San Diego Family Law Attorney
As an experienced and dedicated San Diego Family law attorney, I serve a diverse array of clients who depend on my skill and compassionate guidance to protect their rights and guide them through complex and often emotionally-challenging legal issues. I represent both men and women on either side of the following matters:
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Child Adoption
- Child Support
- Child Visitation
- Spousal Support (Alimony)
- Legal separation
- Paternity
- Property and Debt Division
- Prenuptial Agreements
I understand that family law issues are often difficult. Because of this, I give my clients personal attention and will assist in strategies and techniques to reduce tension and conflict. My law firm wants to be a part of your solution and not part of your problem. As such, we do not charge our family law clients for costs which many law firms charge for such as postage, parking, mileage, copying and fax [certain limited exceptions apply] which reduce costs associated with family law cases.
I am also proud that I was awarded a Certificate of Merit in 2007 by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and have personally represented over 300 family law clients since January of 2006. I will use my education, training and experience to discuss legal strategies and techniques to protect your legal rights and obtain your legal goals.
If you or a loved one needs the help of an experienced San Diego Family lawyer, call Roy Doppelt today at 866-348-2514, or complete the contact form provided on this site to arrange for your free consultation.
Practice Areas and Legal Definitions
Divorce:
A court of law is the only way one can obtain a divorce decree, dissolution, legal separation, nullity or other form of terminating a marriage. Other than the termination of the marital estate, the court also has jurisdiction to resolve other issues that are intertwined in the existing marriage which include, but are not limited to: custody and visitation rights, division of property of the marital estate, spousal support, child support, restraining orders, etc.
Child Custody:
Custody is the charge and control of a child, including the right to make all major decisions such as education, religious upbringing, training, health and welfare. Custody usually refers to a combination of physical custody and legal custody. Many factors influence an award of custody and the way a case is presented in court can have a large impact on the result for you and your children. If you are awarded the children as a primary custodial parent, it has far reaching consequences both to you and to their well-being and development.
Adoption:
Adoption is the legal process by which a person becomes a lawful member of a family different from their birth family. Once a final order of adoption has been ruled by a court of law, the adoptive parents gain the same rights and responsibilities as parents whose children are born to them; subsequently, an adopted child gains the same rights as birth children in regard to inheritance, child support and other legal matters. In most U.S. jurisdictions, at the time the adoption is finalized, the adopted child's name is legally changed and the court orders the issuance of a new, amended birth certificate.
Child Support:
Child support is a periodic payment made to a custodial parent from a non-custodial parent to help compensate a child's living expenses, i.e. food, clothes, etc., and any other related debts. When one parent is awarded sole custody, as in the event of a divorce, the non-custodial parent is required to fulfill his or her child support obligation by making set payments, whereas the custodial parent meets his or her support obligation through the custody itself. When parents are awarded joint custody in a divorce, however, the support obligation is shared and is based on a ratio of each parent's income and the amount of time the child spends with each parent.
The obligation to support minor children cannot be waived by either parent and is a right enjoyed by the child, not the parent. Each state has guidelines that factor the amount of child support, such as the amount of time spent with the child, the income of both parents and the standard of living the child is accustomed to. ; The court may allow deductions for items such as catastrophic medical expenses and travel expenses for visitation.
Spousal Support (Alimony):
Alimony is temporary or permanent financial support paid from one separated spouse to the other, either in one lump sum or in installments. ; Alimony is designed to provide the lower-income spouse with money for living expenses over and above the money provided by child support. Alimony differs from child support because it is at the discretion of the judge. Child support is usually determined by state-sanctioned guidelines.
There are several factors a judge considers when deciding whether to grant alimony. These differ from state to state, of course, but they usually involve things like the parties' relative ability to earn money, both now and in the future; their respective age and health; the length of the marriage; the kind of property involved, and the conduct of the parties. In general, about the only time a judge will award alimony in most states is where one spouse has been economically dependent on the other spouse for most of a lengthy marriage.
Property and Debt Division:
Marital property attained during marriage, regardless of whose name it is under, can be divided. Marital property can include real estate (including a home bought in contemplation of marriage), pension plans, vehicles, bank accounts, income tax refunds and/or household furnishings. However, property that is inherited by one spouse is not considered marital property, i.e. a family business or estate. If you are contractually bound with your ex-spouse on a debt, the creditor can require the entire payment of that debt from your share of the community property even though the divorce decree assigns the debt to your ex-spouse. Depending on the terms of your divorce decree, you may be able to have certain support obligations under the divorce decree determined to be non-dischargeable by the bankruptcy court or in state court.
