2015: What Resources Are Available to Inform and Educate You in Your Divorce, Paternity or Legal Separation in San Diego?

The best paid resource, whether your case is a legal separation, paternity or divorce, is to hire a lawyer. An attorney can assist you with not only the preparation and filing and service of the pleadings but also with a legal analysis of the case which is essential for settlement purposes. If you know how much the guideline support amount is for child and/or spousal support, then you may be able to settle rather than going to court. In addition, for division of assets and debts, if you know what the Judge will do in your pending family law case, then [again] you can move to settlement rather than litigation. Your attorney is on your side only and can give you peace of mind during this most difficult time in your life. In addition, there are paid mediators who meet with both parties and try and resolve the case. This is different than hiring one attorney for each party and this has advantages and disadvantages. There is a San Diego service [Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Service] which can provide mediation and also there are private mediators who work individually. There is also a collaborative divorce procedure in which each party has their own attorney but there are also ancillary experts in different fields which assist: therapists for child or children for the parenting plan; certified public accountants for the division of assets and debts and others. There are also paid resources on the internet which provide assistance with legal pleadings.

A free in-person or virtual consultation with an experienced family law attorney can be invaluable. One of the best non paid resource in San Diego for family law cases is the Family Law Facilitator. This office is funded by the County of San Diego and there is no charge to use their services. This office can assist with the preparation of pleadings for your case including the petition, summons, request for order for support [both spousal and child] as well as the income and expense declaration and schedule of assets and debts and finalizing with judgment pleadings. This office will not provide an attorney to represent you in court and you will need to be self represented. The advantage, of course, is no cost and there are branches of the Family Law Facilitator in the main family law courthouse downtown, Chula Vista court house. El Cajon court house and Vista court house. There is information about this organization on the San Diego Superior Court website and link below provided for your convenience.

http://www.sdcourt.ca.gov/

There are many self help resources which are also no charge. The San Diego Superior Court website [above] has information and forms which are very informative. There is no charge to use the San Diego Superior Court website. In addition, information can be obtained from the San Diego County Law Library. The Library has many books which have forms and information which can be very useful in your pending family law case. In addition, you can research your individuals issue on google [link below for your convenience] for information. While this can be very information and you can search for, example, how are the best interests of our child or children considered in San Diego Superior Court, be very careful of the source.

http://www.google.com/

The law firm of Doppelt and Forney, APLC offer a free in-person or virtual consultation in the privacy of their law office so you can discuss your individual case. Their office is conveniently located on Bernardo Center Drive at the exit for the I-15 on the east side of the highway. Feel free to call their law office to set an appointment.