Family Law Blog · Annulment California’s 8 Grounds for an Annulment (Nullity) By Dan Sweeney • February 17, 2026 What Is an Annulment? An annulment, formally called a nullity of marriage in California, is a court order declaring that a marriage is invalid. Unlike a divorce, which ends a valid marriage, an annulment treats the…
Family Law Blog · Custody and Visitation Crucial Concepts: Legal Custody, Physical Custody, and Visitation in California By Dan Sweeney • February 15, 2026 Why Definitions Matter If you have a California family law case that involves minor children, you should be familiar with three fundamental concepts: legal custody, physical custody, and visitation. These terms…
Family Law Blog · Custody and Visitation The Child Custody and Visitation Standards California Family Courts Apply By Dan Sweeney • February 14, 2026 The Best Interest of the Child Standard Legal Custody, physical custody and visitation decisions are broadly governed by the best interest of the child. Family Code section 3011 sets forth the…
Family Law Blog · Spousal Support California Family Code Section 4320’s Spousal Support Factors By Dan Sweeney • February 13, 2026 Overview of Spousal Support Spousal support, sometimes called alimony, is a payment from one spouse to the other during or after a divorce or legal separation. In California, spousal support is designed to help…
Family Law Blog · Division of Assets and Debts Asset and Debt Division in California: Community Property vs. Separate Property By Dan Sweeney•February 12, 2026 California’s Community Property System California is one of nine community property states in the United States. Under the community property system, most assets acquired and debts incurred during the marriage…
Family Law Blog · Resource California Family Law Glossary By Dan Sweeney•February 11, 2026 A Annulment (Nullity of Marriage) A court order declaring that a marriage is invalid. Unlike a dissolution, an annulment requires proving specific grounds such as fraud, bigamy, incest, force, or incapacity. See Family Code §2200 through §2210. Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders…
Family Law Blog · Resource California Family Law Acronyms By Dan Sweeney•February 11, 2026 A ATROs: Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders Standard restraining orders that automatically go into effect when a petition for dissolution, legal separation, or nullity is filed and served. ATROs prevent both spouses from transferring property, changing insurance beneficiaries, or taking children out…
Family Law Blog Divorce vs. Legal Separation in California By Dan Sweeney•February 11, 2026 Overview – Divorce vs. Legal Separation When a marriage has broken down, California law provides two primary legal options: dissolution of marriage (commonly called divorce) and legal separation. While both processes address the same core issues such as property division, spousal…
Family Law Blog · Divorce Methods to Obtain a Judgment of Divorce or Legal Separation in California By Dan Sweeney•February 10, 2026 Overview There are several ways to obtain a final judgment of dissolution or legal separation in California. The method you use depends on whether the case is contested or uncontested, whether the other…
Family Law Blog · Division of Assets and Debts Disclosures and Fiduciary Duties in California Family Law By Dan Sweeney•February 6, 2026 What Are Fiduciary Duties? In California, spouses are considered to be in a confidential relationship and owe each other heightened legal obligations called fiduciary duties. Fiduciary duties include the obligation to act honestly,…
Family Law Blog · Key Law Key California Family Code Sections By Dan Sweeney•February 3, 2026 Marriage and Dissolution Family Code section 2310 defines the grounds for dissolution: irreconcilable differences or permanent legal incapacity. California is a no-fault state, meaning neither party has to demonstrate the bad behavior of the other party to obtain a…
Family Law Blog · Key Law Key California Family Law Cases By Dan Sweeney•February 2, 2026 Why Case Law Matters California family law is not defined by the Family Code alone. Courts interpret and apply the Family Code through their decisions, and these judicial opinions become binding precedent. Understanding key cases gives you insight into…
