Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements can both help California couples define their financial rights and responsibilities. However, signing an agreement before marriage is legally different from signing one after the wedding. Postnuptial agreements often face greater scrutiny because California spouses owe each other fiduciary duties that do not generally exist between unmarried partners. That distinction can…
Your ex is repeatedly late for exchanges. A weekend visit is canceled without agreement. You are denied scheduled parenting time, or the other parent makes an important decision that appears to violate your joint legal custody order. At what point will a California family court actually do something? There’s no rule requiring a parent to…
A postnuptial agreement can change important financial rights after a couple is already married. It might determine whether property is separate or community, address ownership of a business, establish financial obligations, or affect what happens if the marriage ends. But what if you signed because your spouse threatened divorce, controlled the finances, withheld information, or…
What happens when your ex quits a job, turns down available work, or deliberately earns less while you are paying child or spousal support? California courts do not always have to calculate support using what a person is actually earning. In appropriate circumstances, a court can consider earning capacity, sometimes referred to as imputing income….
If you pay spousal support in California and believe your ex is living with a new partner, you may wonder whether that relationship can reduce or end your support obligation. Cohabitation can matter, but it doesn’t automatically terminate spousal support. Under California Family Code section 4323, cohabitation with a nonmarital partner creates a rebuttable presumption…
A prenuptial agreement can give couples greater certainty about property, debts, business interests, and financial expectations if their marriage ends. But simply having both people sign a document before the wedding does not guarantee that a California court will enforce every provision. California has specific requirements governing premarital agreements. When a prenup is challenged during…
When parents disagree about child custody or parenting time in California, they generally don’t go directly to a judge for a decision. California law requires parents with contested custody or visitation issues to participate in court-connected mediation first. The process is handled through Family Court Services (FCS). For fathers involved in a custody dispute, understanding…
