Westlake Village Divorce Lawyer

Filing for divorce? Get an attorney you can trust to protect you.

At Richard Ross Associates, our legal team has gained a reputation for high quality legal work in family law. Our lead and founding attorney, Mr. Richard Ross, is a Board Certified Family Law Expert, and has 30 years of experience in divorce and family law. Only a very small percentage of attorneys are certified as experts by the California State Board of Legal Specialization and can claim this credential. It takes time, dedication and personal effort to become an expert in a specific legal field. This training and certification can be a significant advantage for those who are seeking the right attorney to represent them in a divorce, or in another family law legal matter.

If you are seeking a divorce, you want to have the highest quality legal representation you can find representing you. The outcome of a divorce can vary widely, often based upon the in-depth research and attention to detail your Westlake Village attorney engages in. We are professional, committed and compassionate, and take our service to our clients very seriously. You could be greatly impacted by the outcome of your divorce, and there are many crucial issues on the table. The sharing of parenting time, child custody, child support, property division and spousal support must all be resolved fairly.

Issues such as who, if anyone, will retain the family home, the splitting of bank accounts, stock accounts and retirements accounts, the payment of any bills and other vital matters will all be resolved, either through a settlement or in court. In cases involving asset protection / high-asset divorce, these issues are more complex, and require a high level of skill and insight to resolve. Our firm can be called upon to review your situation and advise you about the impact of state law upon your situation, and how your case should be managed and presented to the court, when necessary.

Mediation, Collaborative Divorce & Settlements

There are various methods that could be employed to get these matters resolved, including engaging in a non-adversarial method, such as mediation or through collaborative law. Some cases will require litigation for resolution. When the court must make a decision, you want to ensure that your interests are well-represented in court, by a legal professional with a high level of skill. Our Westlake Village divorce attorney will carefully prepare your case with full attention to the unique details of your marriage, your finances and parenting issues.

The court makes decisions regarding child custody based upon the best interests of the child. They operate with the concept that children are best served by having equal access to both parents. This may or may not be best for your children, based upon your unique situation. We can advise you in this crucial matter, and what strategy could be employed in any custody proceedings, both in divorce or post-decree.

A large number of divorces are resolved through negotiation with the opposing attorney, and will not require a trial. This is often a superior way to resolve the critical issues, as the final settlement is agreed upon by both parties rather than imposed by the court. How a settlement is created can vary widely, and matters such as who will retain the family home, if anyone, how the children will be shared, as well as issues regarding pet ownership or sharing and who will pay what bills all will come into play. As each marriage is as unique as the parties involved, it is important to work out a reasonable solution for all of these issues. In cases in which there has been domestic violence or abuse, either physical or emotional, or there are accusations about domestic violence in a divorce case, this must be managed carefully, for your own protection.

Our firm has often been called upon to take over a divorce case that has gone off the rails. As your future financial health and quality of life can be heavily impacted by a decision in your divorce, your final settlement is of great concern. The first step is to have a full review of your situation. The earlier we get involved in your divorce, the more time we have to help you. An evaluation of your financial situation, living situation, the income and opportunities of each spouse, and the ownership of various types of assets must all be reviewed to determine how to best pursue a settlement that makes sense. Our goal will be to get the best settlement possible for you, based upon your unique situation.

Contact us for more information about family law in Westlake Village.