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Crypto in a California Divorce

How Digital Assets Are Found, Traced, Valued, and Divided, and What Hiding Them Can Cost
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Divorce Over 50 in California

What a Later-Life Divorce Does to Your Retirement, Your Health Coverage, and Your Home
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The Silicon Valley Prenup

Protecting Your Business, Equity, and Inheritance Before You Marry
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“He Said He’d Always Take Care of Me”

What Unmarried Couples Need to Know About Marvin Claims in California
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Your Separate Property in a California Divorce

What Happens When You Contributed Separate Property to a Shared Asset

Our Blog

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How California Courts Calculate Spousal Support
Dec 2, 2025

Temporary vs. Long-Term Spousal Support California recognizes two main types of spousal support: temporary (pendente lite) and long-term (post-judgment). Temporary support is meant to help the lower-earning spouse maintain stability while the divorce is pending. Judges usually calculate it using county guideline formulas, such as those in the Santa Clara or Alameda support calculators, which factor in each spouse’s income, taxes, and deductions. Long-term support, ordered after the divorce is final, is more individualized. The judge must consider a range

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Why the Date of Separation Is So Crucial in California Family Law Cases
Dec 2, 2025

Defining the Date of Separation In California family law/divorce cases, the date of separation marks the moment when a married couple stops living as spouses and begins living as individuals. Under Family Code §70, it occurs when at least one spouse intends to end the marriage and acts in a way that clearly shows that intent—for example, moving out, filing for divorce, or telling the other spouse the relationship is over. The date of separation doesn’t always require living in

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Does a California DVRO Give You a Criminal Record?
Dec 2, 2025

DVROs Are Civil, Not Criminal A Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO) in California is issued in family law court, not criminal court. That means it’s a civil order, not a criminal conviction. Having a DVRO does not automatically give you a criminal record. Judges can grant these orders if they find, by a preponderance of the evidence, that abuse or threats occurred. This standard is far lower than in criminal court, which requires proof “beyond a reasonable doubt.” Although a

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How Can a California DVRO Affect Child Custody?
Dec 2, 2025

DVROs and the Presumption Against Custody When a California court issues a Domestic Violence Restraining Order (DVRO), it can have a significant effect on child custody. Under California Family Code section 3044, there’s a legal presumption that giving custody—especially joint or sole legal or physical custody—to a parent who has committed domestic violence is not in the child’s best interest. This presumption applies if the abuse occurred within the past five years and includes physical harm, threats, stalking, or other

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Tips for Responding to False DVRO Claims
Dec 2, 2025

The stakes are high enough in family law cases that some people may be tempted to file exaggerated or even flat out false DVRO claims. The standard of proof governing DVRO cases is simply preponderance of the evidence – so 51% more likely than not. That’s a much easier standard of proof than in criminal cases, where the standard of proof is “guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”  If you’re worried about false or exaggerated DVRO allegations, there are steps you

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Differences Between Domestic Violence Restraining Order (“DVRO”) and Civil Harassment Restraining Order (“CHRO”) Trials in California
Dec 2, 2025

In California, both Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs) and Civil Harassment Restraining Orders (CHROs) can lead to a court trial or “evidentiary hearing,” where each side presents their evidence and tells their side of the story. Although the process may look similar on the surface, the two types of hearings differ in important ways—mainly in the laws that apply, the level of proof required, and the kinds of evidence that matter most. A DVRO hearing is governed by the Family

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What’s the Difference Between a California Domestic Violence Restraining Order (“DVRO”) and a Civil Harassment Restraining Order (“CHRO”)?
Dec 2, 2025

If you’re looking for legal protection from someone who’s threatening, harassing, or hurting you, California law offers a few different kinds of restraining orders. Two of the most common are Domestic Violence Restraining Orders (DVROs) and Civil Harassment Restraining Orders (CHROs). The main difference between them is the relationship between you and the other person. A DVRO is for people who are or were in a close relationship—like a spouse, dating partner, family member, or someone you’ve lived with. A

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