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67 Linoberg Street, Suite B, Sonora, CA 95370
2344 Tulare Street , Suite 200, Fresno, CA 93721
3130 Hotel Drive, Turlock, CA 95380
1301 I St., Modesto, CA 95354
928 12th Street, Suite 200, Modesto, CA 95354
Centre Plaza Office Tower , 1150 Ninth Street, Suite 1410, Modesto, CA 95354
1330 W. Center Street, Visalia, CA 93291
1330 W Center Ave, Visalia, CA 93291
2701 East Hammer Lane, Suite 110, Stockton, CA 95210
1148 Ski Run Blvd., South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150
2155 W March Lane, Suite 1B, Stockton, CA 95207
3031 West March Lane, Suite 224, Stockton, CA 95219
2280 E. Bidwell Street, Suite 204, Folsom, CA 95630
1024 Iron Point Road, Folsom, CA 95630
16360 Monterey Road, Suite 180, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Century Office Plaza, 16360 Monterey Road #120, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
2390 Maritime Drive, Suite 110, Elk Grove, CA 95758
701 Fulton Ave., Suite A, Sacramento, CA 95825
2999 Douglas Boulevard, Suite 180, Roseville, CA 95661
101 East Vineyard Ave, Suite 201, Livermore, CA 94550
More Lawyers Near You
Divorce Lawyers in Cities Near Yosemite Valley, CA
People Often Ask…
Getting a divorce can have serious, long-term effects, both emotionally and legally. There are also strict legal requirements that cover everything from choosing a method of legal separation to selecting where and how to file, to deciding how the property should be divided. The divorce process can be confusing, especially without legal assistance. FindLaw's directory can connect you with trusted divorce lawyers in Yosemite Valley, California to guide you through the divorce process and minimize the stress you experience during this difficult time.
There are several distinctions between divorce and separation.
First, legal separation may be a court-mandated step of the divorce process, with some states requiring that potential divorcees spend some time living apart in a form of legal separation before proceeding to formal divorce.
Outside of this requirement, legal separation is reversible, while divorce is not. Once you have been declared divorced from a former spouse, there is no going back. Legally separated spouses retain the right to inherit property as well, and may not remarry (as they are still considered married, despite separation).
Depending on your circumstances, you may have other options for ending your marriage besides a divorce. Many states offer legal separations, which can allow spouses to make some of the same decisions as a divorce regarding their shared property, child custody, and child support. This option doesn't legally end the marriage and is generally used when couples want to retain their marriage status for religious or health care reasons.
An annulment, on the other hand, has the same legal effect as a divorce but does so by declaring your marriage was never valid in the first place. Reasons for an annulment could be that one spouse was already married, was tricked into the marriage, or was too young at the time to legally marry.
While divorce may be permanent, it does not dispute the fact that a marriage was legally enacted and in existence in the first place.
An annulment, however, is very similar to a divorce as it may involve a dividing of assets, custody and visitation negotiations, and so on — but an annulment means that the marriage was established on false pretenses. If a man discovers, for example, that his wife has been lying about an extensive criminal past (or present), or that she was never formally divorced from a former spouse, he may file for an annulment rather than a divorce.
If an annulment is successful, it is — from a legal perspective — as if the marriage did not ever truly exist. Annulments can also be sought for religious reasons, particularly given the gravity of divorce in the understanding of certain faiths.
The division of marital property after a divorce will generally depend on whether or not you live in a community property state. The best way to determine whether your state is a community property state is to talk to a local attorney who can tell you what the law is and who can help you understand how that affects your situation.
Community property states consider nearly all property obtained after the marriage as equally owned by both spouses. As a result, the property will generally be equally split after the divorce. Absent community property statutes, it's typically up to the court to divide marital property between both parties. In either case, courts will normally accept a property division agreement if the spouses can create their own.
Many people who need to find a lawyer in California have never hired a lawyer before. Talking to a lawyer may be a new experience and you might want some help getting started. Here are some questions you may want to ask a lawyer before deciding who to hire.
- What is your main practice area?
- How many years of experience do you have in California with cases like mine?
- How often do you take cases to trial or settle them out of court?
- Can I take my case through mediation or arbitration?
- Do you offer a free consultation?
- What are your fees and costs?
- Will you be the attorney primarily handling my case?
- How will I be kept up-to-date about my case?
In order to practice law in California, attorneys have to both pass the California bar exam and be admitted by the State Bar of California. Most attorneys in California graduate from an accredited law school but some lawyers are admitted through on-the-job experience for a minimum of 4 years and through passing an additional legal exam. After a lawyer is admitted to law practice in California, they can practice in almost any area of law.
Lawyers in California are held to strict ethical guidelines known as the Rules of Professional Conduct. Attorneys may have duties and limitations in:
- Attorney-client confidentiality
- Duty of client advocacy
- Conflicts of interest
- Duty of candor
- Limitations in soliciting clients
- Restrictions on handling a client's money
Many people avoid calling a lawyer because they are worried it will be too expensive. In many cases, a lawyer can end up saving the client money. This includes getting an increased award, recovering additional damages, avoiding financial problems in the future, and avoiding future disputes and litigation. Some legal areas even allow the lawyer to recover legal fees from the party at fault.