Contact a Certified Family Law Specialist
Attorney Bigler is a certified family law specialist and, therefore, he has the credibility and skill to help you with your case. He also has 25 years of experience and has handled thousands of contested divorce hearings and trials.
Contact us today for the assistance you need!
-
"Trust him and his staff; they really do know what they are doing."
They knew exactly how to prioritize their work at the office to make sure this was taken care of with the courthouse that morning.- A. Raper -
"He is a true professional who takes pride in his work and always puts his clients' needs first."
Not only was he incredibly thorough in his work and a great advocate to have in the courtroom, but he also made sure to keep me informed throughout the entire process.- T. Stern -
"He listened to every word I said, and had such a kind heart and kept it real with me"
I give this firm a five star all the way across the board and let me say the staff was excellent, thank you so much.- S. Curry
Commonly Asked Questions
-
What is a first right of refusal?
A first right of refusal in a family law context is the opportunity to care for your children when your ex is unavailable to care for them. Family code section 3040(a)(1) sets out the 'priorities' when a Court makes a custody order. The family code states that if both parents are adequate parents the court must order custody to both of them. The Court is forbidden from awarding custody to a third party in this circumstance.
It is this 'parents get priority' policy that drives a first right of refusal order. The idea that if you are unable to care for your child due to work or other responsibilities, then you must offer the child to the other parent first before handing the child over to a third party for child care.
The court typically sets a time limit (I recommend 6 hours or more) that you can be away from your children before having to offer the other party the opportunity to care for them. This is not a mandatory provision. The Court has the discretion to make this order only in appropriate circumstances.
-
Who can receive visitation rights?Visitation is ordered when it is the best interest of the child in California. Supervised visitation is imposed when one parent is abusive or neglectful to the children. Visitation can often be supervised by an agreed upon family member or a professional monitor if the parties cannot agree.
-
Who can receive spousal support?
Spousal support, formerly known as alimony, is a set amount of money that is paid by one spouse to another in the case of divorce or a legal separation. Whether you are the husband or the wife, you can apply for spousal support, depending on certain factors. The purpose of alimony is to even out the financial futures of each party. We can fight for your right to spousal support or against the other party's request for spousal support.
-
What if I was married in another state but I want to file for divorce in California?If you and your spouse were married in another state, you can file for divorce in California. The only requirement is that either you or your spouse must have lived in the state for six months and in the United States for three months.