http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com en-us Thu, 17 May 2012 10:01:19 -0700 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss <p>To understand the issue of complex property distribution, consider the Los Angeles Dodgers&#39; 2011 season. In that season, the franchise failed to make the playoffs and saw home game attendance dip to miserable lows. At times, entire sections of Dodger stadium sat empty, despite the team boasting an all-star roster. While the playing ability and game attendance of the Dodgers suffered in 2011, the most painful moments of the season took place far from any baseball stadium. The franchise was torn apart in the courtroom and in the press by the divorce trial of Frank and Jamie McCourt, the owners of the team. While Frank McCourt had purchased the team using his own business resources, both he and Jamie owned the team as community property because according to California law any property acquired during marriage is the property of both spouses. Further, a pre-marital agreement was also in place that added ultimately added to the drama and controversy. This shared ownership was never an issue while the McCourt&#39;s were happily married.</p> http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-081227162858/05-17-12.shtml http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-081227162858/05-17-12.shtml Celebrity Divorce Thu, 17 May 2012 09:32:23 -0700 <p>The banging of a gavel usually symbolizes the end of a court case. When the gavel hits, those involved leave the courtroom and begin to move on with their lives. Judgment has been rendered and it is considered by most people to be final. To some, however, a gavel and the judgment that follows are not the last word. Often, those who have received what they later decide (or learn) is an unsatisfactory result may file an appeal, which is the process that involves a court of higher authority reviewing what went on in the trial court and then deciding if the evidence supports the decision the judge made, or if the judge made any legal errors. That tends to be a very expensive process, however, and it is a process very few parties can afford.</p> http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/Divorce/05-09-12.shtml http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/Divorce/05-09-12.shtml Divorce Wed, 9 May 2012 10:02:38 -0700 <p>Channel surf on a weekday afternoon and you will likely come across a variety of &quot;real world&quot; talk shows. These talk shows distinguish themselves by featuring provocative issues such as domestic violence and adultery. One issue that afternoon talk shows are particularly keen about featuring is paternity tests. From Jerry Springer to Maury Povich and beyond, the talk shows continually have segments where the identity of a child&#39;s father is in doubt and must be determined. In a &quot;reality&quot; television &quot;case,&quot; several men usually take a paternity test and the results are then dramatically revealed in the final five minutes of the show.</p> http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-090129091844/05-04-12.shtml http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-090129091844/05-04-12.shtml Custody Fri, 4 May 2012 17:01:56 -0700 <p>When two spouses become embroiled in a divorce they often put their children on the &quot;back burner,&quot; turning instead to their own personal crises inherent in this kind of a life-changing event. The spouses often devote their attention to hiding and minimizing assets and looking for ways to &quot;get back at&quot; the other spouse. One of the things that bring children squarely into the fray all too often, however, is the issue of is child support.</p> http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/Divorce/04-26-12.shtml http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/Divorce/04-26-12.shtml Divorce Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:01:12 -0700 <p>In a divorce, both spouses are required to fully disclose their assets. This disclosure is considered a &quot;fiduciary duty&quot; that are very serious, very important and essential disclosure for both parties to a dissolution proceeding. Disclosing assets is necessary in order to ensure that they are fairly divided. In a perfect world, both spouses would be honest about which assets they have and how much each asset was worth. Mutual honesty would allow dissolution proceedings to move smoothly and get both spouses situated in their new, separate lives.</p> http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-090205223138/4-17-12.shtml http://www.thecaliforniafamilylawblog.com/tp-090205223138/4-17-12.shtml Ethics and Responsibilities Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:02:55 -0700