Family Law

At the the Castillo Law Firm our first responsibility as divorce attorneys is to protect the rights and interests of our clients. There are situations that demand vigorous litigation to achieve desired results. In our view, however, the entire family often pays a heavy emotional price for intense and protracted conflict in divorce cases. We have the skills, training, and experience to help diffuse conflict in cases where it is possible to do so.
We represent clients in matters involving:

• Divorce
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Child Support and Spousal Support
• Resolution of Property Issues
• Post-Judgment Child Support, Custody and Visitation
• Modifications
• Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders
• Guardianship
• And Others

In situations that do not require traditional litigation and where a more peaceful approach is appropriate, we negotiate with the opposing attorney to reach a settlement that is acceptable to both parties. Many of our clients can benefit from Alternative Dispute Resolution methods, such as the non-adversarial approach of the Collaborative Process. The collaborative approach can reduce the stress and bitterness of the divorce process while also reducing legal costs.

Whatever the circumstances, we work closely with our clients to protect their rights and interests and to achieve a divorce settlement that benefits them and their children. We place a high priority on keeping our clients fully informed of what is happening in their cases.

Divorce is often a major source of emotional stress. On top of managing the difficult emotional issues facing spouses and their children, the legal and financial aspects of the marriage dissolution must be dealt with as well. An experienced divorce lawyer can simplify the legal process and explain your options in plain English so you can make informed decisions. Our priority is our clients and their children. We take the time to get to know our clients, learning about their families and their specific situations. By doing this, we are better able to pursue resolutions that are in their best interests. Our Southern California law firm helps people with divorce issues including:

• Complex property division: This includes issues of community assets and debts, retirement accounts, 401(k)s, stock options, and division of real estate and businesses
• Child custody and visitation: We help clients with vitally important issues of pursuing custody and visitation arrangements that are in the best interests of the children.
• Child support and spousal support: Whether a client is receiving support or paying support, we work to make sure my clients are fully informed and that their legal rights are protected.
• Process choices: Parties in divorces have choices. We carefully explain to our clients the choices they have, including traditional litigation, mediation and the collaborative process.

Divorce can be complex and contentious. If you try to make your way through the process without a lawyer, you may be giving up valuable rights that you did not know you had. It is important to have an attorney on your side who is experienced in the courtroom, understands the nuances of the process and cares as much as you do about the outcome of your case.nnWhen people think of divorce, they most often picture contentious, high-stress court battles. In our experience, however, we have found that many couples are able to sit down together and come to their own agreement on many, if not all, issues related to their divorce. For these couples we recommend using the collaborative process. This is a peaceful process where both spouses, their collaborative attorneys and a team of financial and mental health professionals work cooperatively to reach an acceptable agreement. The process can reduce conflict, be cost-effective and efficient, and provide the parties with control over their situation rather than having a judge make decisions in their case.

Of all the issues related to a divorce, the most important are those concerning children and how to minimize the trauma they experience in divorce.

• With whom will the children live?
• What will the visitation schedule be?
• What parenting arrangement best meets the needs of the children?

At the the Castillo Law Firm our goal is to help families answer all these important questions and pursue a parenting plan that is in the best interests of the children.

Child custody cases need to be handled especially carefully, as the children’s best interests must be kept at the forefront of the case. When deciding custody issues, parents have options. Some of these options are:

• Co-parent counseling: This a process where parents speak with a counselor who helps parents establish a workable parenting plan tailored to the children’s needs.
• Collaborative law: This provides couples a way to solve child custody and other family law disputes out of court. Many couples in divorce benefit greatly from this cooperative and creative approach.
• Court orders: Whenever necessary, we aggressively stand up for my clients’ interests in California courtrooms, obtaining child custody orders that are in the best interests of the children and the client.

Life is far from predictable. When a client’s circumstances significantly change, there may be a need to modify an existing child custody agreement. There are many reasons a client may seek modification, including:

• Remarriage or cohabitation
• Career change or job loss
• Parental relocation/move-aways
• Allegations of substance abuse or domestic violence

Very often, a modification is required because of an emergency situation, such as cases where a parent has been driving drunk with the children in the car. In those cases, we work quickly and aggressively to seek emergency court orders that protect the children. In addition to seeking modification of child custody orders, we also help clients make changes to spousal support and child support orders.