Los Angeles Family Law Attorneys

Family Law practice includes:


  • Cohabitation Agreements
  • Custody Disputes
  • Dissolution
  • Division of Assets
  • Mediation
  • Paternity
  • Prenuptial Agreements
  • Postnuptial Agreements
  • Support Disputes
  • Visitation Disputes
  • Tax

The firm represents clients in all aspects of dissolution of marriage proceedings. More specifically, the firm assists clients in the following matters: child custody and visitation; child support; spousal support; resolution of tax issues; division of assets and debts; and allocation of interests in retirement plans. The firm also represents clients in matters related to prenuptial agreements; postnuptial agreements; cohabitation agreements; and paternity. The firm provides mediation services on all family law issues.

In advising its clients on all aspects of family law matters, the firm draws on the expertise of its various departments to effectively handle dissolution related issues, including the valuation of professional practices and closely held businesses, real estate and partnership interests and complex tax problems. Clients seeking marriage dissolutions are advised as to the tax effects of the division and transfer of property between spouses, deductibility of spousal support payments, the allocation of interests in pension and profit sharing plans and dependency exceptions. The firm is experienced in representing clients in complex dissolution matters involving large assets.

The firm, where appropriate, engages and works with qualified experts to properly value community property. In most instances, a thorough review and analysis of the client's assets, liabilities and cash requirements, with cooperative assistance of opposing counsel, results in a fair and equitable settlement without the necessity of costly, protracted litigation. In the event litigation is indicated or results, the firm aggressively and systematically pursues all appropriate avenues to obtain the most favorable outcome for the client.

The firm has the resources needed to handle complex business and tax issues related to family law, as well as respond quickly to urgent family law matters. Our attorneys are readily accessible to answer the questions and concerns of clients.

Did You Know…

  • California does not recognize common law marriages.
  • California is a “no fault state,” meaning that blaming a spouse for the breakdown of a marriage is irrelevant as far as the court is concerned. There are simply two grounds for dissolution: irreconcilable differences and incurable insanity. It is often disappointing for clients to learn that they will not get their “day in court” to tell the judge about the hurtful acts of their spouse.
  • Divorce is now called a “dissolution”.
  • Dissolution is not a fast process. There is a waiting period after filing. The earliest a judgment for dissolution breaking the status of marriage will be effective is 6 months from the date of service of the summons and petition in a dissolution action.

Yours, Mine or Ours?

If you, or anyone close to you, have ever considered ending a marriage, you’ve probably wondered who gets what. Who gets the family heirlooms, the valuables, the memories? What exactly is separate property? Assuming that there has been no “commingling” or gift, if a dissolution or legal separation occurs, a person’s separate property generally includes:

  • All property owned before marriage.
  • All property acquired after marriage by gift, bequest, devise, or descent.
  • The rents, issues, and profits of property owned before marriage or acquired during marriage by gift, bequest, devise, or descent.
  • The person’s earnings and accumula­tions after separation.

The mere fact that a person marries does not by itself change separate property to community property.

FAMILY LAW ARTICLES
LEWITT HACKMAN | 16633 Ventura Boulevard Eleventh Floor Encino, California 91436-1865 | 818.990.2120