Blog Posts in November, 2013

Determining Possession of Family Heirlooms After a Divorce

Divorce laws in Pasadena state that items are either separate property or marital property. Unfortunately, however, family heirlooms can sometimes be classified as marital property that belongs to both spouses equally. This can be quite upsetting to the spouse who is angry about losing an heirloom with both monetary and sentimental value. Gifts to one person are considered separate property. A ...

How to Get a Temporary Court Order

When you file for a divorce in Pasadena , it can often take several months for major issues to be resolved. To ensure that basic needs are met during this interim period, a judge will issue temporary orders. Temporary orders can give temporary possession of assets such as a vehicle or the marital home to one spouse, or order spouses not to sell valuable assets. If the couple has children, ...

Can a Parent Ever Choose Not to Receive Child Support?

If you are a divorced or never married parent, you may find yourself wondering if there is ever a situation where both parents can agree to forgo the payment of Pasadena child support . Child support is based on the amount of time each parent physically cares for the child, as well as the income of the parties. So, hypothetically, you could have a situation where no child support is due if the ...

Changing Your Child's Name After Your Divorce

After a Pasadena divorce , many women decide to go back to using their maiden name as a way to symbolize a fresh start and a new chapter in their life. If you're a woman thinking of going back to your maiden name after your divorce, you may find yourself wondering if you can change the names of your children as well. Traditionally, courts upheld the opinion that children were required to keep the ...

When Is Supervised Visitation Required After a Divorce?

After a Pasadena divorce , the court may require that the noncustodial parent have supervised visitation. Supervised visitation means that a neutral third party must be present when the noncustodial parent is visiting the child. Supervised visitation may be a tool to help reintroduce a child to his or her parent after a long absence, such as a case where regular visits haven't currently been ...

Factors Used to Determine Custody of a Pet

Disputes over the custody of family pets are becoming increasingly common after a Pasadena divorce . Traditionally, pets were considered to be personal property during a divorce settlement. But as any animal lover knows, a beloved cat or dog is nothing like a leather sofa or an expensive antique lamp. In response to growing concerns about the welfare of a pet post-divorce, judges are beginning to ...

How to Tell Your Children That You're Getting a Divorce

If you're a parent, telling your children that you're filing for a divorce in Pasadena may seem like one of the hardest tasks you've ever faced. However, since the way in which you break the news to your children sets the tone for your post-divorce relationship, it's worth spending some time planning how you'll approach the conversation. It's important to sit down together to tell your children ...

Preparing for Your Court Appearance

For many people, the most difficult part of a contested divorce in Pasadena is making a court appearance. If you've never had to appear in court before, the thought of going before a judge can be quite nerve wracking. Your attorney should help prepare you for your appearance by going over what issues will be discussed and explaining what to expect. Here are a few other tips to keep in mind to make ...