Santa Clarita Roundabouts | What Do You Think About Them?

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Yes, a little off topic from our usual divorce blog posts, but I wanted to see where people weigh in on the Santa Clarita Roundabouts that seem to be taking over in Castaic, Newhall and another proposed for Sand Canyon.

Oh, this is going to be fun, because I get to talk a little trash to people who don’t know how to drive…

First, let me say this.  If you are in the outside lane, you cannot continue around a turn if there is an exit because the person if the person in the inside lane exits (which they are allowed to do) you will be hit.. 

Okay, I feel better now.  If I had a dollar for every time someone cut in front of me, I would be a rich man.  I would have crashed at least a dozen times if I had not predicted someone is going to do something stupid.

I am teaching my daughter how to drive right now and I use that all the time.  We know it as “defensive Driving” but I tell my daughter, “Expect people to do stupid things”.

In a recent Santa Clarita Valley Signal Article, they discussed the current construction of a new roundabout in Newhall along Newhall Avenue near Fourth Street.  Boy did people chime in about how they hate roundabouts and how they are dangerous.

Let’s talk about that for a bit.  The safety of roundabouts.

First, I will say this.  The roundabouts are as safe as the drivers are aware of how to proceed through a roundabout.  See above bold text for a hint.  But one thing is for sure, you will not see a T-Bone crash in a roundabout.  So from a safety perspective, I think roundabouts are safer.

how_to_drive_a_roundabout

Perhaps there is more accidents due to driver ignorance, but they will most likely be minimal damages.

Personally, I like the roundabouts.  The one’s in Castaic, CA keep traffic moving better than if they were signals.  So for me, I like the idea of roundabouts and think they are classy.

Let me know where you weigh in on this topic.

Our Palmdale | Lancaster Divorce Clients Say We Are Worth The Drive

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

We have a huge online marketing presence for our Palmdale divorce and Lancaster Divorce service.  We also have lots of clients who have come to us to help them with their divorce in Antelope Valley and file a lot of divorce cases with the Lancaster Court.

I think the reason so many people turn to us for our divorce service is because there is not a whole lot of options for help with your divorce in Palmdale or Lancaster.

Don’t get me wrong, there are options, but they are not good options.  Why do I say there are no good options.  Just check the reviews on Yelp.

Here are some of the terrible reviews for Lancaster and Palmdale divorce services.

Here is a 1 Star rating on Yelp – Reviewer said, “I recommend a different service!”

Here is a another 1 Star review on Yelp about another company regarding bad customer service

These were the only paralegal offices that even had a Yelp listing.  Look, you just can’t have bad service in a service industry.

But why do we say we are worth the drive?  Here is a little secret…  While we have plans to expand our service into the Palmdale / Lancaster area, our local office is located in Santa Clarita.

Here is great review on our divorce services

You would only have to come to our office once.  We can also prepare your divorce paperwork right over the phone if you don’t want to come to our office.

Yes, we get a lot of clients from Palmdale and Lancaster who have realized that we are the number one divorce document preparation service in Los Angeles County and we are worth the drive.

Why We Are Worth The Drive

  • Great Customer Service
  • Professional full time receptionist so your call is answered every time
  • Knowledgeable staff
  • We Specialize in Divorce
  • Get your divorce completed correctly, the first time

We work hard to provide a good experience to our divorcing clients.  We are not perfect and we do make mistakes on occasion. When that happens we step up and make it right.

To this day we have received nothing less than a 5 Start rating on Yelp and we are grateful.

So when I say we are worth the drive to get your divorce paperwork completed, I mean it.  Come on down and let the professionals handle your divorce.

Not Filing For California Divorce Because Of Kids?

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

I can’ tell you how many people I get coming into our Santa Clarita office to file for divorce a few weeks after their kids have turned 18.

In most cases this has been a planned event and the only reason that they stayed together was for the sake of the kids.  Man, we will do anything for our kids, won’t we?

Most of the women say they have stayed long past the point where they knew their marriage was over.

I read an article recently that gave an interesting twist on this subject and stated that they became a better mom after getting a divorce!

So let’s get into this a bit.  Statistics tell us that when children grow up in a home with a mom and a dad, kids will turn out better.  Of course this has a lot to do with actual parenting.

