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Family Law

Family Law

We handle all Family Law Matters as Shown in the List Below:

Family Law
  • Child Custody
  • Child Visitation
  • Child Support
  • Spousal Support
  • Petition for Dissolution
  • Petitions to Establish Parental Relationship
  • Domestic Violence – Restraining Orders
  • Motions
  • Orders to Show Cause Matters
  • Request For Order Matters
  • Contempt of Court Motions
  • District Attorney Support Cases
  • Marital Settlement Agreements
  • Regular Dissolutions
  • Summary Dissolutions
  • Property Division
  • QDRO Declarations
  • Schedule of Assets and Debts
  • Income and Expenses Declarations
  • Annulment
  • Name Change
  • Defaults
  • Post-Judgment Matters
  • Mediation
  • Family Law From Initial Filing To Judgment

Sample Pricing On Most Popular Family Law Matters:

Summary Dissolution – $300.00

Uncontested Divorce With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $900.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $300.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $900.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $300.00)

Uncontested Annulment With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $1,500.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $500.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $1,500.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $500.00)

Child Support Establishment – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Child Support Modification – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Child Custody – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Child Visitation – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Spousal Support Establishment – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Spousal Support Modification – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Establishing Paternity – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with the process, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Divorce

Marital separation and divorce can be two of the most difficult events in an adult’s life. Much stress comes from three sources: the daily tasks and responsibilities that must be reorganized, the loss of significant relationships and possessions, and the need to establish a new identity as an individual. The least you can do for yourself is have us prepare the paperwork for you.

Don’t Do It Alone!

Preparing for a divorce is a big job. There are many things to be done before you initiate divorce proceedings, including gathering documents, researching the legal issues and exploring your options. You may need to find a divorce attorney or brush up on divorce laws.

You will need to take control of your divorce right from the beginning in order to protect your finances and maintain your lifestyle. The more prepared you are for your divorce, the smoother the whole process will be.

At Legal Dox, each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Divorce Matters:

Summary Dissolution – $300.00

Uncontested Divorce With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Divorce With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $900.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $300.00)

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Legal Separation

Marital separation and divorce can be two of the most difficult events in an adult’s life. Much stress comes from three sources: the daily tasks and responsibilities that must be reorganized, the loss of significant relationships and possessions, and the need to establish a new identity as an individual. The least you can do for yourself is have us prepare the paperwork for you.

Don’t Do It Alone!

Preparing for a Legal Separation is a big job. There are many things to be done before you initiate Legal Separation proceedings, including gathering documents, researching the legal issues and exploring your options. You may need to find a family law attorney or brush up on Legal Separation laws. You will need to take control of your Legal Separation right from the beginning in order to protect your finances and maintain your lifestyle. The more prepared you are for your Legal Separation, the smoother the whole process will be.

At Legal Dox, each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Legal Separation Matters:

Uncontested Legal Separation With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Legal Separation With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $900.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $300.00)

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Annulment

An annulment (or “nullity of marriage” or “nullity of domestic partnership”) is when a court says your marriage or domestic partnership is NOT legally valid. After an annulment, it is like your marriage or domestic partnership never happened because it was never legal.

Marital separation and annulment can be two of the most difficult events in an adult’s life.

Much stress comes from three sources: the daily tasks and responsibilities that must be reorganized, the loss of significant relationships and possessions, and the need to establish a new identity as an individual. The least you can do for yourself is have us prepare the paperwork for you.

Don’t Do It Alone!

Preparing for an annulment is a big job. There are many things to be done before you initiate annulment proceedings, including gathering documents, researching the legal issues and exploring your options. You may need to find a family law attorney or brush up on annulment laws. You will need to take control of your annulment right from the beginning in order to protect your finances and maintain your lifestyle. The more prepared you are for your annulment, the smoother the whole process will be.

At Legal Dox , each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Annulment Matters:

Uncontested Annulment With No Minor Children Or Assets and/or Debts – $400.00

(Broken up into 2 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Assets and/or Debts and No Minor Children – $600.00

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $200.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Minor Children and No Assets and/or Debts – $1,200.00

Requires a Petition for Annulment and a Subsequent Petition For Paternity

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $400.00)

Uncontested Annulment With Minor Children And Assets and/or Debts – $1,200.00

Requires a Petition for Annulment and a Subsequent Petition For Paternity

(Broken up into 3 Easy Payments of $400.00)

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Paternity

What Is Paternity?

