Experienced San Bernardino Divorce Lawyers
Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP represents clients in family law matters, including divorce and the dissolution of domestic partnerships. At our San Bernardino law firm, our divorce attorneys take a protective approach to divorce cases. We aggressively act to defend our clients' interests, but we also counsel compromise when the circumstances indicate that a divorce settlement will be preferable to a divorce trial.
In California, there is no fault requirement for divorce. A divorce can be granted in California if the divorce court finds that the spouses or partners have irreconcilable differences. The family law attorneys at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP will guide you through the entire process from start to finish, giving you the comfort of knowing you have staunch advocates at your side every step of the way.
How to Get There: Negotiation, Mediation or Courtroom Trial?
You and your spouse will have to resolve a number of issues before a family court judge will grant a divorce:
- Who will pay child support and how much?
- How will you share custody of the children? What type of visitation plan works best for the child and the parents?
- What if the parent with primary custody wants to move away?
- Will spousal support be paid and for how long?
- Who will get which marital assets?
- Who will take responsibility for which marital debts?
How you find answers to these questions depends completely on your circumstances and wishes. Amicable divorces are not only possible, they are more cost-efficient. When you and your spouse can reach an easy agreement via negotiation, the divorce process can be relatively fast and painless. If you can agree on most issues, but a couple of sticking points remain, your lawyer may recommend divorce mediation as a tool to help craft creative and acceptable compromises.
If circumstances dictate that no other option exists besides a knock-down-drag-out courtroom battle, rest assured that the divorce attorneys of Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP are fire-tested trial lawyers who will put forth every effort and argument on your behalf.
For more information on divorce, please see our California Divorce Information Center or sign up to receive our family law e-newsletter.
Dissolution of Domestic Partnerships Under California Law
As the California courts continue to review the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's family laws still recognize domestic partnerships as valid. Same-sex couples that register a domestic partnership, sometimes called a civil union, have the same rights as heterosexual couples. These include the right to use employee sick leave to care for a sick partner, the right to hospital visitation, the right to make medical decisions for a partner and the right to petition for a stepparent adoption for a partner's child.
But, with these rights come complex legal issues — especially when a domestic partnership ends. When a domestic partnership dissolves, domestic partners may find that they have financial responsibility for each other's debts. You may find that you have to split assets acquired during the partnership. You may need to negotiate child support or financial support for or from your former partner. These matters require the help of an experienced lawyer to be resolved as effectively as possible. At Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP, we have this experience and are dedicated to protecting the rights of same-sex couples.
Contact the Lawyers at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP
Even if you have never visited a law firm before, Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP offers a comfortable environment where you can talk confidentially to an experienced lawyer about the issues that affect you.
To contact our team of attorneys at the San Bernardino, California, law offices of Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox LLP, please call us at 909.708.4733 or 866.587.8139.
Se habla español — All major credit cards accepted — Evening and weekend hours by special appointment
