Divorce Attorney Barbara E. McNamara in Huntington Beach, California

 Mediation is designed to keep the parties out of court. The current litigation backlog in the Orange County Superior Court has created a three month delay in getting to your hearing date. With Mediation, you and the other party meet directly with me, to keep your divorce out of the court room. Divorce attorneys are accountable to the State Bar of California. Sure, there are non-attorney Mediators and "Licensed Document Preparers," out there who can promise to work for less, but they are not licensed to practice law. If the non-lawyer Mediator is doing more than typing for you, that person is practicing law without a license, which is a misdemeanor in California! 

When Mediation is not an option, you need a Divorce lawyer with experience in litigation and the court system. Attorney McNamara has over 25 years of experience practicing family law in Orange County. The family law litigation system is not easy to navigate without trusted advice and knowledge of the law. Attorney McNamara will prepare your case from the beginning to set your trial up for success. If settlement cannot be reached prior to Trial, Attorney McNamara will dedicate the time needed to achieve the best results. for your case. Let Attorney McNamara handle the battles for you. 

In family law, parties may need temporary orders for their Paternity/Child Custody case or their Divorce case, to include a parenting plan, and orders for legal and physical custody. If you have children and custody is an issue, both Child Custody and Child Support Orders will be needed. Spousal Support is another issue to be determined in a divorce. Temporary Spousal Support differs from Permanent (long term) Spousal Support. Some cases require temporary orders for Property, such as exclusive use and possession of the family residence. Every case is unique, and needs attention to detail. 

Since the Covid 19 pandemic, some hearings at the Orange County Superior Court family law matters are being held remotely. You can appear for a remote hearing with me in my office, or appear from home, for your court hearing. Typically, all evidentiary hearings are scheduled for an in-person hearing at the Court house. The Judges for Family Law in Orange County are frequently changing. We have many new Judges who have literally no background in Family Law.  As of January 2023, most family law hearings are 3 months in the future from the date you file a Request for Order (RFO) Hearing. 

Family Law issues can be very complicated. I have knowledge of property law, can analyze complex information regarding taxes, business operations, issues pertaining to psychology, custody, finances as it pertains to child and spousal support, inheritance and retirement issues, to name a few.  As a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), I am required to maintain twice the Continuing Legal Education credits every year to maintain my standing as a CFLS. In addition, since most of our Orange County Superior Court judges are new, they will rely upon your attorney to educate them regarding the finer points of family law matters. 

The average time it takes to get a divorce in Orange County is 12-24 months. However, it can be legally granted, just 6 months from the date the other party is served. A "quick divorce" is rare, but it can happen, if both parties are willing to get their paperwork done and to collectively work out an amicable resolution. If parties cannot mediate or settle, the case can drag on for months.