Nevada County Family Lawyer

Nevada County Family Law Attorney

Family law is a multifaceted legal field that covers many common disputes arising from family relationships and domestic matters. This legal space is broad, covering everything from adoption and prenuptial agreements to more difficult matters like divorce and custody disputes. During these emotionally challenging times, it is advised to secure help from a Nevada County family lawyer to help reach your legal objectives and ensure no one takes advantage of your rights in the process.

At The Law Office of Jennifer Granger, we welcome any client who is struggling to resolve family matters on their own. Jennifer Granger is aware of the everlasting impact both family and criminal law cases have on her clients’ lives and is committed to helping her clients by pursuing the best course of action to protect their rights. Below is a brief description of each family law practice area that she handles.

DIVORCE OR LEGAL SEPARATION

Depending on personal circumstances, many couples will choose to pursue a legal separation rather than a divorce. No matter your situation, it is wise to seek the counsel of an experienced California family law attorney.

As a no-fault divorce state, California courts may grant a divorce when irreconcilable differences have pulled the couple apart. The marriage has simply broken down, and the court will grant a divorce to allow the parties to move on with their lives.

Once your divorce petition is filed, you will have to wait at least six months for it to be finalized. By keeping this waiting period in mind, divorcing couples are encouraged to act quickly rather than procrastinate. If you truly believe that your marriage has dissolved past the point of saving, you may want to consider filing your petition.

In instances of legal separation, couples can try to reach an agreement on issues like property division and child custody without having to legally end their marriage. This is a great option for those who may have religious or financial objections to having a divorce but would like the formalities of separation. Many people also choose to undergo legal separation before officially divorcing.

The Law Office of Jennifer Granger can help you navigate these complicated negotiations and ensure that a fair outcome is reached in the end.

CHILD CUSTODY

Child Custody disputes arise when married or unmarried parties cannot agree on the custody and visitation schedule. Child custody disputes are often the most contentious. However, it’s important to remember that all child custody decisions made by the court are with the best interests of the child in mind. Factors used to judge what is right for the child include their age, health status, emotional ties to each parent, and each parent’s ability to take care of them.

Depending on how old and mature a child is, they may be able to express their own preference for a certain custody arrangement. This can be weighed against all other factors in a judge’s final ruling. If a child expresses any concern for their safety under the supervision of either parent, a formal investigation into the claim will happen immediately, regardless of how old the child is.

The overall objective in these child custody cases is to decide on an arrangement that will provide the most stable and nurturing environment for a child to grow up in. This could be through a joint custody arrangement in which both parents share responsibilities or a sole custody arrangement in which one parent will only see their child through visitation hours.

CHILD SUPPORT

Child support follows child custody and is most often dictated by statutory formula. In jurisdictions like California, a child support calculation is made based on a statutory formula that takes into consideration a parent’s income, other children involved, and how much time each parent is available. This is to ensure that a final child support amount is adequate enough to support each child’s needs and reflects the financial situation of both parents.

In many cases, the lower-income parent will be the recipient of a monthly child custody stipend. These expenses are to be used on the child’s needs, like food and clothes, to ensure there are no disruptions to their upbringing as a result of a divorce. The total amount of support also depends on the type of custody arrangement, as sole custody arrangements are often seen to have higher payouts compared to joint or shared custody.

SPOUSAL SUPPORT

No formula exists for determining spousal support. The statute outlines sets of factors for the Court to determine when making a spousal support award. Infidelity has no bearing on a spousal support award.

When determining spousal support, there are a number of different factors the court will take into consideration. Common factors include how long the parting couple was married, the standard of living that was established between the two, and both individuals’ ages and health. Because no formula exists, these decisions are made on a case-by-case basis. This is to help ensure a fair and just financial arrangement to help both parties move on with their lives.

CHILD CUSTODY MODIFICATION

After an order for custody exists a party may want to modify that order. Law exists that determines under what circumstances a person can file a motion for a custody modification. Modifying a child custody order is a common request when circumstances have changed since the original ruling was made. Common reasons like a parent being relocated for a new job or the need to access more affordable housing are legitimate reasons to revisit an agreement.

California law allows for these modifications to happen to ensure that the custody arrangement will always meet a child’s needs. This means it will need to evolve with the ever-changing circumstances of a child and their parents.

ANNULMENT

Rather than seeking a divorce, many couples will choose to have the marriage annulled. An annulment is a legal way of saying that the marriage never existed. Depending on the circumstances of your marriage, you might qualify for an annulment.

Common reasons why someone might qualify for an annulment over a traditional divorce include situations like fraud, duress, incapacity, or even cases of bigamy. It’s extremely important for anyone seeking an annulment to hire a family law attorney as soon as possible to ensure they maximize their chances of having the request approved.

PATERNITY

Individuals usually do not fully understand their parental rights when there is no marriage. Fortunately, a skilled California lawyer can listen to their concerns and provide valuable insight regarding their rights and protections. Before a child custody action can be brought paternity must be determined.

Establishing paternity is a mission critical to family law cases, as it affects many other details, such as child support and custody arrangements. This legal acknowledgment of a parental relationship between a father and his child is important because it allows the child access to important benefits like social security, inheritances, and medical history information.

GUARDIANSHIP

In Nevada County, California, guardianship applies to children whose parents are unable to care for them for a variety of reasons. Essentially, a guardian is appointed by the court to be responsible for an individual younger than 18.

A guardian must be an adult deemed sufficiently responsible to care for the child when their birth parents are unable to do so. The guardianship legal process is designed to ensure a child’s

welfare will still be protected, even when their parents cannot maintain parental roles. When this happens, the appointed guardian will immediately assume the role of caretaker, and their decisions will be considered legally binding.

TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS

Termination of parental rights is permanent and irrevocable once completed. It’s a serious legal action that is not taken lightly. For example, a parent may lose their rights if they are found to have abused, neglected, or abandoned their child. This area of law was specifically designed to protect a child’s interests by legally removing them from any threats to their well-being. Terminating parental rights is a common step that happens before the process of adoption begins.

ADOPTION

Before an adoption can be initiated the biological parents have to relinquish their parental rights voluntarily or have them terminated by the Court. After this step, the court will likely appoint a social worker to conduct an investigation into the new individuals who would like to adopt the child. If nothing concerning appears during this investigation, they may be allowed to proceed.

Once an adoption is final, all legal rights and responsibilities for the child will be granted to the new parents. This means that the child will have the same rights as they would if they were originally born into the new family. It’s up to the new parents and the child to decide if they would like to change the child’s last name or keep it as it was.

Contact The Law Office of Jennifer Granger Today

If you are having family difficulties and need legal assistance, contact The Law Office of Jennifer Granger as soon as you can. Jennifer is well-versed in the many different disciplines of family law and is thoroughly prepared to take on your case.

Call today (530) 470-0328 if you have questions and concerns or for a case evaluation.