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Family Law Questions About Divorce

The decision to end a marriage or domestic partnership is fraught with emotion and stress. It’s rare that people rush into this decision, but it is often difficult to find guidance on dissolving a relationship and how to deal with the changes that result. The information below provides an overview of the issues you will encounter as well as links to documents and other web pages you may find helpful.

Stay Or Go?

Deciding to file for divorce often comes only after years of weighing the future against the past, concern for your family versus what your heart tells you. Only you know if the time is right.

What About The kids?

We know your children are a primary ​concern in divorce. You wonder how the divorce will affect them. A divorce may be better than an angry and abusive home life.

What About Money?

We understand the urge to just walk away from arguments about money and property. But you must consider your future and your children. We will help you every step of the way.

Before Filing For Divorce…

Take immediate action and call your local police or 911 if there is a threat or actual abuse occurring to you or your children. If so, call your local police or dial 911.

Otherwise, you may want to consider options for preserving the marriage …

  • Counseling
    ​Professional counseling for a possible reconciliation might be helpful. For example, depending on the circumstances, you and your spouse may want to consider the services of a religious adviser, psychologist, licensed marriage counselor or another counselor specializing in a particular area – e.g., financial adviser, child therapist.
  • ​Trial separation
    In many cases, a “cooling off” period might lead to a reconciliation. This is usually called a “trial separation.”

If you are considering ending a long marriage, but have not yet parted, a separation period will show you and your spouse what life will be like after dissolution (e.g. separation from the children, reduced income and cost of two households).

Children And Divorce

California’s Families Change website offers age-appropriate information to help kids, teens and parents deal with family break-ups. It also has information to help parents make financial decisions as part of separation or divorce

Every county has a local child support agency that helps with starting a child support case. The agency also helps with changing or enforcing child support orders. Sometimes you will hear this agency called the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), which is a state agency.

Locate Child Support Agency

Online DCSS Application

Help Yourself To Self-Help

The California courts have put together a Self-Help section on their website for families and children dealing with divorce and separation. This page includes both practical guides on finances and child support as well as sections about emotions and staying involved in your children’s lives.

This web page focuses on how to parent and deal with change after a break-up. There is also content written specifically for teenagers as well as a section written for younger kids. It is a great resource for anyone dealing with separation or divorce.

Contact The Family Law Attorneys At Rita Holder Law

If you are going through a separation or divorce and need legal guidance, contact Rita Holder Law by calling 925-401-7885 or completing our online contact form. We have helped hundreds of people going through divorce and separation, and we understand how stressful and emotionally draining it can be. Our legal team is always there to help.