Family Law

• Divorce
  At the Hale & Associates, our Carlsbad Divorce and Family Law Attorneys are dedicated to the proposition that every client is entitled to maintain their self-respect, dignity, and decision making power for themselves and families throughout a process often marked by high emotional turmoil, confusion, and mistrust. We strive to empower clients with a sense of self-determination, while lending emotional support and responsiveness to issues as they arise. We manage every case from the perspective that litigation (where judges make the decisions) is best reserved for those rare cases where progress cannot be made through assertive negotiation, mediation, or through other assisted disposition strategies.
• Child Support
  Another question fathers often have is if their child support obligations will decrease when they remarry and have a blended family. Having more children to support, whether they are stepchildren or biological children from your second marriage, will not result in the court reducing your commitment. However, it is possible to ask that your support obligation be reduced if paying child support has become burdensome as a result of a job loss or if your ex's income has grown.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  According to recent research, multiple text messages, movies, audio recordings, and testimony about cell phones are becoming commonplace in child custody and divorce hearings and trials.
• Adoption
  You might be able to ask for a stepparent adoption if you are a married stepparent who wants more protection in case of a future divorce. This option is available only when the child's biological father is not present or is prepared to relinquish his parental rights.
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
  Of course, any prenuptial agreements must be fulfilled, so it's possible that the property is still held by one party in the divorce while the other receives no financial advantage from the sale.
• Spousal Support
  Over the last several years, a few states have relaxed their stance on pets as property or alimony, resulting in new rules that alter how the court treats a family pet in a divorce. Pets are still classified as "common property" in California, but at the request of either partner, courts may additionally decide who will care for the pet (veterinary bills, food, and toys) before determining who owns the creature.
• Legal Separation
  We can also help you secure, if you so desire, a legal separation from your spouse. A legal separation is very similar to a divorce, while remaining married at the end of the process, there do occasionally arise specific issues regarding maintenance of health insurance, division of pension and other retirement assets and the like.

Criminal Law

• Misdemeanors
  If you are unable to contact them at the time of the violation, they should accept a report if you contact them shortly after. It may result in a misdemeanor or felony criminal conviction and penalty in certain situations.
• Homicide
  Understanding the options available to families as they negotiate a transition in high-conflict environments against the backdrop of an uncertain time is crucial now more than ever. The suicide rate in the US is over three times higher than the homicide rate. It ranks fourth for adults aged 35 to 44 and second for those aged 10 to 24. Furthermore, divorced or separated couples have a rate that is more than twice as high as married ones.
• Restraining Order
  When it comes to domestic violence restraining order statutes for women, who may petition for an order; what protection or relief an order can provide; and how the order will be enforced are all important factors.

Property Law

• Real Estate Transactions
  You should work with a reputable real estate agent. There are agents who specialize in pending divorce sales. They can be of great assistance to you in the thorny issues that are bound to come up as you auction off what may be the biggest investment of time, money, and affection you’ll ever have made. They may assist you with creating a listing to sell your house, putting it on local real estate sale sites and newspapers, and providing you with a value. You and your soon-to-be ex-spouse must agree on a reasonable price for the house.
• Property Damage

Health Law

• Auto Accidents