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Spousal Support

Divorce Attorneys Representing People in Silicon Valley

It is not uncommon to have a disparity in income between two spouses, or for one spouse to take care of household duties while the other spouse works. In many instances, an impending divorce may cause concern regarding the lesser-earning spouse’s ability to care for his or her needs. In these cases, a court may issue an order that requires one spouse to pay spousal support. A claim for spousal support can affect the rights and obligations of both parties, and it is crucial for anyone seeking a divorce to understand the impact of an order granting support. At Daprile-Bell Family Law Offices, our San Jose spousal support lawyers are skilled at helping people seek fair outcomes in spousal support claims, and we can advocate aggressively on your behalf. We routinely represent spouses in divorce matters throughout Silicon Valley, including people employed by tech companies from Santa Cruz to San Francisco. Spousal support is often one of the largest amounts when one spouse works for a Silicon Valley company and we are experts at looking at support from every angle for both the employed spouse as well as the spouse who stays at home with the children or has the lower paying job.

Grounds for Awarding Spousal Support

Generally, spousal support aims to diminish any economic hardships that a lower-earning or non-working spouse will suffer following a divorce. A court may consider numerous factors in assessing whether spousal support is warranted, such as the age, health, and financial assets of each spouse, the length of the marriage, and the standard of living that the couple enjoyed during the marriage. The court may also weigh the earning capability of each spouse, the ability of the paying spouse to provide financial support, and whether either spouse has engaged in domestic violence. To help our clients present a clear and accurate picture of the financial status of each party, the spousal support attorneys at our San Jose firm often use forensic experts to uncover the full extent of an opposing party’s income.

Types and Duration of Spousal Support

In California, there are numerous types of support that a court can order a spouse to pay, which vary in the duration for which they must be paid. Typically, in the beginning of the case temporary spousal support is paid and later the court must examine certain factors in awarding permanent spousal support. We have forensic experts that we use when needed to obtain high awards for our lower earning spouses as well as to limit awards when we represent the higher earning spouse.

Temporary spousal support is typically requested while the divorce is pending, and it is paid from the time of the request until the divorce is finalized. Temporary support is designed to help the party receiving the support cover the cost of living and legal expenses until any community property is divided and distributed. Our San Jose spousal support attorneys specialize in these awards and have garnished a reputation for getting the best awards for our clients. Notably, either party can seek a modification of a spousal support order by showing a substantial change in circumstances, such as an increase or decrease of either party’s income.

Explore Your Options With an Experienced Family Law Attorney

If your spouse or you intend to seek spousal support, it is critical to retain an attorney who will fight to protect your interests. At Daprile-Bell Family Law Offices, we can help you pursue a solution that meets your needs. We take special care to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, including sterilizing our offices and common areas regularly, requiring our staff and attorneys to wear masks, and providing a waiting area on our front porch to reduce contact. We also meet with clients via Zoom and stagger any in-person meetings in our offices. You can reach us through our form online or at (408) 918-0920 to set up a consultation with a spousal support lawyer in San Jose to discuss your next steps.


Our Satisfied Clients Say
★★★★★
"Cheri Bell has represented me on and off for 15 years, through a divorce and child custody agreement, I have always been very impressed with her high level of integrity. She and her staff have always been very accessible, even when I moved out of the country. Her attention to details, and undeniable commitment to straightforwardness and honesty, have had a very positive effect on our court hearings, and provided time and again the desired." V.C.
★★★★★
"I HIGHLY recommend Natalie Daprile. She is VERY knowledgable of Family Law and VERY ethical, efficient, personable, professional and dedicated to her practice. She is a certified family law specialist which takes years and a lot of hard work to achieve and you can see that talent when she represents you. She helped me get the child support that I needed. She is excellent with support and tax issues and will make sure you and your family get what is fairly due to you." Lisa M.
★★★★★
"Thank you so much, Yselle Dominguez, for helping our family. Throughout the process you were sympathetic and compassionate to our needs. We felt very comfortable and confident. You are very responsive and thorough, and helped us understand the process every step of the way. We give our greatest gratitude and appreciation to you. We are so thankful for everything you were able to resolve for us. We will definitely recommend you to all our friends and family." N.P.
★★★★★
"Finding a great divorce attorney is very hard, and it took me a while to find one. I was fortunate to find Natalie and have her as my attorney, and after seeing her take my very difficult case to an extremely successful resolution, I have the highest recommendations for Natalie and Daprile-Bell Law Firm." Michael C.
★★★★★
"For my personal experience both with divorce and lawyers, I couldn’t have asked for a better lawyer. Natalie Daprile was recommended to me by a friend of a friend. She is a straight forward, tell it like it is, honest lawyer (yes, I said HONEST) and she gets the job done" Barbara I.
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