FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is family law?
Family law includes all matters related to the rights
of spouses, parents and children. Our firm handles the
following family law matters: divorce, division of property,
legal separation, nullity, parentage actions, child
custody and timeshare, child support, spousal support,
domestic violence, and pre-marital and post-nuptial
agreements. We handle complex property issues including
division of businesses, stock options, and pensions.
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What is a certified
specialist?
A certified specialist is an attorney that has successfully
satisfied the requirements of the California Board of
Legal Specialization. To become a certified specialist
in family law, the lawyer must have practiced family
law for the required number of years and represented
clients in a broad range of family law proceedings.
The lawyer must pass an extensive written examination
administered by the State Bar of California that is
focused on family law issues. The lawyer is required
to fulfill stringent continuing legal education requirements.
Each lawyer also has to re-certify every few years and
keep their practice focused in their particular field
of expertise. For more information about family law certified specialists, please visit www.californiaspecialist.org"
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What is mediation?
Sharon Braz offers mediation services to those clients
who want to work together to structure their divorce
settlement. Individuals who choose mediation agree to
work with their spouses in a cooperative, non-adversarial
way to resolve their disputed issues. The mediator is
a neutral, third party, that assists the spouses. This
process relies on the parties to be the principal negotiators,
with the mediator helping to keep the process structured
and focused on interests and solutions that work for
both parties. The mediator does not act as an advocate
for either party. The ultimate resolution may look like
the probable outcome in law, but the process offers
the parties the most freedom to find solutions that
may work best for them.
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How much will it
cost for me to get a divorce?
It is impossible to estimate the cost of a divorce.
The ultimate cost depends on many factors such as the
complexity of the issues involved, the degree of cooperation
between the parties and attorneys, whether the matter
proceeds to trial or settles through negotiation.
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Will I automatically
be divorced after being separated for six months?
California law requires that parties wait a period of
six months between the time they file and serve the
petition requesting the divorce and the time that their
divorce becomes final. After the six month time period
has passed, the parties can request that the court finalize
their divorce. The divorce does not automatically become
final after six months.
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Should I rely on
information I read on the internet?
No. The internet can be a good source of information
but you should not rely on the internet for legal advice.
Many of the divorce sites on the internet are not specific
to California, and although the information may be accurate
for some states it may not apply here.
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What books can I
read to familiarize myself with the dissolution process?
Many of our clients have found the following books helpful
when going through this process:
1. How to Avoid the Divorce from
Hell (And Still Dance Together At Your Daughter's
Wedding) by Sue Talia.
2. Divorce and Family Law in California,
A Guide for the General Public, by Bob Pickus
3. Good Parenting Through Your
Divorce, by Mary Ellen Hannibal
4. For Better or for Worse, Divorce
Reconsidered, by E. Mavis Hetherington and
John Kelly
5. Helping Your Kids Cope with
Divorce, the Sandcastles Way, by M. Gary Neuman,
L.M.H.C.
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Please note that your review of
this website does not guarantee that we will be able
to represent you. Visiting this website does not constitute
an attorney-client relationship, nor does sending email
to us constitute an attorney-client relationship. Any
information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it
intended to be, construed as legal advice.
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