Family Law Lawyers Gonzales CA

Family Law Lawyers Gonzales CA

Family law is a broad area of the law, and while it includes divorce, it extends well beyond the confines of divorce. Whether you are facing a divorce, need a post-divorce modification, have a child custody case outside of marriage and divorce, or have concerns related to paternity, adoptions and guardianship, or domestic violence, an experienced family law lawyer in Gonzales, CA, can help. 

Divorce, Post-Decree Modifications, and Child Custody and Child Support Terms outside of Marriage

The primary terms of a California divorce include all the following:

• Child custody and parenting time, which establishes parental responsibilities as well as each parent’s schedule with the children
• Child support, which reflects each parent’s ongoing financial responsibility to support their children
• The division of marital property, which reflects the assets the married couple acquired over the course of their marriage and which are generally divided equally in California
• Spousal support – or alimony – which is ordered only when one spouse is financially disadvantaged by the divorce and when the other has the means to help

Other than property division, each of these can be addressed as a post-divorce modification, and both child custody and child support can be addressed between parents who were never married.

Paternity

When a child’s parents are not married at the time of their birth, the matter of paternity – or who the child’s father is – must be established as a matter of law. When the parents are in agreement in relation to paternity, they can file a document attesting to this fact with the court. Otherwise, paternity is generally determined through DNA testing, which either the mother or the potential father can request through the court – or which the court can require independently.

Guardianship and Adoption

When an individual becomes a child’s guardian, they take on a parental role in the sense that they take care of the child on a day-to-day basis the way a parent does, but they do not become the child’s parent. When an individual adopts a child, however, they become their legal parent – and the child’s birth parents lose their legal rights. Both processes are challenging legal matters. 

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence refers to physically harming or credibly threatening to harm a member of one’s family or household or a past or current intimate partner, and it is a highly problematic concern. Domestic violence can take many damaging forms, including the following:

• Hitting, kicking, slapping, or punching
• Strangling 
• Pushing
• Pulling hair
• Throwing things
• Damaging property
• Depriving or threatening to deprive of life’s necessities, such as food and shelter
• Harassing
• Sexually assaulting

Look to an Experienced Family Law Lawyer in Gonzales, California, for the Help You Need

The formidable family law lawyers at Miranda, Magden & Miranda, LLP – proudly serving Gonzales, California – offer focused guidance to clients who are navigating challenging issues related to family law. Your rights are important, so please don’t wait to reach out and contact us for more information about what we can do to help you today.