In CA, unmarried couples who live together are defined under the category of cohabitation. There’s no common law marriage in the state, which means that the legal rights of co-habitating couples vary significantly from those of married couples.

Today, we want to talk about the legal specifics of how unmarried cohabitating couples operate under family law in CA. Note that this differs from a domestic partnership, where a couple formally applies and are awarded similar benefits to those enjoyed by married couples.

When people think of having an expert witness called during testimony, their mind gravitates to criminal cases and possibly civil cases such as those that involve personal injury. Few people associate expert witnesses with divorce proceedings, but did you know that their expertise can be just as valuable in the family law courts? 

The end of a marriage signifies drastic changes to many facets of your life, including your home life, your relationship with many family members, and your finances. For the latter, this is especially harrowing when you relied on the other person to act as the primary breadwinner. 

While divorce can bring relief and a sense of turning over a new leaf, things aren’t as streamlined when there are children involved. As the divorce process moves to its conclusion, parents have to determine who the child is going to live with, as well as hammer out a visitation schedule that works for both parents.