- Divorce
- Child SupportLike most states, the California Family Court determines child support using a set of statutory guidelines. At the Law Office of Susan J. Ralston, we represent mothers and fathers in Rocklin, Roseville and elsewhere in Placer County and the Sacramento metro area dealing with child support issues. By helping you understand the guidelines, we seek to help you properly plan for the child support obligations in your case.
- Child Custody and VisitationOne of the California Family Court's top priorities in any divorce or parental separation is to protect the best interests of the children. At the Law Office of Susan J. Ralston, we know that most parents share that goal. Our Rocklin family lawyer helps parents prepare for California child custody mediation and the child custody evaluation process. We seek to promote child-centered resolutions that protect your family's relationships going forward.
- AdoptionAdoption: We have extensive experience handling stepparent adoptions, grandparent adoptions, and other legal aspects of blended families, as well as general adoptions.
- PaternityUnlike the laws for married parents going through divorce, single moms or dads need to file a paternity action in order to obtain child support. Paternity actions provide unmarried parents with the same legal rights as married parents, including the right to receive child support and the right to parenting time.
- GuardianshipGuardianship is usually thought of applying to children. In some cases it may apply to senior citizens or disabled adults who cannot take care of themselves. A "guardian" for a child usually takes care of that child until the child is 18 years old, or the guardianship is terminated and the child is returned to his or her parents. Grandparents, extended relatives and close family members often obtain guardianship appointments for children when the parents are found unfit, are incapacitated or are unavailable to parent.
- Spousal SupportSpousal support, also known as alimony, can be an important factor in your divorce or the termination of your domestic partnership. At the Law Office of Susan J. Ralston, we represent men and women from Rocklin, Roseville, Lincoln and elsewhere in Placer County and the Sacramento metro area in navigating the complexities of spousal support/alimony and other family law matters. Whether you may need spousal support to maintain financial stability or you are worried about unreasonable support demands, we provide the experienced representation you need to protect your rights and interests.
- Legal SeparationThese are just a few of the factors that courts consider in determining support payment obligations. Ultimately, the amount for each support matter is determined on a case-by-case basis. The analysis depends on the transformation one's financial status after a separation or divorce. Once a judge assesses the aforementioned factors, the spousal or partner support order becomes a part of the final legal separation or divorce decree.
- AnnulmentGenerally, the right to spousal or partner support is initiated by a court case. The purpose is to provide support to a party who is in need after a change in his or her legal family status. Support is often associated with legal separation, divorce, annulment or domestic violence matters. While such case is pending, one can request temporary spousal or partner support. Judges often use a formula to calculate support amounts for temporary orders. However, once a legal separation or divorce is finalized, a permanent support order is implemented.
- Child AbuseChild dependency issues most often arise because of allegations of child abuse, neglect or domestic violence within the family. If the California juvenile court feels that the safety of children is in jeopardy, it can act quickly to remove children from your home and place them with relatives, grandparents, a foster home or group home.
- Restraining OrderWhile we seek to protect and preserve family relationships wherever possible, safety and protection from physical or emotional abuse comes first. If you or someone you know has been the victim of family violence in Roseville, Rocklin, Lincoln, or Placer/Sacramento County area, our family lawyer Susan J. Ralston can help you obtain a restraining order from the court against the offending individual. She will thoroughly investigate your situation when you are the victim or the "accused."
- Limited Liability Companies
- Estate PlanningCompassion for you and support in your success. Our entire office is trained to understand and help you during this emotional time. As our client, you would be offered referrals to any outside services that would help you with this transition, including therapy, financial and tax advice, physical and mental health support resources, drug/alcohol evaluation, vocational evaluation, new education/training and even estate planning. We want you to have a successful future.
- Tax Law