Articles by author: Schonauer Law

In the Collaborative process each party is represented by an attorney. Either one or two coaches are involved to represent and protect the collaborative process. A mental health professional may also be part of the team to bring to the table the needs of involved children. In the Collaborative dissolution, there is only one true neutral person, the Financial professional. The Financial Neutral helps to alleviate power imbalances in the room by the very nature of being neutral.

Local Attorney and Collaborative practitioner Diana Allen Jackson shares her thoughts about the collaboratively process of ending a martial or non-martial relationship. Take a Look.

My boyfriend was served divorce papers from his ex. They have been separated for over a year but the divorce process never began. He mailed in his response papers to the court which is 7 hours up north.

In the Collaborative process each party is represented by an attorney. Either one or two coaches are involved to represent and protect the collaborative process. A mental health professional may also be part of the team to bring to the table the needs of involved children. In the Collaborative dissolution, there is only one true neutral person, the Financial professional. The Financial Neutral helps to alleviate power imbalances in the room by the very nature of being neutral.

I understand that the child's preference is considered in CA

The court may order the payment of fees and cost based on the parties’ "relative circumstances" (i.e., respective income, assets, needs, and abilities to pay) to ensure equal legal representation in court. Such awards may be granted to provide the party the money needed to hire an attorney.

Jurisdiction is the right, power, or authority to determining controversies and issue orders that parties to the controversy must comply. In California, the superior courts are the lowest level of state courts in holding general jurisdiction on civil and criminal matters. Jurisdiction is divided into to categories, personal jurisdiction and subject matter jurisdiction.

Under California law, if a marriage is "of long duration," the court "retains jurisdiction" over an award of spousal support after the dissolution (divorce) is completed, unless the spouses agree otherwise. When a court retains jurisdiction over spousal support, the court has the authority to decide issues relating to support of either party and can modify an order if changing facts and circumstances justify a change.

A family’s largest investment is often the home they live in. A family home is can be purchased and financed in a variety of ways. When a family dissolves, one household becomes two, and community property must be divided, it's difficult to determine each spouse’s respective ownership interest in the family residence, even experienced attorney’s get it wrong.

An Employer may offer stock options to an employee to attract a new employee, as compensation for future service, and/or as an incentive for an employee to stay with the company. A Stock option is an option to purchase a specific number of shares of employer’s stock at a particular price and time.