Unwed father needs to establish paternity: If you are an unwed father, there are some things you need to know and do as you prepare to take on your role as a father who is not married to his child’s mother. In family law across the United States, if a married couple have a baby, the legal presumption…
Mental Health and Grounds for Divorce in California Here is another story: My wife and I have been married for 4 years and throughout the marriage, she has exhibited extremely erratic behavior from depression to elation and bipolarity. The ups and downs have been very disturbing and miserable. After our separation, she was diagnosed and treated as schizophrenia and bipolarity. She didn’t…
Mental Illness and Divorce in California The case scenario described below isn’t a rare case, unfortunately it does happen in a marriage: My wife who was hospitalized and treated for schizophrenia before the conception of our child is now falsely accusing me of physically abusing our merely 2 years old daughter. Her accusation has put…
Adultery and Divorce law in California Most people believe that cheating on your spouse is wrong, but whether or not it can get you in legal trouble depends on where you live. California’s divorce laws are forgiving of adultery. California is considered a no-fault jurisdiction. Accordingly, the court will not consider your spouse’s affair when determining spousal…
In California, courts can annul marriages when one spouse couldn’t have consented to the marriage at the time of the wedding. For example, if one spouse was underage or was forced to marry, the judge will declare the marriage void. Courts can also annul marriages when one spouse couldn’t have consented due to being unable…
Divorce During Pregnancy Pregnancy can be a stressful time for both the mother and the father if the couple is unhappy and decides to end the marriage, the stress will be multiplied when divorce during pregnancy is not even possible. Some states prohibit divorce during pregnancy, and some do not. In California if one of the…
On July 29, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a final rule expanding the existing provisional waiver process to allow certain individuals who are family members of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs), and who are statutorily eligible for immigrant visas, to more easily navigate the immigration process. The provisional waiver process…
Each year thousands of U.S. citizens adopt children from abroad and many families in other countries adopt U.S. children. Intercountry adoption is governed by both the laws of the country in which the child lives and the country in which the adoptive parents live. Under U.S. law, there are two distinct intercountry adoption processes: The…
When a married couple divorces, the question of who gets to keep the pets often arises. Whereas the laws are designed to protect the best interests of human children in divorce (allowing for shared custody, visitation, and alimony), the laws for pets are intended to benefit the owner instead. Under the law, pets are considered…
Yes, same sex couples may adopt in California. In fact, California has a long history of non-discrimination in adoption. Generally speaking, California law is among the best in the nation for equality, and California has provided benefits to same-sex partners of state employees since 1999. Through the Domestic Partnership Act of 1999, California became the…