Establishing paternity is the process of determining the legal father of a child. When parents are married, paternity is automatically established in most cases. If parents are unmarried, paternity establishment is not automatic and the process should be started by both parents as soon as possible for the benefit of the child. Unmarried parents can establish paternity (legal fatherhood) by signing the voluntary Declaration of Paternity. This can be done in the hospital after the child is born. A Declaration of Paternity may also be signed by parents after they leave the hospital. Unmarried parents who sign the Declaration of Paternity form help their child(ren) gain the same rights and privileges of a child born within a marriage. Some of those rights include: financial support from both parents, access to important family medical records, access to the noncustodial parent’s medical benefits, and the emotional benefit of knowing who both parents are.

At Legal Dox, each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Paternity Matters:

Establishing Paternity – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Child Custody and Visitation

Child Custody

Fighting for child custody may be one of the single most important struggles of your life. Often the future of your child and how your child will be raised will be greatly impacted depending on the outcome of your child custody case. It is in the best interests of every parent to learn as much as possible before and during the child custody process. In cases of divorce, the court of jurisdiction for the divorce proceedings also determines child custody arrangements. Under the common statutory provision, if the spouses have children together while married, the parents have joint guardianship over that child and the parental rights are equal. Each parent has an equal right to the custody of the child when they separate. The parent with custody controls decisions pertaining to the child’s education, religious upbringing, and health care.

Courts have the option of choosing one of the several types of custody. Temporary custody grants custody of the child to an individual during the divorce or separation proceeding. Exclusive custody endows one parent with all custody rights to the exclusion of the other parent. The non-custodial parent may receive supervision rights or in certain cases, supervised visitation rights. Joint custody grants the parents equal rights in making decisions regarding the child’s upbringing. Courts award joint custody for cases in which both parents can properly perform their duties as parents. If one parent suing for exclusive custody, the suing parent must rebut a presumption that joint custody is in the child’s best interests.

A court can award the custody of a child to a third-party if the third-party has sought custody. The third-party is often a grandparent or other close relative. If a marriage results in multiple children, a court has the authority to separate the children and split the custody between parents in accord with the best interest of each particular child. Ordinarily, however, the best interests of a child will be to live with that child’s siblings, in part for reasons of emotional support. When determining the home in which to place the child, the court strives to reach a decision in “the best interests of the child.” A decision in “the best interests of the child” requires considering the wishes of the child’s parents, the wishes of the child, and the child’s relationship with each of the parents, siblings, other persons who may substantially impact the child’s best interests, the child’s comfort in his home, school, and community, and the mental and physical health of the involved individuals.

When a court awards exclusive child custody to one parent, the non-custodial parent maintains the right to see and visit the child, absent extraordinary circumstances. If the court’s custody decree fails to mention visitation rights, the law implies the parent’s right to visitation. Thus, an express prohibition on visitation must exist within the decree in order to deny parental visitation rights because visitation rights stem from the fact of parenthood.

Even though this strong presumption in favor of visitation rights exists, courts may impose restrictions on visitation by noncustodial parents. If a party convinces the court that visitation rights would be injurious to the child’s best interests, then the court possesses the authority to deny visitation rights. This best interest of the child analysis, however, does not give dispositive weight to the child’s stated desires because parents inherently possess the right to attempt to repair the parent-child relationship.

Cases in which courts deny visitation rights often include noncustodial parents who had physically or emotionally abused the child in the past and noncustodial parents severely suffering from a mental illness that would emotionally devastate the child. Noncustodial parents who are incarcerated or who have a prison record are not categorically denied visitation rights. If a parent refuses to obey the court’s visitation or custody decree, the court can order the parent in indirect contempt of court. Like other aspects of family law, the states control most law in the field of child custody.

At Legal Dox , each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Custody and Visitation Matters:

Child Custody – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Child Visitation – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Child Support

Child support is the periodic payment of money from one parent to the other parent of a minor child so that the parent receiving the support can at least pay for the minor child’s basic necessities of life. The amount of child support that must be paid relies on the income of the parties and the amount of time that each parent has custody of the minor child.

Got Child Support Panic?

Need to establish an order for child support? Is the other Party not paying on their existing child support order? Need to modify an existing order for support? Are you having trouble paying your child support? Are you behind because it’s too high? Is your child support making it difficult to support your new family? Is the Division of Child Support Enforcement or District Attorney after you for back child support or AFDC welfare repayments? Have your wages being garnished? Has your driver’s license or passport been suspended? Caseworker giving you the run-around? Do feel that you will never pay off the past due child support balance with the high-interest charges? Has a warrant been issued for your arrest? Your frustrations are over! If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, we can help you.

