Don't Let Covid Ruin Your Case!!

Many litigants are waiting around to file their cases, but waiting will set your case back for many months.  At least 8 weeks ago, the Court was behind at least 3.5 months. Right now, they are backlogged likely even further.

If you want to file a Request for Order, you better do it ASAP. Attorney can get earliest hearing date if you can give us the data ASAP.

The lag in time may cost you --- due to things happening that are only because of covid.  Everything is being done by phone BUT still--- you are in the game.  NOT filing means you will not get any changes, and certainly not as soon as you possibly could have. 

Exigent circumstances may still apply and you may need ex parte relief.  Judges are not continuing out ex parte hearings (let's say domestic violence) several times as they would have in the past, SO if you really need a DV TRO (domestic violence case) you should do it ASAP.

Starting at $795 for Mediation Issues, Call Today!

Attorney does family law cases with  Limited Scope Services, or full services.
In addition, we  also have a Paralegal Service (Maverick Paralegal Services) so we can utilize this to help save you money. Limited scope services means that attorney may only do some of the issues, but not all of the issues; for example, only the custody issues, but not the settlement or hearings on the personal property or residence.

Many of attorney's former clients won their cases involving contested visitation due to the structured help attorney gave them, specifically for mediation,  which is typically different than what most attorneys usually do. Because attorney has a social work background, and heavy emphasis on defending clients, attorney is able to better prepare many clients for the reality of what the courts actually do in custody issues. Attorney has diligently prepared many clients for mediation which resulted in those clients usually obtaining 50-50, or our party obtained custody and the other party got supervised visits, or our party got full physical and legal custody.

Many clients have gone into mediation completely unprepared. In a recent case, our client (the husband) -- had a Domestic violence TRO against him filed by wife. That was later stipulated to only be a non negative conduct agreement by his former attorney.   In meantime, the court had given the wife FULL LEGAL AND PHYSICAL CUSTODY.

We were fortunate that attorney's client was very prepared, and that the medical records were obtained from CPS and the child's medical providers and given to the mediator;

the  Mediation report for the case indicated (1) full legal and physical custody 

to the FATHER

(2) Psych evaluation for the mother,

 and Mother got no legal or physical custody; she received supervised visitation.

This is a highly unusual case, undoubtedly. But even though many cases are somewhat difficult, the mediator does not know you, or the case, so any documents that are already in the case could either help or harm your case.

Part of attorney's job is to use anything helpful for the client, and to defend properly against anything harmful, whether the harm was unintentional, intentional, or otherwise.  For example: some parents fail to show up to court and then lose the hearing, right?

So if that was you, and you did not have a say in court because you were not there, most mediators will want to know why you were not there...These types of issues are not legal issues obviously.  But to make a favorable presentation for mediation, the entire case has to be gone over with a fine tooth comb to look for all good facts and bad; then, attorney has to evaluate how this could help-, harm, or otherwise affect your case. Most clients have no idea what mediation is about, or what will happen when they get there. No one is allowed in mediation but the parents, and if there is a DV TRO--then the parties will usually have separate interviews.

Attorney has handled many Domestic Violence TRO cases, and contested custody issues and hearings.  Most of attorney's cases were not settled prior (before attorney got the case) thus attorney has to know all elements of every case if attorney is to either win or prevail; if the case cannot be won or we cannot likely get a result, attorney will give her opinion ahead of time, that she does or doesn't believe one way or the other. Opinions from attorneys that have done family law more than 20 years are usually on track, due to having seen so many bad or difficult cases. As attorney herein also has done criminal law cases and bankruptcy, this can be of some benefit in certain cases. Most family law attorneys do not know much about criminal law. To see attorney's other site from Butte County, go to


Especially if you are a parent that formerly had a DV TRO against you, but it was not re-upped by the other party, those parents have a better chance with time share than if the DV had been reinstated.

If you have a difficult family law case, call attorney today. Attorney's reputation in defense work is that attorney is often not well-liked by the other party because attorney does not take abuse from people, especially the ex-spouses LOL.

Affordable Family Law Attorney Solano County C. Chan 707 242 1855

AFFORDABLE FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY SOLANO COUNTY C. CHAN   

707.242.1855

sfbay.craigslist.org › eby › lgs › fairfield-affordable-family-law

Attorney Chan will be accepting new family law clients in the Solano Court ... FAMILY LAW ATTORNEY SOLANO COUNTY C. CHAN (fairfield / vacaville).

