The Family Law firm of Dishon & Block provides this blog as a supplement to our California Divorce Guide.

The Guide is a thorough explanation of the divorce process in the state of California. We will provide articles, advice and tips that will help you manage your divorce financially, emotionally, and with respect to your family.

Nothing will replace the professional guidance you will receive from the representation of a family law attorney, but it’s our goal that the California Divorce Guide will enable you to understand the divorce process and court procedures. Knowledge will help you to navigate the California family law system with less stress and confusion – regardless of whether you choose to retain a divorce lawyer or not.


Divorce Asset Protection

Posted on September 1, 2010 by David

There are two principal ways to protect division of marital assets in divorce premarital asset protection and postmarital asset protection.

Premarital Asset Protection

Premarital asset protection involves a prenuptial agreement – also known as a premarital or ante nuptial agreement. A prenuptial agreement is a contract written by a couple before marriage that details the division of assets if there is a divorce. Typically, prenuptial agreements don’t cover child custody, child support or child visitation.

Most states will enforce a prenuptial agreement if it follows the various requirements in California regarding prenuptial marriage agreements. The divorce courts in states accepting prenuptial agreements will uphold the contract if the agreement is fair and includes all relevant information about assets. If the court believes that one party was forces to enter into the agreement under duress or coercion, the prenup will be thrown out. Continue reading →

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Dennis Rodman Allegedly $500K Behind on Child Support

Posted on August 25, 2010 by David

Dennis Rodman’s estranged wife Michelle Rodman has filed documents in an Orange County, California family court, seeking to enforce the court’s child support order against the former basketball star and current professional partier (seriously, he makes a living by appearing at nightclubs – he doesn’t perform, just shows up and parties and gets paid). Michelle Rodman claims she got evicted for the second time in two years because Dennis is over $500,000 behind in child support for their two children. Continue reading →

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Tiger Woods Divorce Becomes Official

Posted on August 24, 2010 by David

Divorced. Single dad. Golf game still to be determined.

And so, after nine months of turmoil over his extramarital affairs, now begins the next chapter in the life and times of Tiger Woods.

In a hearing that lasted no more than 10 minutes in a Florida judge’s chambers, Woods and his Swedish-born wife officially divorced Monday.

“We are sad that our marriage is over and we wish each other the very best for the future,” Woods and Elin Nordegren said in a joint statement released by their lawyers.

The divorce was granted shortly after 2 p.m. in Bay County Circuit Court in Panama City, Fla., about 375 miles from their Isleworth home outside Orlando, where Woods drove his SUV over a fire hydrant and into a tree on Thanksgiving night. That set off shocking revelations that sports’ biggest star had been cheating on his wife through multiple affairs.

Woods’ life and golf game have been in disarray ever since.

He and Nordegren were married Oct. 5, 2004, in Barbados and have a 3-year-old daughter, Sam, and an 18-month-old son, Charlie.

Terms of the divorce – such as how much it will cost Woods – were not disclosed. They said only that they will “share parenting” of their two children. Continue reading →

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Joe and Katherine Jackson to Divorce After 60 Years of Marriage

Posted on August 20, 2010 by David

It looks like Michael Jackson’s parents Joe and Katherine are heading for divorce court after 60 years of marriage. The Jackson’s have been estranged for over five years ago, and Joe currently resides in an apartment in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Katherine Jackson, 80, has filed for the divorce. Rumors are circulating that Katherine blames Joe for Michael’s demise, and there have long been reports of abuse against all the Jackson children by Joe. “She’s been humiliated by him for too long. She’s absolutely livid. There’s no going back,” a source close to the Jackson family said. Katherine Jackson has filed for divorce twice during her long marriage. Both times she decided against finalizing the divorce primarily for religious reasons – as a Jehovah’s Witness she doesn’t believe in divorce. Continue reading →

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Study Finds Divorce is Contagious

Posted on August 11, 2010 by David

It’s not exactly the black plague, but the concept is pretty intuitive. The report, “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do, Unless Everyone Else Is Doing It Too,” comes from researchers at Harvard, Brown and the University of California at San Diego.

“These social networks, they have influence on everything,” said James Fowler, one of the study’s authors. “Our health, who we marry, our economy, our political behavior. Most of the research shows we tend to do what our friends do.”

The report, which tracked thousands of people from Framingham, Mass., for 32 years, offers a few revelations: Continue reading →

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California Seeks IRS Tax Equity for Same-sex Spouses

Posted on August 10, 2010 by David

The California Legislature has passed a resolution asking that same-sex spouses and domestic partners be taxed the same as heterosexual married couples.

The resolution, AJR29, asks the Internal Revenue Service to issue a ruling requiring individuals in a same-sex marriage or domestic partnership to each report half of their community income on federal tax returns.

Currently, California law requires same-sex couples and domestic partners to do so, but the IRS does not. Continue reading →

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