Family Law Blog

The United States offers immigration statuses for many different types of individuals, but one of the lesser known options available to applicants specifically helps children in need of a new home.

Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) allows immigrant children who are in the state juvenile system to obtain lawful permanent resident status. In SIJS cases, children typically meet certain criteria or are unable to reunify with their parents for one of these three reasons:

Here in Los Angeles, people sometimes read about celebrity couples hiring private judges to oversee their divorces. However, you don't need to star on a TV show or have an Oscar to hire a private judge.

You also don't need to be a multimillionaire -- although you will need to spend some money. However, if your time is valuable to you, it may be worth your while.

It's never too early for divorced parents to determine how their kids will divide their time over the Thanksgiving holiday. If you included Thanksgiving in your custody agreement during your divorce, you're a step ahead. Of course, that doesn't mean that you and your co-parent can't agree to change your predetermined arrangement.

If you live here in Calabasas and your kids attend school in the Las Virgenes Unified School District (LVUSD), they have the entire week of Thanksgiving off. Some other school districts and private schools do as well. However, the big celebrations on both sides of your family will likely be on Thanksgiving Day and over the weekend.

There are plenty of reasons why people move whether it is for a job, family members or a change in scenery. However, crossing state borders often complicates child custody agreements and possible divorce proceedings.

In almost every state, including California, the court has specific procedures to modify custody agreements. It’s crucial for both parents to be aware of the process and change the custody conditions before anyone packs their bags.