Are you looking for a family lawyer in Torrance, CA?

At Skarin Law Group, we are family lawyers with 15 years of experience guiding clients through complex matters.

If you’re ending a marriage or disputing a parenting schedule in Torrance, a Torrance, CA family lawyer at Skarin Law Group can explain your legal position before anything is filed with the court. We represent spouses and parents on either side of a case. Our practice covers divorce, child custody, and support.

Our attorneys have 15 years of experience with family law litigation. Our President is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Schedule a consultation with us to review your situation and the options available to you.

Family Lawyer Torrance, CA

A family lawyer represents clients in legal matters that arise from marriage, separation, and parenthood. The work includes preparing court filings, negotiating settlements, and arguing contested issues before a judge. Some matters are resolved without a hearing. A prenuptial agreement, for example, is negotiated and signed before the wedding.

Torrance has 54,869 households and a median owner-occupied home value of $1,074,700, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. A home at that value is often the largest asset a divorcing couple has to divide. A Torrance family attorney also addresses the questions connected to that division, including who stays in the home and how support is calculated.

Types of Family Law Cases We Handle in Torrance

Family law covers more than divorce. Our attorneys handle all family law litigation, and we represent either party in each of the matters below. Many clients have more than one of these issues in the same case.

• Divorce. A divorce ends the marriage and resolves property, support, and custody. We file or respond to the petition and prepare the financial disclosures. Contested issues are then settled by agreement or decided at trial.
• High net worth divorce. These cases involve business interests, investment accounts, or several properties. Valuation is a central issue when an asset has no clear market price. Tracing the source of funds is often a large part of the work.
• Child custody. Custody orders set where a child lives and which parent makes major decisions. We prepare parenting plans and represent parents at hearings. We also handle requests to change an existing order.
• Child visitation. A visitation order sets the schedule for the parent who has the child less of the time. We address holiday schedules, supervised visits, and exchanges. Disputes often start when a schedule no longer fits a child’s school or activities.
• Child support. California uses a statewide guideline to calculate child support. We verify the income figures that go into the calculation. We also seek or oppose changes when a parent’s income or parenting schedule changes.
• Spousal support. Support can be ordered while a case is pending and again in the final judgment. We present evidence on each spouse’s income, needs, and earning capacity. We also handle requests to modify or end support after judgment.
• Legal separation. A legal separation resolves the same financial and custody issues as a divorce but leaves the marriage in place. Some couples choose it for religious or insurance reasons.
• Paternity. A parentage case establishes who a child’s legal parents are. Custody, visitation, and support orders for unmarried parents depend on that finding.
• Parental rights. We represent parents whose time or decision-making authority is being challenged. These cases include relocation disputes and enforcement of existing orders.
• Prenups. A prenuptial agreement sets property and support terms before marriage. Our President handles these agreements for the party proposing the terms or the party reviewing them.

Why Choose Skarin Law Group as my Family Lawyer in Torrance, CA?

15 Years of Litigation on Both Sides of a Case

Our attorneys have handled family law litigation for 15 years. We represent both sides of these disputes. That includes petitioners and respondents in divorce, as well as parents seeking or opposing changes to custody and support orders. Arguing both positions shows us how each side builds its case. A family law attorney in Torrance, CA who has prepared both arguments can identify the weak points in either one. We bill hourly against an evergreen retainer, which means the retainer is replenished as work is performed.

Peer Recognition and Financial Training

Matthew Skarin, our President, is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He chaired the Family Law Section of the Santa Monica Bar Association from 2018 to 2019. Super Lawyers named him to its list each year from 2020 through 2024, after five years as a Rising Star. He also holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a 10/10 rating from Avvo.

Matthew earned his law degree from Loyola Law School. Before that, he studied business economics with an emphasis in accounting at the University of California at Santa Barbara. We apply that financial background to support calculations and property division.

What Is Important To Understand About Family Law Cases?

Property Division, Custody, and Support in California

California family courts apply the same core concepts in most cases. The terms below appear in nearly every order and settlement agreement.

• Community property. Assets and debts acquired during the marriage belong to both spouses. A judge generally divides community property equally when spouses cannot agree.
• Separate property. Property owned before the marriage, or received as a gift or inheritance, is separate property. It generally stays with the spouse who owns it.
• Legal custody. Legal custody gives a parent authority over major decisions, including health care and schooling.
• Physical custody. Physical custody addresses where the child lives. The schedule that results is called parenting time.
• Child support. The statewide guideline bases child support on each parent’s income and the time each parent spends with the child.
• Spousal support. Judges weigh several factors for long-term support. Those factors include each spouse’s earning capacity and the length of the marriage.

What Are Important Aspects of a Family Law Case?

The outcome of a family law case depends on preparation as much as on the law. A Torrance family lawyer will usually raise four issues early in a case.

• Financial disclosure. Both spouses must exchange complete information about income, assets, and debts. Complete disclosures also make settlement discussions more productive.
• Temporary orders. A court can issue orders on custody, support, and use of the home while the case is pending. These orders often stay in place for months.
• Date of separation. This date affects which assets and debts are community property. Spouses frequently disagree about it.
• Changes after judgment. Custody and support orders can be modified when circumstances change. A move-away request is a common example.

What Is The Family Law Case Timeline?

The length of a case depends on the number of contested issues and the court’s calendar. A family attorney in Torrance can estimate the schedule once both sides have filed their initial papers. Uncontested cases move faster because the spouses submit an agreement instead of going to trial.

1. Petition and response. One party files a petition and serves it on the other. The other party then files a response.
2. Financial disclosures. Each spouse provides declarations of income, expenses, assets, and debts.
3. Temporary orders. Either party can ask the court for interim custody or support orders.
4. Discovery and negotiation. Both sides gather records and exchange settlement proposals. Parents with a contested custody issue attend mediation through the court.
5. Judgment. A signed settlement agreement or a trial decision becomes the judgment.

What Should You Bring to Your Family Law Consultation?

A family law consultation is more useful when we can review documents instead of estimates. Bring what you have, even if the set is incomplete.

• Recent tax returns and pay stubs
• Statements for bank, retirement, and mortgage accounts
• Any existing court orders or filed papers
• A prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, if one exists
• A written summary of the current parenting schedule

During the consultation, we review your documents and identify the issues that need a decision first. We also explain how our fees work.

Torrance Family Court and Local Resources

The Southwest District of the Los Angeles Superior Court sits in Torrance and hears family law matters. A Torrance, CA family law attorney regularly works with the court offices below.

• Torrance Courthouse. This courthouse hears family law cases for the Southwest District. The court’s listing covers parking, security screening, and available services.
• Family Law Division. The Superior Court’s Family Law Division publishes filing information for divorce, parentage, and support cases.
• Family Court Services. This court program provides mediation for parents who have a pending custody or visitation matter. It has a location at the Torrance Courthouse.

Reach Out to Skarin Law Group to Schedule a Consultation

Skarin Law Group represents spouses and parents in Torrance family law cases, whether you are filing or responding. A consultation covers your documents, your goals, and the court process ahead. We bill hourly under an evergreen retainer. Contact us to schedule a consultation with a Torrance family lawyer about your divorce, custody, or support matter.