San Diego Legal Blog

When California couples get married, they are probably not thinking about what will happen if they go through a divorce at some point in the future. It's not easy to think about the possible end to a relationship at the very beginning, but in some cases, that's a necessary step. By drafting a prenuptial agreement, a person can protect his or her long-term interests before walking down the aisle. 

A prenuptial agreement is a legal agreement that outlines how the division of marital property would work in the event of a divorce. It can also allow a couple to do a few other things that could prevent issues in the future. Before you walk down the aisle, you may want to think about whether or not this type of agreement could benefit you.

Like most married couples in California or beyond, you and your spouse have likely encountered numerous relationship challenges in your journey together. This is typically true for all spouses, whether they've been married only a year or two, or have been together for decades. You might currently be in a situation where you are considering filing for divorce.

Some people go through such times, then decide they'd rather attend marriage counseling or seek some other type of outside support to help them work things out. Others determine their relationships are no longer viable. Many spouses refer to the in-between stage as a sort of marriage limbo. During this phase, you may notice certain issues that keep cropping up in your relationship.

Major life changes can happen at any time. While you and many other California residents may have the ability to prepare for certain changes, such as buying a house or deciding to have a baby, you may not receive much notice for other scenarios, like when your spouse announces that he or she wants a divorce.

You may understandably have many concerns about how your pending divorce will affect the various aspects of your life. Divorce itself is a major change, and it can have a ripple effect that touches many areas of your life. In particular, you may have concerns regarding the financial impacts of ending your marriage and how the divorce proceedings themselves will play a role.

There are many ways in which your dog, cat or other pet is different from other items you own. For one thing, the animal is a living creature, and you may even feel that your pet understands what you say and perceives your emotions. You would probably not take your sofa on vacation with you or allow a lamp to sleep in the bed with you, but many pet owners extend these privileges to their furry companions.

Unfortunately, in the past, if you were facing a divorce in California, your pet did not get the same consideration in court as it did in your home. In fact, in many states, divorce courts see pets as property, like your sofa or lamp. This often leads to contentious property division battles where one spiteful spouse fights for possession of a pet only so the other cannot have the animal who is a beloved companion. Recently, however, a new California law is changing the landscape for pets during divorce.