Orange County Family Lawyer

Issues of family law are complex and emotionally challenging experiences and often require the assistance of a legal professional. At Minyard Morris, we understand just how difficult these cases can be and believe that your representation requires a strategic and assertive defense with proactive planning. You deserve a legal advocate who can fight for you, whatever your case might include. An Orange County family lawyer from Minyard Morris is here to help.

For more than 47 years, the family law firm of Minyard Morris has been serving Orange County clients facing a multitude of family law cases, including divorce, child custody or child support, property division, and spousal support.

If you are facing one of these legal situations and find yourself in need of a fierce advocate who can fight for you with the legal knowledge necessary to win these cases, our team is standing by, ready to serve you and secure your desired outcome.

At Minyard Morris, our team is dedicated to providing each and every one of our clients with top-tier legal service to achieve a favorable outcome for their family law case. We can align ourselves with your desired goals and objectives and fight for what you deserve.

Family Law Services

Family law is one of the most complicated and sensitive legal practices. It requires an attorney with a deep understanding of the legal intricacies at play in many of these cases. Family law matters often have the potential to impact the lives of those involved for years to come. This is why it is so vital that you have a lawyer on your side who can assist you in managing the various aspects involved in your family law case.

In California, family law pertains to legal situations or issues that arise between the members of a family or those in family relationships. For many individuals, a family law matter will be the first time they are required to step into a courtroom and having an attorney by your side is crucial.

Whether you are facing a divorce court, fighting for child custody, or seeking a family law modification, the attorneys at Minyard Morris are here to offer ethical and aggressive representation in order to achieve the results you both hope for and deserve.

Divorce

The most common action in family law is that of divorce. Dealing with the legal aspects of a marriage dissolution can be time-consuming, complicated, and emotionally charged. Having an attorney on your side to understand the legalities of divorce is paramount. At Minyard Morris, you will be given an experienced lawyer who is skilled in the area of divorce law and can ensure that everything necessary is done to achieve the outcome most favorable to you.

One of the biggest mistakes an individual can make when facing a divorce is thinking they can handle a divorce on their own. While legal representation is not required by California law, the team at Minyard Morris can work to advocate for you and your rights so that you may focus on your personal affairs and rest assured knowing someone else is fighting for you.

When you hire us, you’re not just getting a single lawyer; you are getting the entire powerhouse of our team behind you, fighting for your rights in a divorce case.

Child Custody

In many cases of divorce, the main concern is that which regards the children shared by the divorcing couple. As our client, you can have confidence in the fact that we can fight for you and your desires for child custody. We can work to find practical solutions to any issues that arise in your child custody case and offer the legal education necessary to help you make informed decisions that will impact your chances of achieving your desired custody goals.

In California, there are two aspects of child custody:

• Legal custody: This form of custody allows the awarded parent the right and duty to make certain decisions that will affect the health, education, and welfare of their children. It can also include decisions about the extracurricular activities they will be involved in.
• Physical custody: This form of custody refers to sharing the child’s time between the parents and will make a determination on the primary residence of that child. This decision will be made in what the courts deem is the best interest of that child.

When making a decision regarding child custody, a judge will look at multiple factors including:

• The parenting skill of each divorcing party and their ability to co-parent
• The age and needs of their child, including the child’s ties to the community or school they are currently involved in
• Any history of substance or alcohol abuse, along with any record of domestic violence on the part of either parent

With over 350 years of combined experience among our child custody lawyers, the team at Minyard Morris offers the experience and resources necessary to assist clients seeking child custody rights in a family law case.

Property Division

California is a community property state, meaning that each spouse owns an equal share of the assets that were acquired during the marriage. This also includes any debts that were incurred during the marriage. If one of the spouses, however, acquired an inheritance or assets before marriage, these are separate property and are not included in the community property split.

At Minyard Morris, we understand that you have worked hard for the assets you now enjoy and have a desire to keep ahold of them. We are passionate about securing your assets for you during a division of property and will employ both our skill and knowledge to do everything in our power to ensure you maintain the earnings of your hard work.

Assets most often involved in an Orange County division of property case include:

• The family home
• Vehicles
• Real estate
• Business interests
• Bank accounts
• Investments

When you work with the team at Minyard Morris, we can fight to ensure your assets are protected.

Spousal Support

Many couples facing divorce in Orange County will find the issue of spousal support or alimony included in their family law case. In these situations, a judge will likely make a determination on the need for one spouse to receive support from the other spouse. This decision will be made based on various factors involved in the case, including:

• Both spouses’ incomes
• The marital standard of living the spouses are used to
• The age and health of the divorcing parties
• The career, skills, and education of the divorcing parties
• How long the marriage lasted
• Any history of domestic violence in the marriage

At Minyard Morris, we understand that the issue of spousal support is often a top concern for many of our clients. Whether you are being asked to pay spousal support or feel as though you deserve spousal support, we are ready to gather the facts necessary to tell your story. We can stand by you, offering the representation you need to argue your case and protect your financial interest in a spousal support case.

Paternity Issues

If a question arises regarding the paternity of a child, Minyard Morris is here to help. A paternity action is the way to settle these matters, especially when parties are not willing to conduct genetic tests on their own. By filing this action, a family law court in Orange County will have the jurisdiction necessary to determine parentage with the use of genetic testing.

Once this parentage is established, courts can make determinations on the related issues, such as the rights of the parents involved, custody or visitation orders, or child support. These determinations will be made in what the court believes is the child’s best interest.

If you have concerns regarding the paternity of a child or the custody and support of that child, the team at Minyard Morris is here to act as your aggressive legal advocate to ensure your rights are protected.

Domestic Violence

Family law cases regarding domestic violence call for a strong and powerful legal strategy. These cases leave a lasting impact on the individuals involved, and clients deserve an attorney who understands the intricacies of these legal matters. An allegation of domestic violence can influence areas of divorce case proceedings as well, making it that much more important that you have a legal advocate on your side. Domestic violence can take the following forms:

• Hitting
• Slapping
• Punching
• Throwing objects
• Pushing
• Verbal abuse, such as insults, threats, humiliation, or intimidation
• Sexual abuse
• Financial abuse

If you are trying to manage a domestic violence situation, the attorneys at Minyard Morris are here to offer an analysis of your circumstances and how this allegation could affect other areas of family law you might be facing. Whatever your unique situation, we are here to help and provide fierce advocacy.

Child Support

If you find yourself managing a divorce, a separation, or are no longer in a relationship with the noncustodial parent of your child, you may wish to seek the legal right to child support. These cases can be complicated, and there are many factors to consider that will impact your child’s financial needs and the finances of both parties involved.

At Minyard Morris, our team is here to help obtain the necessary information regarding the finances of the noncustodial parent, including their expenses and regular income, to ensure you achieve the amount of support you and your child deserve.

Business Owner or Professional Divorces

When an owner of a business or other professional practice, such as a law or medical practice, is involved in a divorce, it can make difficult situations all the more challenging. At Minyard Morris, we understand that you want to do everything you can to protect your hard-earned legacy, and we are prepared to help you fight to do just that.

We know how much owning a business or professional practice can influence a divorce case and can work to ensure your business assets are treated fairly and protected.

Speak with an Aggressive Family Law Advocate Ready to Fight for You

At Minyard Morris, our family law attorneys are here to help you no matter what kind of family law situation you find yourself in. If you have questions regarding divorce, child support, child custody matters, or domestic violence, we are here to protect you and your rights. Contact our offices today to schedule a consultation and learn more about how we can assist you.