The dedicated and compassionate attorneys at the Ruiz Law Firm understand that not all marriages work out until death do you part. Unfortunately, extenuating circumstances require obtaining an attorney to protect your rights during a divorce, or to help you reconcile your accounts during marriage dissolution. Our offices are comprised of caring, honest and accepting lawyers who know that divorce — even if it is a combined choice — is a tough time in anyone’s life. This is why we offer comfort and compassion, while going to bat for what is rightfully yours once your marriage ends.
We Help With All Aspects of Divorce
Although many issues arise in a divorce case, the divorce itself just involves ending the parties’ marriage. A marriage can only be ended by a judgment in a court case; the spouses cannot just simply agree their marriage is over. Until the marriage is formally terminated by the court, neither spouse can remarry, the spouses cannot file income taxes as single persons, and the parties are considered married for purposes of insurance, retirement and employment benefits, inheritance, and ownership of property. California has a mandatory minimum waiting period of 6 months from the date the summons and petition are served on the respondent before the marriage can be terminated. However, expiration of the 6-month period does not automatically terminate the marriage. As stated above, only a court can terminate a marriage.The legal term for a divorce in California is a marital dissolution, but two other proceedings can be used in California that affects the marital status of the spouses:
- Annulment, which is a determination that the marriage is null and void because it arose under circumstances that indicate it was not voluntary, because it was not consummated, or because one spouse is unable to perform sexually. If a judgment of annulment is madethe marriage is considered never to have existed, which can affect the right to spousal support and division of property. There are strict time limits for bringing a case to annul a marriage.
- Legal separation is a formal determination that the parties have separated, but stops short of terminating the marriage. Legal separation is typically used where for religious or other reasons there is some reason to keep the marital status alive while the parties live separately.
The Ruiz Law Firm provides free phone consultation to help you under the processes, and to determine whether your divorce is contested or uncontested. We will advise you of your rights, while providing personal attention to your case from the moment we make contact until the last piece of paperwork is signed. Our objective is to provide a fast and fair resolution to your divorce or marriage dissolution, so you can start your life again on a positive note. Whether you are a man or woman, have been married fifty years or five, we would love to help you move forward with integrity, honesty and a commitment to a better life.