Family Attorneys

Serving Los Angeles, San Diego
and Southern California

Independent family attorneys on the Jacoby & Meyers Legal Network handle the following types of cases, among others, in Los Angeles and throughout Southern California:

Dissolution of Marriage
Custody & Support
Adoption
Name Change
Guardianship

Dealing with Divorce

In a divorce case, your divorce lawyer in Southern California will help you and your spouse settle the division of your property, child and spousal support issues, and questions over the rights of your children, and will represent you in court.

A Network family lawyer can also help you with legal problems arising after the divorce. These include increasing, reducing or collecting support payments, and custody or visitation of your children.

Custody & Support

Child custody and support are two of the most contentious issues in many divorce proceedings. A Network child custody lawyer can help you with these issues as well as many others that come up in the context of a divorce proceeding.

Name Change

In general, you can legally change your name for almost any reason, other than fraudulent purposes, such as avoiding debts, or affecting other people's rights, such as celebrities. In addition, the need for a legal name change may arise out of a marriage, divorce or adoption. Sometimes you can change your name just by using a different one as your own. However, it is better to legally change it since so many official records are affected, such as, your drivers license, passport and social security card.

The procedure is simple and inexpensive, and your initial consultation with a Network Family lawyer is free.

Guardianship of Children

A guardianship gives an adult the legal authority and responsibility to care for a child or an incapacitated adult. This may be necessary if a child's parents die, or if the child has been abandoned, is not receiving adequate care or is being abused in some way.

A guardian is responsible for the child's personal needs, including shelter, education and medical care. A guardian may also provide financial management for a child, though sometimes a conservator or guardian of the estate is appointed by the court to do this.

The appointment of a guardian does not, however, sever the legal relationship between the child and the natural parents. The parents will still be required to provide financial support, and the child will still have rights of inheritance.

Adoptions

Adoption, unlike guardianship, does permanently change the relationship between parent and child. In an adoption, an adult legally becomes the parent of someone not his or her biological child and creates a parent-child relationship for all purposes -- including child support obligations, inheritance and custody. With some possible exceptions, the birthparents' legal relationship to the child is terminated.

If you want to learn more about adoptions, and the rights of stepparents and unmarried people--gay or straight--to adopt, contact our family lawyers for a free consultation.

To find a Los Angeles or Southern California family lawyer near you, click here or call us.

Jacoby

Contact Jacoby & Meyers

For victims' rights and personal injury lawyers serving Los Angeles, San Diego and all of Southern California

Looking for a personal injury lawyer outside Southern California? Ask Us!