Basic training series presented by local judicial officers and highly experienced family law attorneys. The series runs for six (6) sessions every Tuesday and Thursday from March 10 - March 26, 2009. The training is designed for new attorneys or attorneys changing their practice to family law and is intended to be a very basic procedural training that will prepare the attorneys to take on their first dissolution, work through the paperwork and hearing process, and orient them to the practices of Contra Costa County.

The participants will receive a BayLegal Family Law Manual and sample pleadings based upon a hypothetical case.
TOPICS:
OVERVIEW and GETTING STARTED: client interviews; overall case management; and big picture overview of family law practice (including Causes of Actions, Pleadings and Procedure).

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND RESTRAINING ORDERS: pleadings; procedure; and hearing practice.

HEARINGS AND TRIALS IN FAMILY LAW

CHILDREN'S ISSUES/CUSTODY: procedural and substantive issues (best interest standard, FC§3044); pleadings; Court Process (Family Court Services, evaluations); and other players (therapists, minor's counsel, special masters, evaluators).

CHILD AND SPOUSAL SUPPORT, ATTORNEY'S FEES: pleadings; Department of Child Support Services; hearing practice; and computer support program calculations.

PROPERTY ISSUES: Characterization, Discovery, and Distribution- identifying, distributing and dividing community and separate assets and debts; credits/reimbursements; experts; Disclosures; and discovery.

CLIENT RELATIONS: expectations of clients and attorneys; barriers and challenges facing low income clients

GETTING IT DONE/JUDGMENTS: Default and Uncontested Judgments and Contested Trials.