Articles Posted in Family Law

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Don’t go through your divorce, legal separation or paternity case alone. Call the San Diego divorce lawyers at The Law Offices of Doppelt and Forney, APLC. We are here to help you through this difficult time. Contact us today to set up a free consultation with one of our experienced lawyers.

It is not uncommon for people in family court to represent themselves, but there are risks that come with self-representation.

People who divorce without the expertise of an attorney may put themselves at greater risk for mistakes, delays and added stress. The biggest risk would, of course, be losing your case.

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Trust the San Diego divorce lawyers at The Law Office of Doppelt and Forney, APLC to handle your divorce, legal separation or paternity case. At Doppelt and Forney, our lawyers are constantly learning and adapting to stay ahead of the curve and bring you an unmatched level of expertise.

Rushing to get a divorce? That’s the case for many local San Diego residents, working to quickly finalize their divorce by December 31st, 2018 in lieu of the new tax laws affecting spousal support.

Starting January 1st, 2019, new federal tax laws will eliminate the spousal support deduction. By divorcing in 2018, spousal support payers will be able to annually deduct the money from their taxable income, which may mean thousands of dollars in tax savings for high-income earners.

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Damon B. Forney is a Certified Family Law Specialist with the State Bar of California. This is the highest designation for specialization which the State Bar offer. He practices in San Diego County in the areas of divorce, paternity, child custody, child visitation and other family law areas. Mr. Forney was born in Ohio and went to undergraduate at the University of California. He then went back to Ohio for his law degree at Case Western Reserve University which he obtained in 1997. Since that time, Attorney Forney has been a San Diego County Deputy District Attorney and an Assistant United States Attorney in San Diego. He has worked in the family law field for over a decade. In January of 2017, Mr. Forney and Mr. Doppelt formed a new law firm: Doppelt and Forney, APLC, APLC. Mr. Forney has committed his life to protecting the rights of his clients and also trying to obtain their goals.

Lawyer Damon B. Forney practices in all of the San Diego Family Law Courthouses including San Diego Main Family Law as well as in North County at the Vista Courthouse. He also represents clients in South Bay at the Chula Vista Courthouse and in North County at the Vista Courthouse. His practice is limited to family law which can be a very complicated area. Attorney Damon B. Forney is an experienced litigator due to his many years as a Prosecutor and has been lead attorney on many cases which went to jury trial. In family law, there are no jury trials so many family law attorneys have never actually done a jury trial. This experience assists his clients who have to litigate their case before a Judge. Mr. Forney has also had many non jury [bench] trials. Bench trials are the only trials for family law cases except for a paternity case in which there is a right to a jury trial and also court appointed counsel. Mr. Forney brings his years of experience to try and settle cases if at all possible. He is able to negotiate many settlements on complex and non complex cases however, if the case cannot be settled, then he will go to court with the client and argue their case to the best of his ability.

Family law is a very complicated area and consists of many different subsections. To begin with, there are three main areas of family law: divorce; paternity and legal separation. It becomes more complicated as some of these have the same issues and some do not. For example, both legal separation and divorce have issues of division of debt and assets as well as [if there are a child or children] child support and also may have spousal support among other issues. In a paternity case, there are no issues of alimony or division of assets and debts. An experienced family law attorney, such as Mr. Forney, knows the intricacies of all of these issues and can help you.

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There are state laws applicable to every aspect of a family law case. The California Family Code governs actions for divorce, spousal support, child custody, and many of the attendant issues to be resolved. Courts interpret such laws in light of the facts and evidence presented in each case. For this reason alone, it is important to understand how these myriad legal provisions may affect your family’s rights now and in the future. An experienced family law lawyer from the local San Diego area would be able to guide you through the California divorce process as seamlessly as possible.

One of the highly regulated areas of family law concerns the physical and legal custody of children. Courts are guided by the following principle:  which arrangement promotes the best interests of the child. Under the law, custody orders may be modified if the parent seeking the modification can show that there has been a “change in circumstances” sufficient to warrant the modification. In a recent custody case, the father lived in California, and the mother lived in Virginia. The court entered a permanent custody order giving the father (a Bay Area resident) physical custody of the child during the school year and the mother physical custody during the summer.

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In most divorce cases involving children, the family court will order the amount of monthly child support to be paid to the supported spouse. That amount will remain in effect for as long as the court decides, or until one party can show a “change of circumstances” sufficient to modify the order. Under California law, there are no official guidelines governing when circumstances have changed enough to warrant a modification. The determination is typically made on a case-by-case basis and often rests on one’s ability to pay or one’s financial status. Child support is an extremely important issue in any divorce or separation case. An experienced San Diego family law attorney would be able to analyze your situation and determine the financial options for your family and you.

Courts often step in when a parent fails to make support payments or alleges that he or she is unable to meet the obligation. The California Family Code authorizes a court to require a parent who alleges that the parent’s default in a child or family support order is due to the parent’s unemployment to submit a list of at least five different places the parent has applied for employment. This is known as a “seek-work” order. In a recent California case, the ex-husband and father claimed that the court should not have issued a seek-work order and that the actual form was arbitrary. He also alleged that the family court abused its discretion by denying his request to modify the child support order.