In this article, mom decided that it was better to file for divorce and move on, rather than keeping up pretenses.  And I would have to agree with that.  At least the part about now spending all her energy to keep up the appearances of a marriage.

Kids are not stupid.  They know when something is not right and when mommy and daddy are not getting along.  You are just not the same and they can feel it.  I have worked with enough divorcing parents to know.

You may not want to admit that your kids know or have a feeling something is wrong and that is understandable.  But from the parents I have spoke with, the kids were glad to have finally have been told what is going on as it eliminates the mystery for them.  Of course, this depends on the age of your children.

Whether staying together or getting a divorce is best for your children, only time will tell and everybody’s situation will be different.  I don’t think there is any cookie cutter or easy answer to this.  Waiting to file for divorce is similar to waiting until the holidays are over to file for divorce.

For the mom in this article, it appears that filing for divorce ended up being the best solution.

Where do you way in on this?  Make sure to leave a comment below.

Providing A Divorce Community Service In Santa Clarita

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

When we started our Santa Clarita divorce service, we never thought it would be considered a community service.  But after one of our clients spoke of it that way, well, I guess it actually is.

We are not a non-profit business, so how could we consider ourselves providing a community service?  Especially when were are talking about divorce?

This was stated to us in the form of a review someone left for us.  They basically said that because we have produced and written so many articles and videos about California divorce, that we have made learning and understanding the divorce process easy to find and understand.

And it is true that we have done those things.  I think over 1000 articles, 200 videos and at least 100 podcasts as of this writing on October 22, 2013, and we will continue to do more every day.

But now that they got me thinking about it, that is not the only reason I think we provide a community service in Santa Clarita with our divorce service.

Another reason I think it is a community service is because of the amount of money we save people on their divorce in California.

Before we started this business, you had only 2 options.  Hire an attorney, and we know how much hiring an attorney for your divorce costs.  Or attempting to do your own California divorce.  Neither of these options is idea.  The first is very expensive and the latter is, well, you don’t want to be doing your own divorce.

Whether it is truly a community service or not, we do feel good about the divorce service we provide in Santa Clarita.  And it is not just Santa Clarita that we provide our divorce service in.  We only mention it because this is where our brick and mortar office is located.

But we can complete your divorce case anywhere in California, so make sure to give us a call.

 

We Have Answered Every Question About California Divorce

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

I think we have answered just about every questions there is about divorce in California!  No, probably not possible, but we have written over 1000 articles about divorce thus far!

And we just keep on writing about California divorce, hoping to eventually hit every question you might have about divorce.

It is actually quite simple.  Ask us a question on the phone or via email and if we have not discussed that topic on our blogs, we will write about it. Even if it is a question we have wrote about, but has a slightly different twist to it, we will write about it again and explain the differences.

That is what is great about our blog.  There is so much information on it that it would blow your mind.  Between the articles we have written, the podcasts, the radio broadcasts and the videos we have recorded, you find out just about anything you need to know.

And if you could not find it, just call us.  We would be happy to answer. And then write about it if we hadn’t.

Whey do we do this?  For starters, because nobody else is.  It seems that lawyers, attorneys and the legal profession in mass want to keep you reliant on them.  The other reason is because by placing this information out there for our potential clients to read, well, brings us clients.

It’s not brain surgery.

But people always comment, “Tim, why do you tell everyone how to file for divorce and do their own divorce, etc., aren’t you shooting yourself in the foot”.

The answer is no.  There are those people that find our blogs, videos and podcasts and using those resources attempt to complete their divorce on their own.  These folks would have never used our services to begin with.  And I am glad that folks were able to use our resources to do so.

We are both providing a service by writing all these articles and it is also a marketing strategy we use.

It is simple.  People are looking for answers about divorce in California. They find us online with the answers. Then they call for our service.

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service that specializes in divorce in California.  We are headquartered in Los Angeles County and can help you anywhere in California with your divorce.

Should I Do My Own Santa Clarita Divorce?

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

It is possible to do your own divorce, but should you?  A fair question, and one just asked of me on the phone so I thought I would tell you what I told this caller.

I told him that technically, it is possible to do your own divorce.  I also said that “doing” and “successfully completing”  your divorce are two different things.

As self serving as this answer is, we don’t recommend you do your own divorce for several reasons.

