San Diego Family Law Attorneys

Legal disputes involving families are stressful. Helpfully, an experienced San Diego family law attorney can lighten the load and improve your chances of resolving the issue to your satisfaction. At Griffith Young, we provide a full array of family law services to the San Diego community. Whether you are seeking visitation with a grandchild or trying to divorce your spouse, we can help.

Contact our firm by calling (858) 345-1720 or submitting your personal information online. All communications are confidential, and you can trust us to provide frank, legally sound advice about your legal options.

Do You Even Need a Family Law Attorney?

Yes. Family law disputes are high stakes. A lot is riding on whether you receive child custody or spousal support.

You basically get one chance to win your case. If you lose at trial, then it is hard to get the judge’s decision overturned on appeal. You can certainly try. But once a judge issues an order or decree, then odds are high you are stuck with the result.

Get the legal help you need right now. Anyone trying to divorce or litigate another family law issue is at a distinct disadvantage if they do not have a seasoned lawyer by their side.

Our Experience in Family  Law

Griffith Young has decades of combined experience with all types of family law issues. We have seen these cases from all angles, so we appreciate what evidence a judge will find useful. We have also helped clients mediate and negotiate resolutions to their disputes, saving them time and precious emotional energy.

Contact us if you have questions. We provide consultations so you can learn more about our experience and obtain answers to your most pressing questions. We bring years of experience to every divorce or family law matter we accept:  

• Paternity actions
• Prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements
• Enforcement of emergency custody orders
• Domestic violence restraining orders
• Grandparents’ visitation
• Uncontested divorce
• Contested divorce
• Military divorce

Call Griffith Young if you think we might be of service. Your choice of attorney matters a great deal, and you shouldn’t rush the process of selecting a legal team that makes you feel comfortable. Get the information you need from a family law attorney before deciding whether to hire them.

Spotlight on Family Law

Our impressive range of skills allows us to tackle most family law issues. Here is a small sample of representative matters we have handled.

Divorce

Divorce can be as simple as signing a few forms, or it can require years of intense litigation. At Griffith Young, we have handled hundreds of divorces. An uncontested divorce involves a couple agreeing on all critical issues, including child custody, support obligations, and property division.

After being hired, we can strategize about what to request in a divorce and what would likely happen if you ended up before a judge. Some couples need to work to reach an agreement, and we can help you negotiate with your spouse. Mediation often allows squabbling couples to put aside their differences and reach common ground with the help of an experienced mediator.

We also excel at contested divorces, complex asset divorces, and high-asset divorces. Not every couple can easily divide their property and draft a parenting plan. There are times when you must involve a judge.

For example, your spouse might be unreasonable about child custody or intend to move across the country with your child once the judge hands down the divorce decree. Many disputes involve whether property is community property, which must be divided, or separate property that a spouse can take with them upon divorce.

Our law firm can handle your contested divorce. We can request important documents from your spouse and track down hidden accounts that they might be hiding. We can also come up with a strategy for reaching your goals, whether that is sole physical custody or receiving spousal support. Hire our experienced legal team.

Child Custody

Custody disputes often arise in divorce. Parents can reach a custody agreement between themselves and draft a parenting plan. This plan should identify who the children will live with throughout the year. Unfortunately, many couples cannot immediately agree.

Our San Diego family law attorneys can attend mediation with you to hammer out a custody arrangement. We will ensure your voice is heard and fight to protect your rights.

Spousal Support

Spousal support consists of payments from one spouse to the other, either during divorce or after the divorce is granted. The objective is to maintain the status quo and keep the lower-earning spouse from falling into poverty.

Although couples can agree to spousal support, this issue often ends up before a judge. The court will determine whether to award alimony, as well as the amount and duration, based on various factors.  Principal among them are the duration of the marriage, each spouse’s health, and how much each spouse earns.

Child Support

Each parent is legally required to support their children, even if they don’t live with them. In most divorces, one parent will need to pay child support to the other. We also see child support arise with paternity proceedings. Once a court declares a man is a child’s father, the state of California immediately wants him to start supporting the child.

California created child support guidelines to streamline and standardize the calculation of child support. But many issues can still arise, especially if a child has unique medical or educational needs.

Modification and Enforcement of Court Orders

You might think all legal disputes end when you receive a divorce decree. Not quite. Some common issues arise, including modifying an order. Maybe the child custody no longer works for you, or you lost a job and cannot pay child support. We can help request a modification from the judge.

Another post-divorce issue is enforcement. Some exes continue to “strike back” at their ex by withholding visitation or refusing to pay support obligations. Our firm can seek judicial enforcement, including wage garnishment or even a contempt finding.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence victims deserve to be safe. At Griffith Young, we are committed to helping domestic violence victims seek protection from their abusers. Our San Diego family law attorneys can help any victim request a domestic violence restraining order (DVRO), which will prohibit your abuser from contacting you or harassing your family.

The police can arrest any abuser who violates the order. We can seek a restraining order as part of a divorce or in a separate proceeding. It is possible to include obligations to pay child support and/or spousal support in a restraining order, as well as a requirement to vacate the home.

Call us today! We have sought emergency restraining orders that can go into effect immediately without the need for a hearing.

Prenuptial Agreements

Our firm can create a prenuptial agreement that works for you. When divorcing, couples must divide most property acquired while married. But a valid prenuptial agreement can help you get around this rule and allow one spouse to leave with more assets. You can also help secure the future of grown children with a prenuptial agreement if you are entering a second marriage.

Call to discuss this option.

San Diego Family Law FAQs

We field many questions from the public and reproduce some of the most common concerns here.

Can I divorce in California if I just moved here?

California has residency requirements. A California court will not divorce anybody who shows up at the courthouse. Instead, one spouse must have lived in the state for six months before filing. Furthermore, the person who files must have lived in the county where they file for at least three months.

How long will my divorce take?

Each divorce is different. An uncontested divorce could take a couple of months. A contested divorce might take two years. In any event, California has a six-month waiting period.

I’m afraid my spouse will find out I spoke with a lawyer.

Everything you share with our law office is confidential. We are ethically prohibited from sharing information without your consent, so there is no reason to fear calling us. We can meet at a convenient time to discuss divorce or whatever issue you wish.

Do grandparents have a right to visitation in California?

Parents generally have the right to decide who their children see, and California lets grandparents request visitation in only limited situations. For example, you might seek visitation if your grandchild’s parents aren’t married or are permanently separated. Contact us so we can review.

Call the Experienced San Diego Family Law Attorneys at Griffith Young

Family law attorneys do more than guide a case through the California courts. We also serve as counselors for our clients, helping them analyze their options and resolving disputes outside of court, if they desire. Our firm employs two certified family law specialists, and we boast experience in family law that few San Diego firms can match.

To learn more about how we can help, contact our office today to schedule a consultation.