Practice Areas
Courage is a what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen – Winston Churchill At Perez Hecht our attorneys have the courage to do both.
When parents go through separation or divorce, we understand this is when tensions are at their highest. We know that your major concerns are determining custody (legal/physical) and establishing an appropriate parenting plan and holiday schedule that are in the best interest of your child. With so much at stake, we are here to listen to your concerns and advocate for your family.
In California both parents have a responsibility to financially support their children. However, very often one parent attempts to avoid his or her financial responsibility. We are experienced in holding non-supporting parents accountable. We do this through imputing income to an under-employed parent, garnishing wages and obtaining and analyzing financial records to reveal hidden income.
Divorce can be a painful experience making it very uncomfortable to approach a legal professional about such personal matters. We are sensitive and reassure our clients that they will be heard and guided through the major issues surrounding divorce such as division of assets, assigning debt, exclusive use of the marital residence, spousal support and even issues of domestic violence.
If you are seeking child custody and visitation or support orders outside of marriage, it is necessary to first establish who the child’s legal parents are. This is done through filing a Petition to Establish Parentage. Once parentage is established, a parent can request custody and support orders. We are here to help you navigate through this process.
The one thing constant in life is change. At times circumstances change to an extent that current court orders are no longer suitable for your life situation. This is a time to consider modifying your existing child custody or support orders. For child custody this can mean adding terms, ordering a change in the visitation schedule, reunification counseling, testing for substance abuse, or individual therapy. For support orders this can mean increasing or decreasing the amount of support or addressing additional child-related expenses.
If you are suffering from domestic violence, the first and most important thing is for you and your children to be safe. We can help you devise a safe exit strategy that includes a domestic violence restraining order, exclusive use of the home, emergency custody orders, and an order for financial support. We understand the sensitive nature of this issue and are here to help.
A very difficult issue in family law is when one parent requests the court grant them an order to move away with the minor children within the state, out of state and even to a different country. Whether you are requesting or defending a move-away, this is a difficult and overwhelming process. We can help you assess the likelihood of your position and help you reach the best possible outcome for your family.
We understand the frustration of expending the time and expense of obtaining a court order to which the opposing party does not comply. We have experience in enforcing court orders and truly understand that clients want this done in the most cost effective way possible.
One of the main concerns when going through a divorce is financial stability for both parties. Often, the primary earner will attempt to avoid paying spousal support by hiding income or suddenly working less. We can help you get a fair support order. We do this through imputing income to an under-employed spouse and analyzing financial records to reveal hidden income.
While this may not be for everyone, parties entering into a marriage could benefit by discussing beforehand what effect divorce could have on your business, real property and retirement earned during marriage. The benefit of these type of agreements could mean saving thousands of dollars on a costly divorce.