Prenuptial Agreements:
A prenuptial, or premarital agreement (often referred to as a "pre-nup") is a written contract created by two individuals who plan to be married. This agreement lists all individually owned property, such as homes and businesses, family assets, stocks and bonds, savings accounts as well as debts, and specifies what will and will not remain individually owned property after the legalization of marriage. Prenuptial agreements also specify whether spousal support will be paid in the event of a divorce, and the intentions regarding distribution of individually owned property upon death.
A factor that cannot be stipulated in a prenuptial agreement is child support. A couple cannot lawfully agree in a prenuptial agreement that either part will in no way be responsible for child support. Also, a few states do not allow prenuptial agreements to modify or eliminate the right of a spouse to receive court-ordered alimony at divorce, although a prenuptial agreement can facilitate in the degree of compensation.
Paternity:
Paternity covers all the matters related to proving the parentage of a child or children. For married couples, paternity of a child is assumed to be the spouse, unless there is a court order or judgment stating otherwise. For unwed parents, paternity can be established by signing an Affidavit of Parentage or by filing a paternity action with the court.
Legally establishing paternity or determining that someone is not the parent of child can have a significant impact on divorce settlements, property division, child custody, child support and the ability to move out of state. Determinations of paternity can also have a significant impact on interstate conflict between unwed parents.
If you or a loved one needs the help of an experienced San Diego Family law attorney, call Roy Doppelt today at 866-348-2514, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule a free consultation.If you or someone you love needs the legal assistance of an experienced San Diego Family lawyer, please contact Roy Doppelt today at 866-348-2514, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.
FIRM ADDRESS: Roy Doppelt
16466 Bernardo Center Drive
Suite 260
San Diego, CA 92128
Phone: 866-348-2514
Hours: M-F, 8:00AM-5:00PM
MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:
- Roy Doppelt
EDUCATION:
- J.D., California Western School of Law, San Diego, Dean's Award
- B.A., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
COURTS ADMITTED:
- California, 1988
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
- San Diego County Bar Association
- North County Inland Chamber of Commerce
- Better Business Bureau of San Diego and Imperial Counties
AWARDS AND HONORS:
- Member of Who's Who of American Law School Students
- Order of the Barrister
- Advocacy Honors Board
- National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: Certificate of Merit
- The Week: Stories and photos from June 28 - July 4 (San Diego Union-Tribune)
San Diego's descent in the population rankings this decade has been swift. First it was Phoenix that knocked the city from its No. 6 notch, and a few years later, along came San Antonio, dislodging it from No. 7. Now Dallas has pushed San Diego to No. 9, according to population estimates released Wednesday by the Census Bureau. - State Justice Department Stalls Murder Case Arrests (KESQ Palm Springs)
Riverside County Sheriff's Department has suspects in 1981 Rancho Mirage triple murder case. California D.O.J. takes over case because of local conflict of interest, but stalls on arrests. - Selected recent California newspaper editorials (San Diego Union-Tribune)
June 30 - Services Held Today For Victims; Reward Offered In Case (WITN 7 North Carolina)
Services are being held today for the two victims in Tuesday morning's drive-by shooting in downtown Greenville. There is a $10,000 reward for the arrest of their suspected killer. ECU students are planning an anti-violence march and vigil. - Vista Jury Awards a Groundbreaking Verdict in Elder Abuse/Neglect Case (PRWeb)
A Vista jury unanimously awarded plaintiff Elaine Stinson nearly $1.34 million for the reckless abuse and neglect she suffered at the hands of her care providers at Leisure Palms, a Fallbrook licensed residential care facility for the elderly. (Case No. 37-2008-00050484-CU-PO-NC, Stinson v. Leisure Palms, et al.) (PRWeb Jun 29, 2009) Read the full story at ... - Vista Jury Awards a Groundbreaking Verdict in Elder Abuse/Neglect Case (PRWeb via Yahoo! News)
A Vista jury unanimously awarded plaintiff Elaine Stinson nearly $1.34 million for the reckless abuse and neglect she suffered at the hands of her care providers at Leisure Palms, a Fallbrook licensed residential care facility for the elderly. (Case No. 37-2008-00050484-CU-PO-NC, Stinson v. Leisure Palms, et al.) - Deadline looms for sex-abuse cases (The News Journal)
The two-year window of Delaware's 2007 Child Victim's Act is about to close, putting an end to a steady stream of civil lawsuits alleging child sexual abuse that dates to the 1950s and reaches to churches, schools and private homes. - Gang injunctions have helped in some counties (Modesto Bee)
Police complained after the Yolo County district attorney's office filed a gang injunction agai - Assessor tells homeowners to demand refund in illegal scam (Napa Valley Register)
The district attorney is urging residents who fell for an alleged reassessment scam to demand their money back. - Michael Jackson Dies at 50 (WCTV Tallahassee)
Michael Jackson's health woes took center stage.
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