San Diego Spousal Support Attorney

When your marriage comes to an end in California, there are times when one spouse may owe support to the other. This could take the form of temporary or permanent spousal support depending on things like the length of the marriage before separation and the earning discrepancy between the parties. 

Decisions made on spousal support can profoundly impact the finances of both the spouse paying support and the one who should receive it. You need a skilled San Diego spousal support attorney who can help you to fight for fair outcomes so you have the money you need to move forward after your marriage ends.

Contreras Law Firm can help your family law case in San Diego County. With decades of experience representing clients in spousal support disputes, we bring our extensive legal knowledge, as well as our compassion, to every case. Give us a call today at (619) 238-0616 to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can work with you to secure your financial future. 

Meet Contreras Law Firm’s Partners

Meet Dolores Contreras

Partner & Attorney

As a founding partner and the visionary behind Contreras Law, Ms. Contreras has devoted her legal career to mastering business litigation, real estate law, and family law. Starting with civil cases, she has expanded her practice to cover a wide range of needs, from business disputes to family matters, which includes divorce cases, custody, high-asset disputes and restraining orders.

Meet Anna Encinias

Partner & Attorney

Anna S. Encinias has been with Contreras Law Firm since 2014 and is now a partner, overseeing the firm’s entire family law department. For more than a decade, she has dedicated her career to guiding clients through some of the most difficult moments of their lives with compassion, precision, and unwavering advocacy.

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Why Contreras Law Firm is the Firm to Turn to In Your Spousal Support Case

After helping clients successfully resolve hundreds of spousal support claims, Contreras Law Firm has become the clear choice when you need help with alimony issues. Here are some of the reasons why San Diego spousal support attorneys at our firm are the best representatives for these types of family law claims:

• We have an unparalleled understanding of California Code Sections 4320 – 4326 which guides the court in determining appropriate support and we can make a compelling argument for these factors to be applied in your favor 
• We care about every client and deeply understand the impact a support decision can have on your financial stability
• We successfully help many clients resolve alimony issues through negotiation, arbitration, or mediation to avoid the stress of court proceedings
• We are prepared to go to trial and have litigated many alimony cases, including with high net-worth individuals and in complex circumstances such as cases involving hidden income or assets

“They are quick to respond and provide explanations every step of the way.”

Contreras Law Firm is exceptionally professional and knowledgeable. The urgency they displayed in handling my case is admirable. They were so efficient at processing all the paperwork and keeping me updated. They explained my options thoroughly and provided me with the pros and cons of each option. This helped me make an informed decision and I felt extremely confident in the work they were doing. I would recommend Contreras Law Firm to anyone needing a family law attorney. You will be guided, supported and represented throughout the legal process. They are quick to respond and provide explanations every step of the way.

Alejandra Guzman-Valencia

“They love what they do. I enthusiastically recommend them to represent you!!”

They are a Certified Family Law Specialist group and have a broad range of knowledge in multiple areas. Whenever someone inquires about an effective and trustworthy attorney, Gisela is the first person that comes to mind. The TEAM are the epitome of what an attorney should strive to be. They are hard-working and very dedicated. They love what they do. I enthusiastically recommend them to represent you!!

Jose Luis Romero

“They continue to support me with questions and provide assistance to finalize my case!”

My experience with Contreras Law Firm has been very positive. My attorney advocated for my family and represented us well. I cannot recommend Contreras Law Firm enough. They continue to support me with questions and provide assistance to finalize my case! Great team of skilled professionals!

Brenda Beltran

“I highly recommend her for all your family law needs.”

I write this review to recommend not 100% but 1000% Contreras Law Firm since they helped us, guided us and most importantly, took care of us in a heavy and complex legal process in which at the beginning we were completely lost.

From the first consultation they were extremely professional and spoke to us with the truth, they were clear and concise when explaining the processes of the American legal system to us since as Mexican tourists we were completely unaware.

I want to congratulate the entire team at Contreras Law Firm, thank you Darlene, Dolores and all the girls and boys of the firm, because we saw how each of you contributed from your perspective to the case we dealt with. I highly recommend them.

Palemon García

Spousal Support In California

Sometimes referred to as alimony, California provides for spousal support under state law. Spousal support may either be temporary or permanent. Temporary support is ordered while a divorce is pending so that the supported party has some support while throughout the case until permanent spousal support is ordered. Temporary spousal support is generally based on the parties’ income and takes into consideration certain expenses. Permanent spousal support is based on a list of factors including, but not limited to:

• Length of marriage
• Standard of living during marriage
• Education or career of both spouses

Spousal support is enforced to ensure that both spouses are able to maintain a suitable standard of living after a divorce and typically bridges the gap between the divorce and the length of time it takes the recipient spouse to find employment.

The typical presumption is that, for a marriage under 10 years, one spouse will pay the other spousal support for one-half of the length of the marriage. There is no time limit for the length of time one spouse pays spousal support for a marriage over 10 years.

How Contreras Law Firm Can Get You the Spousal Support Order You Deserve

Contreras Law Firm can offer comprehensive support and advice whenever you are involved in an alimony dispute. Some of the ways in which we can help include:

• Working with you to negotiate a spousal support order outside of court. Agreeing on this issue (and other matters involved in your divorce) allows you to pursue an uncontested divorce. This can be cheaper and have better outcomes.
• Arguing for your preferred support order in divorce case proceedings. Courts consider many factors including the earning capacity of each spouse, the marketable skills of the spouse seeking support, and the contributions the supported spouse made to the earning capacity of the paying spouse. We’ll provide evidence to convince the court these factors support your preferred alimony payment amount. 
• Helping you to get support orders modified.  When there is a material change in circumstances, an existing support order may need to be modified. 
• Explaining your rights. You need to understand the rules for temporary and permanent support so you have reasonable expectations going into your case and can plan for your future. 
• Navigating complex cases. In some circumstances, such as when there is a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement that you don’t want to be enforced, alimony cases can become very complicated. Our firm can handle these complex situations with ease. 

Need legal assistance regarding your family law case?

Contact Contreras Law Firm at (619) 238-0616 for a free case consultation.

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Contact a San Diego Spousal Support Lawyer Today 

When one spouse outearns the other, alimony can be crucial to help the lower-earner to get back on their feet or to maintain the same standard of living they enjoyed during the marriage. 

On the other hand, a higher-earning spouse also needs to make sure they are being treated fairly so their own finances aren’t impacted — especially when they’re being asked to pay both child and spousal support. 

Contreras Law Firm represents both parties seeking support and those asked to pay it. Our San Diego alimony support lawyers focus on the role alimony will play in your future life, as well as on helping you to get through your divorce as quickly and cost-effectively as possible while getting the best outcome. Give us a call today at (619) 238-0616 or contact us online to find out how we can bring your unique approach to family law claims to work on your alimony case.