Marriage has always been considered a sacred bond in society, predating many nations and even some core tenets of the law. Some believe that marriage has spiritual value, while others say it is an evolutionary response to creating a unit for raising children. One way...
family law
How easy is it to adopt a child in California?
It may seem that family law is only for use in emotionally fraught situations like divorce or fights over child custody. But there is one vital function that should be bringing joy and hope to a family, and that is the growth of the family through adoption. Who can...
How to save money when co-parenting
When a marriage ends, and children are involved, ex-spouses must adapt and learn how to divide up their parenting responsibilities. Co-parenting can be challenging from an emotional as well as a financial perspective.In most cases, the breakup of a marriage results in...
HOW DO I UNDERSTAND PARENTAL ALIENATION?
Like many divorced parents, you and your ex-spouse may have difficulty getting along. Things may be tense when you speak with each other or meet to exchange the children. However, if your ex is doing things that seem to be affecting your relationship with your...
WHAT DIFFERENT FORMS CAN ABUSE TAKE?
It can be difficult to recognize when you are a victim of domestic violence or abuse in California. One of the reasons for this is that the treatment you receive can alter your perceptions, but another reason is that abuse does not always take a recognizable form,...
What factors are considered when setting child support?
Whether you are currently going through the divorce process, or you are simply considering filing for divorce, there are a myriad of issues to tackle. Child support is one of the issues that must be looked at when terminating a marriage. It is important that children...
What is financial abuse?
Like other forms of relationship abuse in California, financial abuse can and does occur across all racial and ethnic groups, at all educational and socioeconomic levels and can victimize either women or men. However, according to the National Network to End Domestic...
Travel, taxes and back child support consequences
Falling behind on child support can result in many different challenges, from anxiety to the threat of being taken into custody. However, there are other ways in which becoming delinquent on child support payments can disrupt a parent's life. For example, a...
Reasons to consider joint custody
Californian parents have big questions to ask about future child-rearing plans through the divorce process. How will they handle parenting moving forward? Will one parent have primary custody while the other sticks to a visitation schedule? More and more often,...
Making a holiday happy when your kids are with the other parent
At the Law Office of Stephen W. Penn and Associates, we understand that the holidays can be a lonely time of year for many Californians, especially when they are divorced. When your children spend Christmas with your ex, the sting of being alone can be particularly...