Divorcing
in Los Angeles
5 Things Every Person Needs to Know When Facing a Divorce in Los Angeles
Divorce is one of a couple’s most challenging and stressful experiences. Whether you have been contemplating divorce for quite some time already or are in the middle of a divorce case, we understand that the emotional toll can get overwhelming.
Add in the headaches brought by the divorce process, especially in California, and it’s easy to feel tired and uncertain about where to begin. Provinziano & Associates is here to help you through this tough time. We’ve compiled a list of five important things you need to know when facing divorce in Los Angeles.
1. Where will the battle take place? Knowing your courthouse is critical.
A special local rule allows parties in LA County to file downtown at the Hill Street Courthouse or in their local district courthouse. Therefore, when possible, we encourage clients to file their case quickly to determine the best suitable venue for their case rather than having the other side file first and having their choice of venue.
The case law generally prohibits venue shopping, but special rules may apply in International Child Custody disputes, disputes under the Hague Convention, and complex cases regarding financial issues.
The Provinziano Legal Team is familiar with the downtown courthouse and the district courthouses in Santa Monica, Torrance, Norwalk, Van Nuys, Pasadena, and Pomona, appearing in them regularly. We tailor a specific approach and unique strategy for each case depending on the courthouse and judge to work towards obtaining a successful outcome.
2. LA judges know the law and procedure – and expect everyone else to know it.
Litigants in Los Angeles County are facing immense pressure from the courts to focus on procedure over the substance of the case. A case may have great legal merit, but the courts can deny the requested relief if its presentation does not comply with the appropriate procedural rules. This means that a party won’t get their child support, spousal support, or custody orders, not because they aren’t entitled to it, but because they didn’t present their case appropriately in front of an LA county judge.
To maximize the chance of success for clients, the Provinziano Legal team knows the rules, understands the procedural aspect of divorce in Los Angeles, and is prepared to advocate aggressively for their clients. We will not take “no” for an answer from judges, court clerks, and other attorneys.
We will never give up and passionately advocate for the best interests of our client’s children, their family, and their property in the face of the Los Angeles judicial system.
3. A good attorney takes the anxiety out of the system by knowing how to direct your child custody case.
In the LA Superior Court, the judges are influenced by the attorneys’ arguments and the witness’s testimony. However, there are often many additional sources of evidence relied upon by the judges to make their decisions. These include:
- Evidence Code section 730 Child Custody expert witness evaluations
- PPA I or II, also known as a Parenting Plan Assessment
- Reports from Psychologists
- Minor’s Attorney reports
- Doctor’s reports
- Teacher’s reports and information
The Provinziano Legal Team can navigate the complicated web of custody witnesses to present your case to the Court. Through the use of expert witnesses, qualified evidence, and witness testimony, we have been able to achieve outstanding child custody results for our clients, including obtaining move-away orders to other states, protecting children from abusive parents, increasing parenting time in the face of an uncompromising court system, orders to retrieve abducted children, and supervised visitation orders in the best interests of the child.
Upon retaining Provinziano & Associates, we will analyze the case and prepare a detailed strategy to zealously represent to the Court why our client’s child needs the requested orders and how it is in their best interest.
4. Property disputes in LA are complex and require a custom-tailored strategy.
Property and financial disputes in Los Angeles County are given statutorily less priority than domestic violence and child custody cases. Nevertheless, these are important issues in every divorce case.
The Provinziano Legal team works early in your case to identify the documentation needed to prove your financial claims. It retains financial experts, including appraisers, forensic accountants, and other professionals, to protect your rights to your income and property.
Many divorces in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, and throughout the county deal with high-value real estate, and quick action is required to preserve it. This often means seeking the judge to make an order to sell the property and disclose financial records or orders to prevent a party from selling the property from underneath the other spouse.
We work carefully and move towards resolving the financial aspects of cases through settlement conferences to minimize the cost for all in litigation. However, a party is often unwilling to reasonably resolve a financial issue. In these situations, the Provinziano Legal team will generate a custom approach to presenting your case to the courts in LA to effectively and aggressively advocate for a favorable result for financial claims.
5. A Certified Family Law Specialist is an ally in successfully navigating the Los Angeles County court system.
Alphonse Provinziano is a Certified Family Specialist, a designation given to approximately the top one percent of attorneys in Los Angeles handling family law cases.
Being a Certified Family Law Specialist communicates to the Court that Mr. Provinziano has knowledge and distinction, which sets him apart from other attorneys in the field of family law. The Provinziano Legal Team is in the Los Angeles Superior Courts regularly fighting for clients’ rights to their children, their property, and their peace of mind.
