San Diego Divorce Lawyer Blog
The Law Offices of Doppelt and Forney, APLC practices in all aspects of family law. This includes divorce, legal separation, paternity, child custody, child support and visitation, spousal support, prenuptial agreements, and more.
At the free consultation, you will meet with an experienced lawyer who will listen to your case and provide you with strategies to help protect your rights moving forward. We can run guideline child and spousal support calculations so you have realistic expectations. As you may know, the paperwork involved with family law cases can be extremely confusing and lengthy. Our firm assists with the preparation of all pleadings and court appearances as necessary including the family resolution conferences. We also handle post judgment motions including motions for modification of child and spousal support and the parenting plan as well as motions to set aside the judgment and enforcement of the judgment. We will perform and conduct legal research as needed. We prepare the petition and summons and all the initial dissolution pleadings for filing with the San Diego Superior Court. We also assist with motions for child custody, child visitation, spousal support, alimony, attorney fees, residence exclusion orders and others. To learn more about our services and how we can help you with your family law case, call us today to schedule your free consultation.
Not only is a divorce emotionally draining, it can also drain your bank account.
If your divorce is contentious with many issues to work out, attorney fees can quickly skyrocket.
Many times, one spouse makes significantly more than the other, and thus may lack the ability to pay for an attorney or keep up with the legal fees associated with a divorce. California Family Code Section 2030 “levels the playing field” and allows a court to order one spouse to pay for the other spouse’s attorney fees. If there is a large disparity in income, it is very likely that the party with more resources will be ordered to pay some or all of the attorney’s fees.
The courts can order one spouse to pay “whatever amount is reasonably necessary” to make sure that the other spouse has access. A court can order the payment of attorney’s fees when:
1. One spouse demonstrates financial need
2. The other spouse has the ability to pay them.
3. Other factors
The determination will be based on an “income and needs assessment” in which the Courts will evaluate the financial ability of each spouse during their divorce or legal separation. The assessment will include reviewing each spouse’s:
– Income
– Assets
– Investments
– Dividends
– Inheritances
– Income-producing property.
– Others
If the Courts order you to pay for your ex-spouse’s attorney’s fees after analysis, you must pay the amount.
San Diego Divorce Lawyers
Are you currently going through a divorce or legal separation? Call the attorneys at Doppelt and Forney, APLC for a free consultation today. We are here to help you through this often confusing and emotional process.