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A court order for child support in a divorce case or child custody dispute between two parents is a serious matter. The parent who is obligated to make the child support payments will be expected to adhere to the court order or else face possible legal action. When the support payment is not made, the amount due is considered “in arrears,” and courts may apply interest to the amount outstanding. California family law governs a parent’s obligation to pay and sets forth legal requirements for collection. If you are facing a divorce or another family law dispute involving children, it is extremely important to protect your rights. The best course of action is to reach out to an experienced San Diego family law lawyer as soon as possible.

Child support cases can vary a great deal from one family to the next, and in some situations, they can become quite complicated. In a recent California case, the parents were in a dispute over whether the father’s derivative Social Security benefits could be applied to the amount of child support payments that he failed to pay for several years. Here, the mother and the father had one child together. In 2003, a court ordered the father to pay $507 in monthly child support payments to the mother. Over the succeeding years, the payments were incrementally reduced. By 2011, the family court held a hearing and reduced the amount of monthly support to $8.50.

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As part of a divorce proceeding, the family court often issues an award of monthly spousal support to one of the parties. California law sets forth a variety of factors to weigh in determining the amount of support. It is important to keep in mind, however, that in most cases, this court-ordered amount is not necessarily a permanent figure. Either party may request the court to modify the spousal support by pleading and proving a “material change in circumstances” since the order was issued. Since an award of spousal support can have a dramatic impact on both spouses’ finances after divorce, it is important to ensure that your interests are protected as early as possible in the process. An experienced San Diego family law lawyer can assess your case in accordance with local laws.

In order to successfully modify your spousal support order (either an increase or decrease in the amount), it is helpful to understand how courts view the established standard of a “material change in circumstances.” In a recent case, the husband filed a request to modify or terminate spousal support payments to his ex-wife. The couple got married in 1989 and divorced in 2002. Their marriage lasted for 13 years, they had no children, and each party received over $1 million in assets.

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When a divorce or separation case involves children, the parties must address additional considerations that will affect the family down the road. Issues such as legal and physical custody and visitation (or “time-share”) must be resolved, either by mutual agreement or an order of the court. California courts have the authority to issue various kinds of visitation orders in child custody cases. The underlying goal is to find a suitable arrangement that serves the best interests of the child under the circumstances. It is important to understand your family’s rights in a child custody and visitation proceeding. You are encouraged to contact an experienced San Diego family law attorney, who can sort through the legal requirements in order to protect your rights.

“Visitation” is usually part of a custody order and is commonly understood to be the plan for how parents will divide time with their children. Depending on the situation, visitation can take place according to a schedule, or it may be unscheduled (“open-ended”) but “reasonable.” In some cases, courts will order “supervised” visitation, or no visitation at all. In order to be able to enforce a custody and visitation arrangement, the parties must present the plan to a judge. Once the judge signs the document, it becomes a court order, enforceable by either party. If circumstances change, such as the children’s schedules, the location of the parties, or any other item affecting the arrangement, either party may file an application with the court to modify the existing custody and visitation order.
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A divorcing couple with minor children inevitably will have to consider the issue of child support. Either the parties will come to an agreement as to the appropriate amount, or a court will impose upon them a determined figure in accordance with the state’s child support guidelines. Additionally, the State Family Code requires parents to pay “adult child support” under certain circumstances. Whether you will be the recipient of support or the person obligated to pay, it is extremely important to understand your legal and financial rights. The best course of action is first to contact an experienced family law attorney from the San Diego area, someone who handles divorce cases on a daily basis.

While not as common as a typical child support obligation, adult child support requirements do exist. Under Section 3910 of the California Family Code, a parent is responsible to pay for the support of an adult child under the following two conditions: 1) if the adult child is “incapacitated from earning a living” and 2) is without “sufficient means.” A California court recently had the opportunity to review the statute and its applicability to a couple’s divorce case. Here, the parties married in 1993, separated in 2006, and have two children born in 1991 and 1995, respectively. Their stipulated judgment of divorce indicated that the husband was required to pay child support until the children marry, die, are emancipated, or reach 19 (or 18 and are no longer in high school), whichever comes first.
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Under basic California family law, courts have the authority to order one spouse to support the other as part of a divorce judgment. The state code sets forth a variety of factors to review in determining the amount of spousal support. Some of the items include (but are not limited to) the duration of the marriage, the earning capacity of the supported spouse, the age and health of the parties, the couple’s standard of living during the marriage, and the ability of the supporting spouse to pay spousal support. The court’s ruling with respect to spousal support can significantly affect each spouse’s financial standing after the divorce. If you are considering a separation or dissolution of your marriage, it is important to take steps to protect your financial rights. You are encouraged to consult with an experienced San Diego family law attorney as soon as possible.

In a recent California case, the wife failed to seek the assistance of counsel, and the court denied her requests to modify (in this case, increase and extend) the court’s original award of spousal support. Here, the parties were married in 1986 and separated in September 2002. The husband filed for divorce the following month. Throughout the dissolution proceedings, the parties were both represented by counsel. As part of the stipulated judgment, the husband was required to pay $1,000 in monthly support to the wife for seven and a half years, unless there was an application to extend support filed by the end of June 2012.
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