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ronaldflate
Feb 281 min read
On a Lighter Note
Dear Clients and Friends: Thank you for your responses to our last Newsletter regarding my semi-retirement and our continuing winning...
ronaldflate
Jan 291 min read
New Year's Update
Dear Clients and Friends, Legal Problem? Interested in seeing if we can be of help? I'm semi-retired now with our new offices at: Ronald...
ronaldflate
Sep 4, 20242 min read
Avoid these mistakes when setting up a trust
Dear Clients and Friends, When setting up a revocable trust, you need to be diligent about asset transfers, beneficiary designations and...
ronaldflate
Jul 15, 20242 min read
Court rules lopsided prenup ‘unconscionable’
Dear Clients and Friends, A prenuptial agreement is a contract between marrying spouses, signed before the marriage, that lays out the...
ronaldflate
Apr 8, 20242 min read
Divorce and bankruptcy: which should I file first?
Dear clients and Friends, As we all know, life often doesn’t go as planned. Nothing illustrates this more than divorce. Bankruptcy is...
ronaldflate
Mar 21, 20242 min read
Tips for executing agreements electronically
Dear Clients and Friends, Electronic execution of agreements is quickly becoming more commonplace in most businesses. But how can you...
ronaldflate
Mar 8, 20242 min read
CA's Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders upon filing for Divorce
Dear Clients and Friends, In California when a Petition is filed with the Superior Court for Dissolution of Marriage, Legal Separation or...
ronaldflate
Feb 16, 20241 min read
Understanding The Hague Convention: Serving legal documents abroad
Dear Clients and Friends: When dealing with matters that extend beyond our State or Country, it’s crucial to ensure that legal documents...
ronaldflate
Feb 8, 20242 min read
Divorcing parents and a child's last name
Dear Clients and Friends, Couples who are separating sometimes fight over what their children's last name should be. As a general rule,...
ronaldflate
Jan 12, 20242 min read
Annulments basics
Dear Clients and Friends, In California an annulment is by statute referred to as: Nullity of Marriage. Marriage-ending legal proceedings...
ronaldflate
Jan 3, 20242 min read
Estate planning tips for unmarried couples
Dear Clients and Friends, If you are in a committed relationship but are not married to your partner, estate planning is essential....
ronaldflate
Oct 25, 20232 min read
Bar on transfer of marital home may not be enforceable
Dear Clients and Friends, A recent case from the Massachusetts Appeals Court underscores that while it’s possible to incorporate a lot of...
ronaldflate
Oct 6, 20232 min read
Chain of wills: unraveling the Aretha Franklin estate dispute
Dear Clients and Friends, Music icon Aretha Franklin died in 2018 at the age of 76. This summer, a Michigan probate jury finally decided...
ronaldflate
Sep 14, 20232 min read
Court applies ‘mature child’ test in international custody dispute
Dear Clients and Friends, A federal judge has decided that a 13-year-old boy who didn’t want to return to his mother in Germany could...
ronaldflate
Aug 30, 20232 min read
Real estate purchased with personal assets deemed community property
Dear Clients and friends, Property acquired during a marriage is generally considered “community” or “marital” property that gets divided...
ronaldflate
Aug 17, 20233 min read
Should kids testify in custody cases?
Dear Clients and Friends, In the classic 1979 film Kramer vs. Kramer, mother Joanna Kramer (played by Meryl Streep) abruptly left her...
ronaldflate
Aug 4, 20232 min read
What should you do if you’re being denied time with your grandkids?
Dear Clients and Friends, “Grandparent estrangement” refers to grandparents being prevented from seeing and maintaining a relationship...
ronaldflate
Jul 12, 20232 min read
Avoid family feuds in your estate settlement
Dear Clients and Friends, Family relationships can be complicated, especially when it comes to discussing finances and estate plans. No...
ronaldflate
Jun 19, 20232 min read
Lessons from the Lisa Marie Presley estate
Dear Clients and Friends, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley, died earlier this year from cardiac arrest....
ronaldflate
May 4, 20233 min read
Recommendations on buying a house with another before you remarry
Dear Clients and Friends, A growing number of divorced people are buying a house with a new partner to whom they are not yet married. In...
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