San Francisco Divorce Overview

The dissolution of a marriage causes both financial and emotional burdens. The San Francisco law firm of McDonald & Mannion provides mediation services and skilled legal counsel to families in crisis and remains dedicated to applying California divorce law equitably and fairly. We firmly believe that mediation, not litigation, is the way to achieve a satisfactory outcome for all parties.

First, we counsel clients on California divorce law to ensure they meet state divorce criteria. Factors examined during the dissolution of a marriage include the following:

• Residency: One or both spouses must be a resident of California for at least six months.
• Grounds for filing: One spouse (the petitioner) files for divorce based on either irreconcilable differences or incurable insanity of the other spouse (the respondent).
• Property distribution: As a community property state, assets, and debts acquired in marriage are divided equally unless another agreement is reached.
• Spousal support (alimony maintenance): The law favors maintaining a standard of living that was enjoyed by both spouses as much as possible–more so with marriages of greater duration.
• Child custody: The object is to minimize trauma to children and to optimize their health, safety, and welfare. The past and present behavior of both parents is a key consideration in determining child custody.
• Child support: An Income Shares Model is used for calculating child support and establishing a similar standard of living for the children in both residences of ex-spouses. The higher-earning parent covers a larger share of child-related expenses if one parent earns significantly more money than the other.

Read more about types of divorce and divorce laws in California when filing for divorce in San Francisco

Read about separation agreements

Role of a San Francisco divorce mediator

At McDonald & Mannion, we believe that mediation as an alternative to standard divorce results in a better outcome for all parties and leads to more long-term satisfaction than resolutions achieved through litigation. We have assisted in over 1,000 successful mediations, whether acting as a neutral party or representing clients as private counsel.

Instead of each party hiring an attorney and going to court, parties who decide to use a mediator work with one neutral third party mediator to negotiate issues concerning child custody and support, spousal support, and division of assets and debts. The mediator represents both parties and seeks to resolve all issues satisfactorily. The mediation process is based on communication between the parties and is an experience that builds a base for future cooperation.

With such significant matters of child support, child custody, and the division of property at stake, it is easy to see the importance of your choice in a mediator. But selecting amongst all the mediators in San Francisco requires close scrutiny of their hard skills—experience in divorce law and mediation—as well as their softer qualifications.

McDonald & Mannion understands all aspects of divorce law and takes into account the unique worries and concerns affecting each member of the family. We have the type of extensive divorce mediation experience that you need to amicably resolve the issues in the dissolution of your marriage. Contact our San Francisco law firm to learn more about our experience and process. For your convenience, we also offer services in Spanish.