Oceanside Family Law Attorneys

Few people ever imagine they will be in the market for a family law attorney. But here you are. Whether you are thinking about divorce or are weighing whether to sign a prenuptial agreement, you deserve high-quality legal representation from experienced lawyers.

Griffith Young opened its doors in 2012 to help the North County community with common family law disputes. Over the years, our Certified Family Law experts have helped hundreds of clients with a dizzying array of legal needs, strengthening our knowledge of the complexities of California family law. Our expertise has grown and today encompasses military divorce, gay divorce, and post-divorce enforcement issues.

Contact us today. An Oceanside family law attorney is happy to listen to you describe your legal needs in a confidential consultation. Some people in the community hesitate to reach out because they aren’t fully committed to filing for divorce or they hope to resolve an issue without the need for litigation. We completely understand. If hired, we provide sure-handed guidance and fine-tuned litigation strategies to help our clients achieve their objectives.

When to Call a Family Law Attorney

A family law attorney can immediately provide legal guidance and counsel on a variety of legal issues. A lawyer should know the different ways to resolve a dispute and help fashion a solution that meets your objectives. Our experience is broad and includes:

• Drafting or revising prenuptial agreements.
• Filing for an uncontested divorce.
• Negotiating child custody, spousal support, and/or property division in a divorce.
• Establishing paternity and setting up child support.
• Modifying orders, including support or custody orders.
• Obtaining a domestic violence restraining order and emergency child custody.
• Seeking visitation for grandparents.

This list is not exhaustive. It includes only a tiny fraction of the legal issues our firm can handle. Call Griffith Young to speak with an Oceanside family law attorney if you don’t see your need listed. Chances are we can help.

You Can Count on Us for Your Oceanside Family Law Needs

Our team of passionate family law attorneys are happy to meet in a private consultation to find out more about your legal needs. We have especially strong experience in the following issues.

Divorce in Oceanside

Griffith Young can help you divorce. Whether you are considering filing to dissolve your marriage or you received copies of divorce papers in the middle of the night, you need to reach out to an experienced divorce lawyer.

Our firm avoids cookie cutter divorce packages. Instead, we help drill down to find out what you want out of the divorce, including child custody or property division. Our lawyers design strategies based on relevant circumstances.

Some couples agree right out of the gate on all important issues, while others only slowly find common ground with the help of mediation. Griffith Young is beside you every step of the way. Even an uncontested divorce can take 6 months to complete.

Not all divorces are straightforward, however. Some common issues involve complicated assets, contested custody, or military divorce where one spouse is stationed outside California. We have decades of combined experience navigating these issues, so don’t delay calling us.

Child Custody & Support

Griffith Young can help any client seeking custody as part of divorce or a paternity suit. This is often an emotional issue, and parents rarely see eye-to-eye. Our lawyers can assist with mediation or negotiation. Where possible, parents can arrange custody in a way that works for both.

Our firm can also gear up for a custody fight when you and the other parent remain far apart on this issue. A judge bases custody decisions on the child’s best interest, which includes many considerations, such as each parent’s time with the child and any history of domestic violence or substance abuse.

Parents must also financially support their children even when they are not living in the same household. Typically, one parent has primary custody, and the other parent pays monthly child support as a contribution to the child’s upbringing. Despite the creation of the state’s guideline formula, some disputes still arise. Let’s talk about them.

Spousal Support in California

One spouse might make spousal support payments during the divorce to maintain the status quo. Further, a spouse might continue to pay support after the marriage is dissolved with the objective of helping the other spouse get back on their feet.

Alimony law is complex, and misinformation is rife. You might not receive support without a strong argument showing a judge it is necessary, so reach out to Griffith Young.

Domestic Violence

Griffith Young is proud to help victims of domestic violence access legal protections, including a domestic violence restraining order. We can seek an emergency order by filling out some court forms and even argue to a judge that a permanent one is necessary. If your abuser violates the restraining order, the police can pick them up. You can schedule a confidential meeting today.

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenups are not solely for the wealthy. Any number of people will benefit from creating a prenuptial agreement, which is one way to get around the state’s rules for division of community property and spousal support.

For example, a small business owner can use a prenup to ensure their business assets are their separate property when they exit the marriage. Other clients use a prenup to protect their children’s inheritance if they are entering a second marriage. Work with an Oceanside family law attorney to draft this agreement the correct way.

Post-Divorce Issues: Get Legal Help

Unfortunately, ending a marriage does not automatically end the fights between exes. Some common issues can pop up which require a sensitive approach from your lawyer.

One issue is enforcement. Your ex might do everything possible to frustrate visitation with your children. When an ex refuses to comply with a court order, you can seek various remedies, including contempt.

Another common issue involves relocation. The parent with primary custody might decide they want to move to a distant part of the state or even leave California entirely. The other parent might object, which can create a legal controversy. Judges must grant permission to relocate in the absence of consent from the other parent. Some issues include why you want to make the move, but the main concern is the child’s best interest.

Modification of Family Law Orders

An order created 5 or 10 years ago is probably out of date. So much changes from the day you divorced, but each ex-spouse must continue to abide by an order until it is modified.

Griffith Young can help clients seeking to modify:

• Child support. If there is a substantial change, a parent can request modification to lower what they pay or increase what they receive. A common reason is that the timeshare percentage has shifted, or one party has lost their job.
• Child custody. The custody arrangement might become stale and actively hinder your ability to see your kids. We can request modification if one parent is endangering the children or work schedules interfere with contact.
• Spousal support. Not all support orders have a termination date. Instead, the judge could order permanent alimony but retain jurisdiction to modify it. The paying spouse often requests modification because of job loss or retirement, or their ex has moved in with a romantic partner. Support should also terminate automatically when the supported spouse remarries.

Judges do not rubber stamp these requests. Work with a law firm that understands how to convincingly argue that a substantial change warrants a modification.

Resolving Disputes Amicably

Many people fear hiring a family law attorney because they don’t want to fight. Instead, they hope to finalize a divorce working collaboratively with their spouse, or they seek to revise the custody arrangement to better serve everyone’s needs.

Griffith Young listens to our clients: both their goals and fears. We don’t push expensive, aggressive litigation on any client. Instead, we find out what you want and identify solutions. Our firm has significant experience mediating disputes with the other side and negotiating. At the same time, we will pull out all the stops to protect our clients, if they want to go to court to vindicate their rights.

Family Law FAQs

Can I get a quickie divorce in California?

No. The state has a residency requirement, as well as a six-month waiting period. California is not an ideal place to fly in and file divorce paperwork. If you just moved here, call us.

Will my consultation be confidential?

Yes. We are ethically prohibited from sharing details to other people without your consent. Griffith Young is proud to provide the highest level of ethical service to our clients. If you don’t feel comfortable being honest, then we can’t provide the most accurate advice.

Will I lose my parental rights if my ex remarries?

Not usually. It is rare for the state to terminate parental rights without the parent’s consent. You have strong legal protections if the state tries to remove a child from your home or terminates your parental rights. Of course, some parents give up parental rights in the case of a stepparent adoption. Contact Griffith Young today.

Need an Oceanside Family Law Attorney? Call Griffith Young!

Our dynamic legal team stays on top of legal change in California, so we provide the most up-to-date legal advice to our clients. If you have a family law question, contact us to schedule a consultation.