City Heights, California

A very culturally diverse community in San Diego County, City Heights is bordered by Interstate 805 to the West and El Cajon Boulevard to the North. To the east, City Heights is bounded by 54th Street. City Heights is home to 9 schools, including five elementary schools and two high schools. Businesses and restaurants in City Heights are in close proximity to residential neighborhoods, and thus the area is known for its foot traffic. City Heights is also known for its diverse restaurants with cuisines that hail from various parts of the world. Citizens of City Heights use the courthouses located in downtown San Diego for their family law needs. The Family Court on 1555 Sixth Avenue hears child visitation and custody issues, as well as dissolutions of marriage cases, and the Madge Bradley Building on 1409 4th Avenue hears divorce cases as well.

City Heights residents will need legal representation for some of the most complex and contentious issues in family law court. Our City Heights family attorneys are here to help. Perhaps the most contentious is, of course, where your child or children will live. The dispute resolution procedure is called Family Court Services and this is only used when the parents cannot agree on physical and/or legal custody. The preferable method, of course, is for the parents to agree since they know what is in the best interests of their child or children. If you cannot agree, then a motion is filed called a “Request for Order” and this sets the mandatory mediation with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker hired by the Court to meet with parents and try to get them to reach an agreement. If an agreement can be reached, then the mediator will write up the agreement and both parties can ask the Judge to make this an order of the Court. If the parties do not agree, then the mediator will make a written recommendation since San Diego is a recommending County. The Judge will follow the mediator recommendation the vast majority of the time. This can be a very complex and confusing procedure. A City Heights family attorney who is experience in child custody can assist to prepare you for the mediation since the standard is the best interest of the child which includes stability, frequent and continuing contact as well as bonding and health, safety and welfare issues.

Our law office is located in Rancho Bernardo. From City Heights, take the 805 North to the I-15 North and exit Bernardo Center Drive. Our office will be on the left side in the Clock Tower Office Complex. Our family law office is open Monday thru Friday from 8am to 5pm and closed on all legal holidays.

We are members of the San Diego County Bar Association and San Diego County Better Business Bureau at Doppelt and Forney, APLC. We provide a free in-person or virtual consultation where one of our seasoned City Heights family attorneys can learn more about your legal situation and offer you advice on how to achieve your legal goals. You can schedule this appointment online or at 858-312-8500. Our attorneys have abundant experience in family law and have handled cases that have to do with divorce, legal separation, annulment, child support, child custody, child visitation, spousal support, separation of real estate, and separation of debt. We also prepare marriage settlement agreements and judgment pleadings. We look forward to learning more about your case and helping you through what we are sure is a difficult time in your life.