Solana Beach Divorce Attorney

Most people don’t look forward to divorces, and there are many reasons why you might view them warily. Although the media and cultural institutions often portray marital separation as one of life’s worst experiences, the way you manage a divorce determines what kinds of challenges it brings. With Ratzer|Dobis our divorce attorneys provide the assistance needed to navigate our clients through this process.

Why Choose Us?

Getting divorced doesn’t have to be an adverse event — and in many cases, it leads to healthy, positive outcomes. From our office in Solana Beach, California, we at Ratzer|Dobis strive to ensure that couples are able to move forward successfully after separating from their spouse in San Diego County and beyond. Jim Ratzer and Morgan Dobis are dedicated to not only representing people whose relationships don’t go as planned, but also helping them reap the rewards of a new start and fresh perspectives.

How Will You Use Family Law To Your Advantage?

One common misconception about divorce is that the results are predetermined. High net worth divorces may assume they’re going to have to pay or settle for losing significant amounts of property. In reality, however, these contested outcomes aren’t foregone conclusions. Couples may be able to reach mutually beneficial arrangements by going through processes like:

Mediation and out-of-court resolution of issues
Creating separation or post nuptial agreements resolving marital issues and avoiding a divorce.
Assessing proposed property divisions with the help of legal representatives

Talking to our lawyers can make your divorce go more smoothly than you expected. We take great pleasure in helping people minimize the amount of time they spend going back and forth. Our Solana Beach divorce lawyers find fewer things more rewarding than solving complex divorce cases as quickly as possible. We look forward to using our experience to help you through these trying times in one piece — whether that be through courtroom litigation or alternative means of effective resolution.

What Are the Various Aspects of a Divorce Case?

When people make the decision that a divorce is necessary, they have likely not thought through all of the various details that need to be handled. When people are married, particularly for longer periods of time, their lives become completely intertwined. The following are common aspects of a divorce that need to be resolved before a divorce can be finalized:

Property and asset division – California is a community property state. This means all property acquired during a marriage is equally owned by both spouses. When there is a divorce, the property must be divided equally between both spouses. However, this does not necessarily mean a 50/50 split and this process can become very contentious. Some property that needs to be divided includes the marital home, other real estate, bank accounts, retirement accounts, vehicles, furniture, and more.
Complex property and high net worth –There are many divorce cases that involve complex property issues or high net worth assets. These cases will require specialized attention, including the use of specialized accounting teams to ensure that all parties involved are being treated fairly. A Solana Beach divorce attorney that specializes in high net worth divorce can help facilitate these cases.
Spousal maintenance (alimony) – If one spouse will be left with lesser means and due to the divorce, the court may order that spousal maintenance be paid to that spouse from the spouse with more means. Solana Beach spousal support and maintenance amounts depend on various factors and may be temporary or permanent.

If there are children under the age of 18 between a separating couple, then the following need to be taken into account:

Child custody and visitation – If there are minor children involved, both “physical” and “legal” custody need to be determined. For a non-custodial parent, a visitation schedule will need to be agreed upon. This can become a very complicated and emotional part of the divorce process.
Child support – California law requires that both parents continue to support their child after a separation or divorce. The total amount to be paid will be based on various factors, including both parents’ income, physical custody arrangements, education requirements of the child, and more.
Paternity – If there is a dispute about paternity, that can affect custody and support cases. We will help you resolve paternity, whether you are the mother or father in these cases.

Do I Have to Use an Attorney?

There are cases in which couples go through a divorce without assistance from an attorney. However, this is usually only successful if there are little to no assets involved, no children between the couple, and in relatively new marriages. For most other divorce cases, the issues involved can become complex and will require a Solana Beach family attorney.

Is Mediation an Option?

When you turn to us for help, one of the possibilities we will look at is mediation as an alternative to litigation. At Ratzer|Dobis, our Solana Beach mediation attorneys have extensive experience using mediation techniques and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods to obtain the results you need. Mediation can be less costly and less time consuming than a typical divorce case. However, mediation is not always possible, particularly with more complex divorce cases. Because our attorneys specialize in mediation as well as divorce, it will be easy for us to transition from a mediation case to a finalized divorce.

It’s Impossible to Please Everyone, so We Focus on Our Clients’ Needs

High-value properties such as real estate, vehicles, business interests or retirement accounts, strong opinions and self-preservation instincts may threaten potentially successful agreements. It takes a level head and sound legal knowledge to cut through all the noise and do what’s ultimately best for your future.

Whether you’re in the midst of a tricky divorce or you want to know how family law can help you protect your future, our Solana Beach divorce attorneys are ready to support you. Contact us online or call (858) 793-7700 today. Don’t let a failing relationship take you down with it.