At Legal Dox, each client gets the individual care they deserve no

matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Child Support Matters:

Child Support Establishment – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Child Support Modification – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees. We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Spousal Support

What Is Spousal Support?

Alimony, maintenance or spousal support is an obligation established by divorce law in many countries that are based on the premise that both spouses have an absolute obligation to support each other during the marriage (or civil union) unless they are legally separated. In some instances, the obligation to support may continue after separation or divorce. The

earliest example of alimony is mentioned in the first recorded code of laws in the world; the

code of Ur-Nammu. In it, a man who divorced his wife was supposed to pay her a mina (sixty silver shekels).

Historically, alimony arose as a result of the indissoluble nature of marriage in western culture. Because divorce was rare, husband and wife remained married after their physical separation and the husband’s obligation to support his wife continued. With the growing view that men and women should be treated equally, the law recognized that both husbands and wives owed each other a similar duty of support.

Accordingly, courts now may order either the husband or wife to pay alimony. In practice, it is more often the husband that is required to pay. Once dissolution proceedings commence, either party may seek interim or pendente lite support during the course of the litigation.

Where a divorce or dissolution of marriage (civil union) is granted, either party may ask for post-marital alimony.

It is not an absolute right but may be granted, the amount and terms varying with the circumstances. If one party is already receiving support at the time of the divorce, the previous order is not automatically continued (although this can be requested), as the arguments for support during and after the marriage can be different. Unless the parties agree to the terms of their divorce in a binding written instrument, the court will make a determination based on the legal argument and the testimony submitted by both parties. This can be modified at any future date based on a change of circumstances by either party on proper notice to the other party and application to the court.

The courts are generally reluctant to modify an existing agreement unless the reasons are compelling. In some jurisdictions the court always has jurisdiction to grant maintenance should one of the former spouses become a public charge.

At Legal Dox, each client gets the individual care they deserve no matter how big or small your case. We take pride in providing excellent service and anyone is welcome to come in for a consultation.

Sample Pricing On Spousal Support Matters:

Spousal Support Establishment – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Spousal Support Modification – $500.00 If Uncontested

Add $600.00 if the matter is contested and a court hearing is needed

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees. We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Prenuptial Agreements

A Premarital Agreement (also called prenuptial agreement or “prenup”) is a legal document

(contract) executed by the parties before marriage. In the case of a divorce, the prenup lays out the property and financial rights of each party to the marriage. Unfortunately, half of the marriages in the United States end in divorce and while no one is thinking about a divorce when they get married, it is often a good idea to plan ahead just in case. For a lot of people, it is often prudent to at least consider a prenuptial agreement. Prenups are often used to protect the assets of wealthy spouses but also can protect family businesses and serve other important functions. They can also lay the foundation for a healthy marriage in term of finances because both parties will know what their financial responsibilities will be when married.

Due to the fact that prenups invoke the suggestion that the marriage could end one day for reasons other than the death of one of the spouses, entering into a prenuptial agreement should never be taken lightly. Discussion of a prenuptial agreement also can create stress in a relationship. Therefore, deciding whether to implement certain financial conditions and designations of a separate property while also planning nuptials is a personal decision that one must consider before entering into the discussion of a prenup with the soon to be spouse. It helps to understand the pros and cons of signing such an agreement within the realm of one’s personal financial situation before a person brings up the notion of a prenup in the relationship.

Let Legal Dox take all of the guesswork out of having to draft your Prenuptial Agreement. With flat fees starting as low as $500.00, we can draft a professional legally binding Prenuptial Agreement that you can rely on. We work closely with all parties to make sure everyone is clear as to what the agreement is before the Prenuptial Agreement is written to avoid issues for everyone down the line.

The Attorneys in our office offer review services for the other party at a flat fee of $2,500.00.

QDRO

What is a Qualified Domestic Relations Order?

A “qualified domestic relation order” (QDRO) is a domestic relations order that creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee’s right to receive, or assigns to an alternate payee the right to receive, all or a portion of the benefits payable with respect to a participant under a retirement plan, and that includes certain information and meets certain other requirements.

Reference: ERISA § 206(d)(3)(B)(i); IRC § 414(p)(1)(A)

What is a domestic relations order?

A domestic relations order is a judgment, decree, or order (including the approval of a property settlement) that is made pursuant to state domestic relations law (including community property law) and that relates to the provision of child support, alimony payments, or marital property rights for the benefit of a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependents of a participant.

A state authority, generally a court, must actually issue a judgment, order, or decree or otherwise formally approve a property settlement agreement before it can be a domestic relations order under ERISA. The mere fact that a property settlement is agreed to and signed by the parties will not, in and of itself, cause the agreement to be a domestic relations order.