Justicefactor "X"...What Does It Mean?

Attorneys believe that "justice" involves more than one thing, which most people believe is the almighty dollar $$$$...

While it is true that a better financed campaign may get good or better results, it is also true that to obtain true justice, some attorneys will, and must work harder, smarter and longer if they are dedicated to their clients achieving the best results for their case.

Of course, working longer means usually charging the client more money.  But in the case of family Law and some Juvenile cases,  experience can overcome many issues presented on the surface, and even if it appears to be a 'sure' win, an attorney with defense counsel experience can often break the other side down and still make headway.  It may take a good strategy and more work, but it can usually be done.

Thus the "X" factor to winning the justice in a case is not always just about $$$$$!!

Put another way, the underdog case may not remain the underdog case!!

How do we know this??

Because we have worked on many cases that may have started out

as what the average person would say is likely a losing case,

BUT that doesn't mean it has to stay that way necessarily!

The key is, can your attorney think that far ahead and plan for what will need to be done?  

An attorney that wins most of his/her cases absolutely must strategize from the very beginning.  

There is no substitute for it.  Further, because many attorneys rush to argue the obvious, they may overlook key factors that can be used to help their clients win.  

Attention to the complete picture of the case is very important rather than just focusing on one or two obvious issues. A winning track record is evidence of this fact.

AND, many defense attorneys are very much able

to win cases simply because they have a different mindset that Plaintiff attorneys.

Thinking outside the box, ability to use strategy against average-minded or not-very-bright people,

the ability to understand how people think, react, emotional mindset, and use of logic

all do count.  If that was not the case, no defendant could

ever win a case?!!  Just remember, O.J. was not convicted!

[Even an idiot could understand what we mean just by the picture below!!!]

If you are not getting RESULTS in your case----- see attorney's contact herein.   

It may be just what you need to push your case ahead!

IMPUTED INCOME+RENTAL ASSETS--EVEN IF HEALTH ISSUES+BARELY WORKING

                                               MARRIAGE OF DACUMOS

http://law.justia.com/cases/california/court-of-appeal/4th/76/150.html

This case unfortunately, suffered from more than just a few steps that could have been avoided to begin with. Basically the father was trying to either lower the child support/or not have fair market value rent imputed for support. The key to something like this is to find out ahead of time, what is really going on and why. Then to look at visitation, support, and how some changes of facts might then change the outcome. Instead, it appears that father's attorney did not do any of those things, and when the judge ruled against father, he paid for an appeal.

...."In calculating child support, the state's top priority is the interests of the children. (Fam. Code, § 4053, subd. (e).) Supporting a child according to the parent's circumstances and station in life is a parent's first and principal obligation. (Fam. Code, § 4053, subd. (a).) Child support orders must ensure that children receive sufficient support. (Fam. Code, § 4053, subd. (l).) Just as a parent cannot shirk his parental obligations by reducing his earning capacity through unemployment or underemployment, he cannot shirk the obligation to support his child by underutilizing income-producing-producing assets as well as from work is in accord [76 Cal. App. 4th 155] with the legislative intent.

Although this is an older case, attorney found it to be  interesting, as before attorney relocated to San Diego,  the Appellant used to work for another attorney in our shared law office with several other lawyers, across from Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento. [It is true that Appellant had later become quite ill as he suffered a stroke and also was later not able to work for awhile, I did not do Mr. Dacumos' family law case.]

BUT had I been the one who was going to do the case, I would not have handled the case the way his attorney did at the trial level. It would be inevitable that knowing the ex wife made far more than Father did,  he could have first started to modify his time share; talked to several attorneys before hand, and should have attempted to pay even a minimum on arrears. That's at a minimum.
      Then, worked with the ex's new attorney later, to settle the case.It's likely the settlement would not have produced this appeal, but it would have saved the Father from spending more money for an appeal in the first place,  and he could have hopefully got more time with his son. I would be willing to bet that whoever he hired, was not a litigator, as they could have told the Father that the market rental value would be used, or at least looked it up and found that out AHEAD of time, and then settled the case.

By then, I was not living in Sacramento, but I  believe  that another  family member who didn’t earn much, was living in the Bay area rental temporarily. (Obviously, that shows the Father wasn’t the mean person the court would have one think...)