First off, lets admit it.  This is your first time… And if it is not, it has probably been a while.  What I am trying to say is that your are not in the business of filing out divorce paperwork and the paperwork is very confusing.

Even if you think you have figured out how to file the forms properly, I can pretty much guarantee you will make a mistake.  I have met some of the brightest people who have struggled trying to complete their own divorce and failed.

Secondly, even if you can figure out the divorce forms, you still have to figure out the process.  For instance, what forms need to be filed?  Which forms need to be served?  Which divorce forms have to be personally served and which ones can you mail?  Who can serve divorce papers?  Do you file then serve or vise versa? These were just a few of the things that came to the top of my mind and are the most basic.

I can give you all sorts of reason why you should not do your own divorce.  But, it is a choice you will have to make.

Here is as simple rule…  If you are not working and have plenty of time to go down to the courthouse at least 10 times to the self help center and spend all day there, each day, then go for it and do your own divorce.

But if are working and don’t have the time and have a few extra bucks, have us complete your divorce for you.  It is that simple of a decision.

Seriously, you don’t want to go through the divorce process on your own.

 

 

Filing For Divorce During The Holidays In Santa Clarita

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Every year in this business it seems that folks in Santa Clarita who are considering filing for divorce may be deciding to hold off until the holidays are over.

As we slip into the latter part of October, I can definitely feel there is less people ready to move forward and start their divorce.  The volume of people calling is still in a normal range, but those ready to pull the trigger is definitely less.

When I worked for a family law divorce attorney here in Santa Clarita, we experienced the same thing.  I think it is just the nature of the business.

People still are filing for divorce, of course, but it is just not in record numbers as it is in the beginning of each year.  Some in the divorce industry say that January is the busiest time of year for divorce and others say that after Valentines day has passed, is when divorce season really kicks in.  The dates are pretty close together, so it may be a combination of both.

I’m sure there are reasons why people hold off from filing during the holidays.  I suppose it could be because they don’t want to ruin the holidays for their children.  Or it could be that they don’t have the money to file for divorce because they are spending it all on Christmas.

One thing for sure, all that goes away come January each and every year.

It seems once the festivities are over, the hangovers have gone away and the new years resolutions have already been foiled, that people file for divorce in droves.

Last year in 2012 it also slowed down.  I knew going into this year the same would probably happen, but hoped for the best.  I will spend the remainder of this year, gearing up for next year when things will literally explode in January and into February.

If you are considering filing for divorce in Santa Clarita and the holidays are causing you to hold off, I would be interested in you commenting below and letting me know what your reasons for holding off are.

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation service that specializes in divorce.  We are headquartered in Santa Clarita, CA and can help you anywhere in California with your divorce.

California Divorce | True Default vs. Default Divorce With Agreement

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

There is still some confusion on the best way to prepare your California divorce.  We will discuss the pro’s and con’s of the “True Default” vs. “Default With Agreement” divorce cases when filing your Amicable California Divorce.

If you are going through an amicable divorce in California, there may be a good reason to not file a Response to your California Divorce .

What Happens If You Don’t Respond To Divorce Summons & Petition?

First, lets discuss what happens when you don’t respond in a California Divorce.  Per the summons, it says you have 30 days to respond after being served the divorce papers.  It further states that if you do not respond, the Court and the other party can make decision about the divorce without you.

But What If You Are In Agreement?

But what if you are working on an amicable divorce and you are mostly in agreement.  Is there any reason you need to file a Response which will cause you to have to pay the Response fee and double the cost of your divorce?

We say that if you are working on an amicable divorce in California you do not need to file a Response and can choose to do either a “True Default” or “Default With Agreement” style divorce.

What Is A True Default Divorce?

A True Default divorce is where one party files and served the other.  Then the other party does absolutely nothing.  They don’t respond and they don’t participate at all.  There are pro’s and Con’s to this.

Pro’s to True Default Divorce:

  1. Useful when the other party does not respond
  2. Easy way to conclude case if no property, no kids, and short term marriage.
  3. Can use “strategic default” meaning we purposely default the other party even if they planned to cooperate.

Con’s To True Default Divorce:

  1. Community property must be evenly divided (even is it is an unfair division)
  2. Must file property declaration which become public record
  3. Defaults are scrutinized by the Court
  4. May require a default hearing (you might have to go to court)

What Is A Default With Agreement Case?

