Award Winning Riverside, CA Family Law Attorneys Serving the Inland Empire

Family law cases are some of the most personally significant and emotionally charged cases litigated in court. It is crucial to find a family lawyer serving all courts in the Inland Empire who will vigorously represent your interests because the outcome will have a direct impact on your family and future. Knez Law Group has been in Riverside, California for over 30 years. Our family lawyers serve courts throughout the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and Orange County. We’re highly experienced in all legal matters impacting a family and can help you in the stressful time. If you need to speak to a family lawyer ASAP, contact the Knez Law Group today at (951) 742-7681.

Every courthouse from San Bernardino, Riverside, and Orange County have different procedures that can be difficult for both the clients as well as the attorneys.  The Riverside family attorneys at Knez Law Group are experienced and familiar with the local rules of the particular courts and know how to navigate your case to a final resolution.  Additionally, because of the nature of family law cases, the attorneys at Knez Law Group know when to aggressively litigate issues to ensure the client’s rights are protected, and when to exercise restraint to resolve issues for clients.

Clients who have legal issues involving divorce, child custody, and child support often experience intense emotions throughout the proceedings and the attorneys at Knez Law Group realize that this can be devastating and highly stressful. That is why we want to make the process easier for you by ensuring that you understand and are prepared for your case every step of the way. For an initial consultation regarding your family law matter, contact one of our attorneys today.

Divorce Representation

Divorce cases are extremely difficult for all parties involved. In our experience, many clients who consult with us have various expectations of what they intend to accomplish and how to achieve it. When you meet with one of our attorneys, we will discuss your expectations and strategize about how we can effectively meet your needs and goals. Our attorneys pride on having the negotiation skills to resolve your case in the most effective and efficient way possible, whether it involves settling your claim, retaining or disposing of property, or litigating a matter. In cases that require litigation, we will review all of your assets and debts to determine the amounts at issue and how we can assist in obtaining an outcome that leaves you in the best possible position to rebuild your life after a divorce.

Child Custody Litigation

In California, there are two types of custody awarded to parents. Legal custody is the right of a parent to make decisions regarding a child’s health, safety and welfare. Physical custody is the right of a parent to spend time with a child. Both forms of custody may be awarded to one (sole custody) or both parents (joint custody). The court may award sole legal custody to one parent or joint legal custody, which provides the parents with the right to share in the everyday decision making for any children regarding their health, safety and welfare. In cases of physical custody, depending on the circumstances, including the distance between the parents, the court may award joint custody with primary to one parent while providing the other parent with certain visitation. However, there are instances in which the court will award sole custody to a parent if the circumstances necessitate that arrangement. The courts do not favor either sole or joint custody, rather it is based on the best interest of the child and the circumstances of the particular case.

There are several factors that the court will look at to determine the custody arrangement that is in the bests interests of the child. Some of the factors include the age, health, and emotional ties of the child, the ability of each parent to care for the child and co-parent with the other parent, the child’s ties to a school, home, or community, and more. If you or your loved one is currently involved in a child custody suit, a detailed review of your case is necessary so that our family law attorneys can advise you of potential outcomes for your case. The attorneys at Knez Law Group will focus on presenting the facts of each and every case to ensure that the client’s case is presented to the court so that the client obtains a custody order that is reasonable and just for the particular circumstances of the case.

Once a custody order is made, parents still have a right to ask the court to change the custody order.  A parent can request a modification of a final or permanent custody order at any time by showing a sufficient change in circumstance.  A change in circumstance depends on the facts of the particular case.  Such change in circumstances may include a child beginning school, a parent finding a new job that necessitates a move-away from where the child has primarily lived.  Seeking a modification of custody can become complex, and the attorneys at Knez Law Group are familiar with the various set of circumstances and factors that are sufficient to permit a court order modifying a custody order.

Family Support – Spousal/Partner Support & Child Support Matters

Taking care of the family is not an easy endeavor and the law in California imposes a duty on both parents to provide financial support for their children (Child Support). Additionally, the law provides courts the power to order a party to pay another support in an amount for a period of time based on the quality and standard of living that existed during the marriage. This is referred to as Spousal Support for married couples divorcing and Partner Support for domestic partners who are dissolving; also commonly referred to as Alimony.

In California, a Child Support action is the legal avenue to obtain monetary relief for the support of your child. Child support actions may be brought by a parent, guardian, or third party who has custody of a child. Our attorneys can assist you with filing a child support action or defending an action brought against you. We can also assist you with modification of a court ordered award of support. Generally, for a support award to be changed, either party must show a change in circumstances. The change in circumstances may result in an upward or downward modification of child support. The increase in an award of support may result by showing additional income or additional expenses that were not previously considered. A decrease in the current monthly obligation may result by showing loss of employment or incarceration. Additionally, just because one parent chooses not to work does not mean they are automatically entitled to child support.  The court may impute income on a non-working parent or consider the parent’s earning capacity in deciding whether to award child support.

In California, support orders for a spouse or domestic partner are not guaranteed just because one spouse or domestic partner makes more money than the other. There are circumstances that justify either denial or termination of a support order or serious limitations.  An action for Spousal Support or Domestic Support can be a complex matter, involving factors such as the duration of the marriage (short duration versus long duration), the earning capacity of the parties, current income from employment or from a business owned by a spouse, domestic violence issues, and the quality and standard of living during the marriage.  Additionally, during the pendency of the case, a spouse or domestic partner might receive temporary support and at the conclusion of the case the spouse or domestic partner might receive a final order of support.  Both the temporary support and final support order can be very different.

Attorney’s Fees and Costs in Family Law Matters

The attorneys at Knez Law Group understand that not everyone going through a divorce can afford to pay a high retainer fee to have adequate representation throughout their divorce.  For example, one spouse might have agreed to stop working in order to stay home and take care of the kids while the other spouse works. In that situation, it may seem impossible for the non-employed spouse to afford an attorney.  However, in California, the law recognizes various grounds that justify the spouse with the higher earnings to pay the attorney’s fees and costs of the lesser earning spouse.  Furthermore, there are circumstances that justify the payment of attorney’s fees and costs in the form of sanctions against a party when one spouse engages in conduct that frustrates the policy of the law to promote settlement of litigation and to reduce costs of litigation through cooperation.  The attorneys at Knez Law Group have encountered these situations in multiple cases and have obtained favorable judgments for clients who otherwise would have been unable to afford an attorney.

Family Lawyers Serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and Orange County

Knez Law Group has experienced Riverside family law attorneys serving the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and Orange County. We are well versed in all legal matters impacting a family and can help get you back on your feet. If you need to speak to an attorney at an experienced family law firm in Riverside, contact the Knez Law Group today at (951) 742-7681.