Divorce

Discover why divorce mediation

Why Choosing Mediation Before Litigation Can Save Time, Money

Leave a Comment / Cost expectations, Divorce, Divorce Mediation, Family law mediation, Hermes Law Group, Peter Hermes / By

Divorce Doesn’t Have to Begin in a Courtroom When most people think about divorce, they imagine lengthy court battles, expensive attorney fees, and emotional conflict. However, many California families are discovering a better path—divorce mediation. At Hermes Law Group, we believe that resolving disputes through respectful negotiation can often produce better outcomes than litigation. Mediation […]

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Family law attorney reviewing social media evidence on tablet for California divorce custody case

Social Media Evidence in California Divorce: What Judges Will (and Won’t) Allow

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A picture is worth a thousand words. In California family court in 2026, an Instagram story can be worth a primary custody assignment. Social media has become one of the most important sources of evidence in divorce and custody cases—not because judges enjoy scrolling, but because what people post tends to contradict what they say

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Couple reviewing AI-generated divorce documents with a Los Angeles family law attorney for accuracy

AI-Generated Divorce Documents: When Free Tools Become Costly Mistakes

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Generative AI has transformed how people approach almost every kind of writing—including legal writing. ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and a wave of legal-specific tools can produce a marital settlement agreement in seconds. For divorcing couples watching attorney fees pile up, the temptation is obvious: why pay thousands of dollars for what an AI can draft in

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Family Code 2640 reimbursement claim documents tracing separate property down payment in California divorce

Reimbursement Claims Under Family Code §2640: Protecting Your Down Payment

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You used $200,000 of your separate-property savings as the down payment on the family home. The home was titled in both names. Years later, you are divorcing. Does that $200,000 come back to you off the top, or is it part of the community equity to be divided? California Family Code §2640 is the answer—and

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Frozen embryo storage cryotank at California fertility clinic during divorce-related embryo dispute

Frozen Embryos in Divorce: Who Decides What Happens Next?

Leave a Comment / Divorce, Divorce Lawyer, Divorce Mediation, Family law mediation, Hermes Law Group, Mediation process, Peter Hermes / By

Few questions in family law are more emotionally and ethically charged than what happens to frozen embryos when a marriage ends. The couple began the IVF process united in a future they hoped to share. By the time of divorce, that future has dissolved—but the embryos exist, waiting in cryostorage, and someone must decide their

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Pet custody California divorce dog with both owners during family law mediation

Pet Custody in California Divorce: Family Code §2605 Explained

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Until 2019, California family courts treated pets the way they treated coffee tables: as community property to be divided based on who paid for them and who held title. Anyone who has ever shared their life with a dog or cat knew that approach was inadequate, and the legislature eventually agreed. Family Code §2605, effective

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California family law judge reviewing firearm relinquishment order during custody hearing

New Firearm Rules in California Custody Cases (Family Code §3044 Updates)

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On January 1, 2026, two significant amendments to California family law took effect: changes to Family Code §3044 (the rebuttable presumption against custody for domestic violence perpetrators) and Family Code §6389 (firearm relinquishment under the Domestic Violence Prevention Act). The amendments reflect a clear legislative direction: protect children and protected parties from the combination of

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A concerned couple in a tense conversation, one withholding signed divorce papers in a modest home office, representing what if my spouse refuses to sign divorce papers

What If My Spouse Refuses to Sign Divorce Papers? Act Now!

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Ever wonder if your divorce can still move forward when your spouse refuses to sign the papers? The answer may surprise you—and empower you. Facing a situation where your spouse won’t cooperate with signing divorce documents can feel overwhelming. Many people worry that their progress is stalled forever or that their legal rights are trapped

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