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Is Trial Required in Your Case?

Most cases in Family Law may not require a trial or long cause hearing or hearings, BUT if a hearing requires taking testimony, then normally that hearing goes on the long cause calendar. This can get expensive due to the time and evidence preparation and the planned cross examination, depending on how many witnesses are needed.  To avoid the time and expense, if you have no big issues that you can't solve then you may not need a long cause hearing at all.

Unfortunately, some cases will require such a hearing or trial. Although this can become rather costly, it some cases it will be worth it, especially if you are owed money, property, or the kids were wrongly taken from you; if false (provably false) allegations were used to gain money/property/custody, then you may not have much choice in order to change the status.
Family law has some very specific time limits on how long you can wait before the statute might run on certain issues-- many of these Codes, especially Family Code Sections  2105, 2106, 2107, 2120, 2121, 2122, 2123, 2125. And FC 2640 which relates to separate property reimbursements is a real nightmare if the "judge" who is not a judge (but is commissioner) doesn't understand how it works?  Be very, very careful if you have this issue because quite frankly, with underwater property, the wrong ruling can cause one spouse to lose all cash put down on a property PLUS loss of the property itself.

We say this only because we have seen it happen.  It is likely only a writ or an appeal might salvage the bad ruling. The appeal might be won but unless some type of stay is in place, there would still be a problem.  And of course, that can be extremely costly.  http://codes.findlaw.com/ca/family-code/

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