Best Divorce Lawyers in Santa Barbara

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in Santa Barbara, California?

  The City of Santa Barbara Police Department takes emergency calls at 805-882-8900.

• Where can I get a copy of police reports for incidents related to my case in Santa Barbara, California?

  The Records Bureau is at the Santa Barbara Police Department, 215 East Figueroa Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Inquiries about public records requests may be made over the phone at 805-897-2358..

• If a couple in Santa Barbara has submitted an uncontested divorce to court and there is no dispute between the spouses, are they still bound by that six-month waiting period?

  Yes, a couple in Santa Barbara that has agreed to divorce and has no issues to settle in court still has to wait for six months before the judge gives their agreement his approval. The law of the state applies, and it was written with the theory that the parties might reconcile thus a half-year timeframe is given in case there are changes of heart.

• If there is a threat by the other parent that the kids will be moved out of the state, what remedy does a spouse in Santa Barbaba have during a divorce?

  The remedy is to hold the other parent in contempt of court. Under the California law applied in Santa Barbara, as soon as a party has been served summons there is an automatic restraining order in place. This prevents litigants from moving the kids out of the state unless there is consent from both parents. The intentional violation of a court order is also a penal offense and prosecution may produce permissible legal intimidation to compel compliance.

• Can a spouse who has been in California for six years but has spent five years and ten months in Orange County ask for a divorce in Santa Barbara after moving to the latter?

  No, the spouse who has only moved recently to Santa Barbara cannot yet file for a divorce in the metro. While the residency period is met as far as the state is concerned, the party must also have been living in the county where the suit will be filed for at least three months. This is clearly not the case because at best, the individual has only been in Santa Barbara for two months.

• If a father in Santa Barbara without custody of his kid has experienced a sudden financial downturn on the same day his child turned 18, how can he obtain financial relief?

  First, the father must check if his child has graduated from high school because child support orders in Santa Barbara are generally binding until the kid reaches 18, or 19 at most if the latter is still in high school. If the offspring is still studying in secondary school, the dad may seek a modification of court orders because of the change in his personal financial circumstances.

• If a couple started a family business in Santa Barbara using funds each of them inherited from their parents, are the shares in the company subject to property division during a divorce?

  Yes, the shares in this scenario will fall under the properties that could be divided up during a divorce in Santa Barbara. While the state law followed in the city says that inherited assets are excluded from community properties, this ends the moment there is commingling. In this case, the inherited funds of both spouses were used in a family company and this pooling removes the separate nature of the money.