A default with agreement divorce cased is still a default.  It is different than the True Default in that the other party is going to participate. They are not going to Respond, but they are going to do all the paperwork (as if they Responded) and enter into a written agreement with you.

Pro’s To Default With Agreement Case:

  1. Easy to get approved because Court knows both parties were involved.
  2. No public record of property.
  3. No filing free necessary from Respondent.
  4. You will enter into a written agreement.
  5. Not necessary to have equal division of property.

Which Way Should You Go?

Each divorce case is different, but I would say if you can get your spouse to enter into a written agreement, it is better.  If you have children or property, you may want to try for the default with agreement and use the True Default as a last resort.  Why not, if it does not cost anymore to do it.

The true default might be better if you know your spouse will not be involved and not sign anything.  You can have them served and them they are no longer needed.

If you don’t have any property, no children and a short term marriage, you may choose to file the true default from the get-go.

Again, your specific circumstances will dictate the best way to go.

If you have any questions about the California divorce process, please give us a call.  We specialize in California divorce and can help you determine if filing a True Default or a Default With Agreement might be the best way to go. We serve all of California.

Should I Respond To California Divorce If We Are Amicable?

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

The question we are answering today is “Should I Respond To California Divorce If We Are Amicable?“.  I am going to make suggestions on when you should file a Response in your California divorce case and when it would probably be okay to not file a Response.

Please keep in mind that we are talking about amicable divorce cases in California where you and your spouse are working together to complete your case.  If your case is contested or you have an attorney, you will most likely be filing a Response.

I am writing  this article because it is not always necessary to file a Response to your California divorce if your divorce case is amicable.

Today I received a call from a potential new client who stated that she was served by her spouse and she had read the divorce Summons and had to file a Response by Wednesday, which was in 3 days.

The very first question I asked her was if her divorce was amicable.  She stated that it was amicable and that they were just trying to get through the divorce.

When your California divorce is amicable, you can still get through the divorce process without filing a response.  In fact, the majority of California divorce cases that we file and complete are done so without a Response being filed.

So what I told her is that she should have her husband call me so we can all be on the same page.  What I suggested is that they have our company prepare all the divorce paperwork so they can get through their divorce fast and easy.

Most people in my position would have used the threat of default (after 30 days of no response) to scare them into filing a response so they could collect a fee for preparing their divorce case.

If your California divorce is amicable, you have two ways you can file your divorce.  The first would be what is called a “True Default California Divorce” and the other is called a “Hybrid or Default California With Agreement“.  Both have their advantages and disadvantages depending on your circumstances.  Feel free to call me and I will let you know the best way depending on what is going on in your case.  It basically comes down to the amount of property you have.

We are a licensed and bonded legal document preparation firm that specializes in divorce in California. We are headquartered in Santa Clarita, CA and serve all the Courts in California.

Give us a call, we would be happy to help.

California Divorce Videos | We Explain Divorce In California

Posted by Tim Blankenship on

Now with over 200 videos about the California divorce process, we have become a go-to source for information.  Everyday we have new clients calling us because they have watched one of our videos about California divorce.

Not everyone searches YouTube directly for videos, so we wanted to write this article just so people are aware that we recorded hundreds of videos on the California divorce process because sometimes is jus makes more sense to be able to listen to a video than read one of our divorce blogs.

You can click on the divorce video navigation tab above or click this Link To Our California Divorce Videos .  You can also jump on over to our YouTube Channel Here is you would prefer to watch them there.  The benefit to being on our YouTube channel is that you can search our channel for specific videos to answer the questions you have.

We recently had one of our client whose California divorce was finalized leave us a nice review.  They even commented on the fact that she appreciated how much information we put out there for free with our California divorce videos.

She commented on the review that we had so much information on our videos that one could complete their entire divorce on their own simply by watching our divorce videos.

While this is true, it would take you some considerable time, but you absolutely could do it.

So if you prefer to watch videos rather than read our blogs,  we have you covered.  We also have recorded podcasts and have a radio show about California divorce which you can find on our “On The Air” tab above.

No matter how you like to get your information, we have a resource for you.

We specialize in divorce and can help you anywhere in California.  If you are just getting information now, that is great. Make sure to sign up for our newsletter where we send you information, tips and helpful advice about divorce in California. You can always call us for a free phone consultation as well.

Here is the sign up form.