Case Examples
Here are some examples of the types of problems we have resolved for our clients:
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A well-meaning relative of the father had taken a teen mother's baby to California from another state, and was trying to get a guardianship over the child. Carol obtained orders reuniting the baby and young mother, and the California court ruled that the other state had jurisdiction to make further orders.
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Two parents lived in different states and needed to change their long-distance parenting plan as the children grew older. Carol and the other parent's attorney negotiated a resolution that satisfied both parents.
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A father found it necessary to move to another state due to a change of employment and wanted to ensure his children's continuing relationship with both him and his ex-wife. Carol helped negotiate a co-parenting plan that allowed the father substantial periods of time with the child.
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A mother who lived abroad was being prevented by the custodial father in California from seeing their child. Carol arranged for long-distance co-parent counseling between the parents, and helped them negotiate a visitation agreement. The child now flies twice a year to visit his mother in England.
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A parent feared that her child would be taken by the other parent to the third world country where the other parent was born. Carol obtained orders preventing the other parent from taking the child out of the U.S.
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Two young parents from another state had reached an informal agreement about child custody, and then one parent violated the agreement and tried to get orders in Sonoma County. Carol got the child returned and the Sonoma County Court agreed it did not have jurisdiction.
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A father whose daughter lived with her mother in Europe needed his child support obligation reduced due to a reduction in his earnings. Carol obtained orders reducing his child support and allowing him to apply some of his support to the daughter's travel expenses to visit him in California.
- A father on the East Coast was having trouble stopping his wages from being garnished by the California child support agency after his youngest child had reached the age of majority. Carol collaborated with the two state support agencies to determine his overpayments, obtain repayment, and stop garnishment .
- A parent who had moved to another state had stopped receiving child support payments from the parent who remained in California. Carol worked with our local Department of Child Support Services to get the back support paid and continuing payments made.
