Carlsbad Family Law Attorneys

Carlsbad Family Law Matters: Divorce, Custody, and Support

When a family law issue arises, it can be the source of great anxiety, with worries regarding the outcome of a divorce, child custody matter, child support, or spousal maintenance. These legal matters require the assistance of an accomplished Carlsbad family law attorney with extensive experience and knowledge of this complex area of law. At Mattis Law, A.P.C. our firm’s founder, Amelia Mattis, has garnered a reputation for legal excellence, and was named as one of the 10 Best Female Family Law Attorneys in 2020.

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Family Lawyer in Carlsbad – The Support and Guidance You Need.

Navigating a divorce is one of life’s most difficult challenges, even when the two parties are generally amicable. When marriage dissolution is contentious, it can threaten your way of life, child custody, and the critical financial matters surrounding spousal support. Your family lawyer can guide you through every phase of the situation, collaborating closely with you to pursue the most positive outcome.

At Mattis Law, A.P.C., we take on difficult family law cases that other firms may refuse to take. We are proud to have achieved an excellent record in cases of parental alienation, move away cases, and high-asset cases.

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California Law: Property Division

California is a “community property” state. All assets gained during the marriage are equally owned by the two spouses and must be divided equally. This aspect of the law can become very complex in high-asset cases where the former partners owned several properties, businesses, stock and retirement accounts, works of art, expensive jewelry and other assets. Even in a less complex case, property division must be managed with exceptional legal skill.

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California Law: Child Custody After Divorce

When a married couple with children get divorced in Carlsbad, the issue of custody must be resolved, along with the responsibilities of each parent. It is far better to negotiate these issues outside of court, when possible, but if a resolution can’t be reached, you need to be confident that your family law attorney is accomplished, highly professional, and respected in the legal community. The outcome of a contentious child custody case will in large part, be the result of the skills of your lawyer.

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The Best Interests of the Children

All decisions made in court are based on what is believed to be in the “best interests of the child,” and generally, the court wants to see both parents involved in the raising of children. However, several issues can affect how this decision is made, including parental alienation, drug or alcohol abuse, neglect, domestic violence, and others. Ensure you have the protection provided by a talented, successful family lawyer if you or your children have been impacted by any of these factors.

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California No-Fault Divorce and Child Custody

You do not have to have a reason to seek a divorce in California, where “no-fault” divorce is extremely common. When a divorce petition is filed, for former partners with children, child custody must be addressed. The two general types of child custody are:

• Legal custody: Legal custody refers to which parent (or both) make the critical decisions regarding the welfare of the child, including healthcare, education, and even religion.
• Physical custody: This refers to where the children live. It may be joint legal custody with two homes, and shared time in various ways with a parenting plan that must be approved by the court, or sole custody which is less common. Primary physical custody means the child spends the majority of time with one parent, with visitation with the other.

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How the Court Decides

The Court may award joint legal custody, in which both parents have the responsibility to make decisions in the child’s life, but physical custody is awarded to one parent for most of the time. Every case is unique, and how the facts are presented in mediation or in court can have a significant impact on these decisions.

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Contact a Dedicated Carlsbad Family Law Lawyer

If you have a family law matter of concern, contact Amelia at Mattis Law, A.P.C. to discuss your case. Call (858) 328-4400 today for cases in Carlsbad, CA.

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