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Mother's day is around the corner (and then Father's Day is fast approaching). I recommend to all my clients that they should consider giving a Mother's Day gift/card to the mother of their children (as long as there isn't a no contact order/injunction in place) from the children. This shows a good faith effort on the dad's part to try to facilitate a relationship between mother and children. You can take young children to the store and help them pick out a gift or card. This goes a long way ...

On February 10, 2012 at 10 p.m. we welcomed a baby girl into the Hobbs family. I returned to work on April 2, 2012 and the cases keep pouring in. We currently have several trials scheduled over the next few months and we are moving cases along quite well. It feels great to be back at work doing what I enjoy - which is helping families resolve conflict. Having a newborn at home means that it might be difficult to get a meeting past 5 p.m. during the week so be sure to try to schedule meetings ...

There is caselaw that is on point directing the Moving party to dissolve or modify a permanent domestic violence injunction to show that there has been a substantial change in circumstance (i.e., the conditions of the injunction are no longer present). Make sure that there have been no violations of the injunction since the time it was entered or that they (if any) were too remote from the date of hearing/filing Motion to Dissolve/Modify. Make sure to serve by process server/sheriff the opposing ...

It seems that Judge Komanski is leaving the family law division and Judge Heather Higbee is going to be taking his place. That will again leave an open Judge slot in the Domestic Violence Division. It is unlikely that the DVI position will remain empty for long considering the timelines that the court must adhere to in domestic violence cases. In the meantime, it seems that the majority of family law cases will move pretty smoothly through the upcoming holidays.

We heard the news and it was confirmed...Judge Kest is moving out of the domestic violence division in Orange County and is assigned to Division 38 effective Monday, October 31, 2011. This is GREAT news for all those cases languishing in Judge Maura Smith's division after her retirement earlier this year. Judge Kest stated to us at the Judge's Assistant Luncheon for OCBA that she will be ready to hear cases immediately upon entering Division 38.