Divorce Attorneys in Vallejo and Fairfield-Suisun Offer Comprehensive Solutions

Responsive counsel and aggressive representation for divorce in California      

If you have decided to dissolve your marriage, you are probably feeling vulnerable and apprehensive about the future. How can you protect your children through the process? What will your relationship with them be like after the divorce? How much will the divorce cost? What are your finances going to be like when it’s over? All of these questions can prey on your mind. But when you retain Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, PC for your divorce, you get representation you can feel confident about. Our divorce lawyers are dedicated, attentive, and fully supported by our diverse legal team. You get personal attention to each of your pressing concerns and robust support from our civil litigation and business law divisions. Since 1973, our firm has been committed to providing excellent legal representation for each client; we’re ready today to deliver for you.

Skilled representation for contested and uncontested divorce in Vallejo and Fairfield-Suisun

How you go about obtaining your divorce can significantly affect the cost and the length of the process. In California, all divorces are no-fault, so that spares you one potential area of disagreement. The only requirement for a divorce is that one of the spouses has resided in the state for at least six months and has been a resident of the county where the petition is filed for at least three months. For most divorces, spouses have two choices:

• Uncontested divorce — You attempt to reach a complete marital settlement with your spouse through informal negotiation, mediation or the collaborative process. Some couples start working on their marital settlement before they even file for divorce. Uncontested divorce is generally possible when the parties retain a measure of respect and can still work cooperatively to expedite the process, control costs and maintain a positive environment for their children. Opting for mediation can help move the process forward, since talks can be held without waiting for an open spot on the court’s calendar. Sessions held outside of court are confidential, so you retain more privacy as well. When the parties arrive at a settlement, they present the signed document to the court for approval, and it becomes the basis for their divorce decree.
• Contested divorce — If parties are not able to reach a complete settlement, any unresolved issues are held over for trial. Contested divorce is often necessary when parents have strong disagreements about child custody issues, or one party suspects financial fraud on the other’s part.

Our family attorneys are adept at overcoming obstacles to agreement and forging mutually beneficial settlements. Unfortunately, your spouse’s attitude and actions can force you to litigate when you might prefer to settle. In such cases, we vigorously assert your rights and bring the evidence supporting your position to the court’s attention.

Vallejo and Fairfield-Suisun attorneys protect your rights throughout the divorce process

Our family law attorneys provide highly professional and efficient representation for all divorce issues, including:

• Alimony — Under California law, a dependent spouse may be eligible for temporary alimony, called pendente lite, during the divorce process. A divorce decree can include various types of alimony, including rehabilitative alimony (to help a spouse become self-supporting), reimbursement (to repay a spouse for contributions such as those for higher education paid for with separate or marital funds), lump sum alimony (in lieu of a property settlement), and permanent alimony (which continues indefinitely). Our divorce attorneys help you pursue a fair resolution based on all the relevant factors the courts must consider.
• Child custody — We help our clients negotiate parenting plans that protect their rights and promote their children’s best interests. When the parties cannot agree on a parenting plan, we are prepared to litigate so that child custody arrangements meet your son or daughter’s needs.
• Child support — California courts must adhere to statutory guidelines for child support, but issues can still arise over questions of financial disclosure and the possibility of hidden income. Parents can also disagree on whether an obligor should pay for private school tuition or various enrichment activities. We advocate strongly for our clients, calling the court’s attention to all relevant facts.
• Property division — Because the division of your community property is so vital to your financial security after divorce, we work meticulously to ensure all your rights are protected. Although the law states you are entitled to 50 percent of your marital property, disputes frequently arise when parties attempt to hide assets, claim assets as separate property, or offer valuations of assets that are not accurate. Our firm’s experience in business law and other practice areas often prove valuable in complex community property disputes.

When you retain our services, you get a strong advocate committed to your goals and robust support from a diverse legal team.

Post-divorce modifications

In time, you might find that some terms of your divorce decree no longer suit your situation or needs. California law allows you to request modifications to the following elements of your divorce order:

• Child custody — If it is in the best interest of the child to make an adjustment to terms relating to residence, visitation or legal authority, a court can alter a child custody order.
• Child support — If a paying parent loses their job or suffers a loss of income that is not their fault, the court can reduce child support. If the child now requires greater support, the court can order an increase in the payment amount.
• Alimony — A court can modify payments downward or terminate the obligation, if a supported spouse has become self-supporting, or has remarried or entered a cohabitating relationship, or if the supporting spouse has suffered a real and unavoidable financial reversal. A court can modify payments upward if the needs of the supported spouse increase and the supporting spouse has the ability to pay.
• Property division — A court will only alter a property division order if the petitioning spouse shows that fraud, misrepresentation or failure to disclose financial information deprived them of a fair share of the marital estate.

To discourage parties from filing frivolous requests, courts won’t consider motions for decrees that are less than three years old, unless a party can show that the changed circumstances are substantial, likely to be permanent, and are causing hardship.

Choose a divorce lawyer who inspires confidence in Vallejo or Fairfield-Suisun

Favaro, Lavezzo, Gill, Caretti & Heppell, PC strives to provide the highest levels of personal attention and professionalism in divorce representation. To learn more about how our law firm can help, call us today at 707-674-6057 or contact us online.