Consultation & Other Services

Before First Papers Are Filed
Spouses should consider legal consultation before committing to separation or divorce. Legal information and outside resources may allow couples to reconcile marital and parenting disputes without the filing of a legal action.

Couples may wish to separate temporarily during periods of marital counseling. Clearly written agreements regarding finances and living arrangements during those times allows the couple to focus on recovering their marriage.

Mediation Services
David has extensive training in mediation and over fifteen years of experience as a private mediator and court-appointed settlement conference officer. When couples already have a specific agreement or they are committed to avoiding court, mediation can be the best process. Final conclusion of such cases and the paperwork is usually obtained in two meetings at a fraction of the cost of each spouse hiring a separate attorney.

Unmarried Parents to Be
The proportion of children born to unmarried parents has been steadily increasing in California. California has a comprehensive paternity action statute (Uniform Parentage Act, Cal. Fam. Code Sec. 7600 et seq. [“UPA“]).

Future parents can avoid UPA litigation with joint legal consultation before their child’s birth. The legal consultation in conjunction with a joint child development specialist can lead to a comprehensive agreed-upon parenting plan and paternity judgment.