There is no requirement that both parties to a marital proceeding sign or otherwise endorse or approve an order. It is also not necessary that the retirement plan is brought into state court or made a party to a domestic relation proceeding for an order issued in that proceeding to be a domestic relations order or a qualified domestic relations order. Indeed, because state law is generally preempted to the extent that it relates to retirement plans, the Department takes the position that retirement plans cannot be joined as a party in a domestic relations proceeding pursuant to state law. Moreover, retirement plans are neither permitted nor required to follow the terms of domestic relations orders purporting to assign retirement benefits unless they are QDROs.

Reference: ERISA §§ 206(d)(3)(B)(ii), 514(a), 514(b)(7); IRC § 414(p)(1)(B)

Let Legal Dox take all of the guesswork out of having to draft your QDRO. With flat fees starting as low as $500.00, we can draft a professional legally binding QDRO that you can rely on. We work closely with all parties to make sure everyone is clear as to what the agreement is before the QDRO is written to avoid issues for everyone down the line.

Guardianship

The Judicial Council of California describes Guardianships as follows:

Guardianship is when a court orders someone other than the child’s parent to:

Have custody of the child, or Manage the child’s property (called “estate”); or Both.

Probate Guardianships cases are brought by the person seeking to be appointed guardian or by someone else in the family asking the court to appoint a guardian.

A probate guardianship of the person is set up because a child is living with an adult who is not the child’s parent, and the adult needs a court order to make decisions on behalf of the child.

In a Guardianship:

Parents still have parental rights. They can ask for reasonable contact with the child.

The court can end a guardianship if the parents become able to take care of the child.

Guardians can be supervised by the court.

In a guardianship of the person, the guardian has the same responsibilities to care for the child as a parent would. That means the guardian has full legal and physical custody of the child and can make all the decisions about the physical care of the child that a parent would make. A guardian can be anyone: relatives, friends of the family, or other people suitable to raise the child can ask to be legal guardians.

A guardianship of the estate is set up to manage a child’s income, money, or other property until the child turns 18. A child may need a guardian of the estate if he or she inherits money or assets. In most cases, the court appoints the surviving parent to be the guardian of the child’s estate.

Sample Pricing Guardianship Matters:

Guardianship – $800.00 For Complete Petition

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Adoption

The Judicial Council of California describes Adoptions as follows:

Adoption is the legal process of establishing a legal parent-child relationship when the adopting parent is not the child’s biological or birth parent. That means that once the adoption is final, the adoptive parents have all the legal rights and responsibilities of a parent-child relationship. That new parent-child relationship is permanent and is exactly the same as that of a birth family. An adoptive parent can be a stepparent or domestic partner of one of the birth parents, a relative of the child who has been caring for the child, or someone not related to the child by blood.

Types of Adoptions:

Stepparent/domestic partner adoption:

  • The spouse or domestic partner of the child’s parent adopt that child.
  • The couple must be legally married or registered as domestic partners.
  • It is the most common type of adoption.
  • It is a little simpler than other types because 1 of the child’s birth parents still remains the child’s parent.

An independent, agency, or international adoption:

  • Independent adoption is when no adoption agency or the Department of Social Services is part of the adoption case.
  • An agency adoption is when the California Department of Social Services or a licensed adoption agency is part of the adoption case.
  • International adoption is when the child to be adopted was born in another country.
  • In all these three types, the court ends the parental rights of the child’s two birth parents, and the adoptive parents become the children’s legal parents.

Sample Pricing Adoption Matters:

Adoption – $800.00 For Complete Petition

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

Conservatorship

The Judicial Council of California describes Conservatorships as follows:

A conservatorship is a court case where a judge appoints a responsible person or organization (called the “conservator”) to care for another adult (called the “conservatee”) who cannot care for himself or herself or manage his or her own finances.

Sample Pricing Conservatorship Matters:

Conservatorship – $800.00 For Complete Petition

Please note that the above-quoted prices do not include any court or process server fees.

We will be glad to review your financial situation with you to see if you qualify for a Waiver of Court Fees and Costs. If the other Party doesn’t mind coming to our office to be served with process or is willing to sign a Notice and Acknowledgment of being served by mail, we will serve them the paperwork and complete the proof of service for you at no additional charge.

Please call us for pricing on any and all family law matters that you may need help with that is not listed above.

The Attorneys in our office can also provide Limited Scope Representation for you in Court for a very small fee, should you feel more comfortable having an attorney present with you in court.

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