Individuals in California whose spouses have paid into Social Security may be entitled to collect benefits based on those earnings, even if they are divorced. However, in order to collect these benefits, the individual must meet several important requirements,...
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Child Custody
Court rules it has no jurisdiction in actress’s custody dispute
On July 23, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled that California does not have jurisdiction over actress Kelly Rutherford's custody case. The judge stated that the children no longer had the requisite connection to the state as they had only visited for one week...
How substance abuse issues may impact child custody cases
Although a California resident might assume that drug use would have a negative impact on a parent's petition for custody of their child, one cannot generalize. The specific details of a case may play a role in the amount of parenting time and terms of visitation...
California custody laws receive a D grade for shared parenting
California was one of 23 states that received a grade of D when the National Parents Organization rated how each state's custody laws treated shared parenting in 2014. Only the District of Columbia and seven states were awarded an B grade, and no state earned an A....
Chris Rock in divorce battle
California fans of Chris Rock may realize that the comedian's divorce is no laughing matter. The case puts the star's $70 million fortune in jeopardy. Rock initiated the divorce proceedings in December 2014. The two were married in 1996 after they met at the Essence...
Importance of Social Security planning in divorce
Many California residents have heard that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck are apparently preparing to divorce. Although initial reports indicated they would wait until after they had been married for 10 years, recent ones now indicate they will divorce before that...
Jon and Kate Gosselin in reported custody dispute
California parents may be interested to learn that Jon and Kate Gosselin of the former TV show "Jon & Kate Plus 8" are reportedly involved in a custody dispute over one of the couple's 11-year-old daughters. Kate Gosselin has had primary custody of the couple's...
Over 1,000 children are abducted and taken abroad each year
Parents in California likely prefer not to think about children being abducted by a parent and taken abroad, but U.S. Department of State figures reveal that this happens more than 1,000 times each year. The department attempts to help parents to secure the return of...
Children experience less stress when parents share custody
Children in California who go back and forth between their parents' houses may not be too stressed out by the arrangement, according to a new study. Researchers in Sweden, where 40 percent of divorced parents have joint-custody arrangements, say that children who...
12-year-old California boy abducted by his mother
According to authorities, a 12-year-old boy was abducted by his mother in Anaheim Hills. The victim's father reportedly has custody of the child, with the mother being granted supervised visits.The boy's mother reportedly went to the supervised visit on April 6,...