. It's a conflict-intense process in which the couple disput...

Parents dealing with a child custody case are generally under a lot of stress. Custody cases can be emotionally trying and sometimes result in battles between parents. That is why Wagner Family Law has created a comprehensive guide to understanding California child custody cases. Armed with the k...

Many people do not realize that there are only three major decision points when it comes to divorce. These are asset distribution, child support and alimony, and parenting plans. In this article, the Sacramento, CA, divorce attorneys at Wagner Family Law will discuss in detail these three aspects...

We're used to seeing divorces on television that feature talented actors in high-conflict situations. Logistically, however, most people want to avoid the type of drama that television shows depict. Even after your divorce is finalized, your former partner may still be a big part of your life. Th...

Divorce mediation is one of three different ways to approach the process of divorce. Of the three, mediation tends to be the most popular, cost-effective, and efficient in terms of time. Litigation is the most contentious, least cost-effective, and it takes the longest to resolve. In this article...

You may be under the impression that mediation only works for divorces in which both parties agree to go their separate ways amicably. That is just not the case. Mediation is the better choice in almost all situations simply because it saves you time and money and costs considerably less than lit...

Married spouses with children will require a parenting plan. This parenting plan can be negotiated between attorneys, but the court will have the final say when it comes to signing off on the parenting plan and enforcing it.  While couples can enter into most agreements without the court's appro...

Family courts handle requests to modify child support orders quite frequently. It is one of the most likely reasons a former spouse will petition the court after the divorce has been finalized. Material changes in the circumstances of either parent can give rise to a petition to modify the origin...

Family Court Trends in 2023 Now, nearly two years removed from the pandemic shutdown, the aftershock remains a factor in our daily lives, touching and transforming nearly everything. While the government quarantine was in place, the courts were mostly shut down, which stalled out many cases that...

What is Considered Community Property in a Divorce? Generally speaking, community property involves any property that was acquired by either spouse during the marriage. However, when lawyers talk about a “community property state” versus an “equitable distribution” state, they are discussing how...