If you or someone you know is facing a divorce in Los Angeles, the last thing they need to do is face a long battle in court that ends in the public record of the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. The challenges of getting to court (traffic in Los Angeles) and dealing with the emotional toll of adverserial litigation is why so many couples in Los Angeles have decided to pursue negotiated divorce settlements.
At Moradi Neufer, our Los Angeles divorce settlement lawyers know first-hand what you’re facing in your divorce case. Whether you’re a tech executive located in Silicon Beach, an entertainment professional from Hollywood, a developer in Beverly Hills, or a business owner in any location in LA County, you can rely on us to protect what is most important to you – your wealth, your children’s welfare, and your future by providing the knowledge and experience you need at the negotiating table.
The divorce settlement process, more commonly referred to in California as a marital settlement agreement, gives both spouses the ability to resolve all outstanding issues regarding their divorce outside the courtroom through proper and effective negotiation with the assistance of an experienced Los Angeles family law attorney for both parties. This allows both spouses to work toward a resolution without the need for trial, and results in agreement on issues such as property division, child custody, spousal support, and child support.
Los Angeles has many family law courts that deal with divorce cases. The Stanley Mosk Courthouse, located at 111 N. Hill Street in downtown Los Angeles, has a large volume of divorce cases each month, and the court’s wait times can be lengthy, sometimes taking months or longer to set a court date for hearing.
Busy professionals navigating Los Angeles traffic from neighborhoods that extend from Malibu to Pasadena and Santa Monica to Downtown can spend hours in a car commuting, finding parking, and waiting at court for every appearance.
The Los Angeles Superior Court handles family law cases across multiple courthouse locations, including:
With California’s mandatory six-month waiting period after service of divorce papers before your marital status can officially change, working toward an efficient settlement allows you to resolve the substantive issues, property, custody, and support, on your timeline rather than waiting for overbooked court calendars.
1. Cost-Effectiveness
Traditional divorce litigation in Los Angeles can easily cost $50,000 to $150,000 or more for high-net-worth cases. A single day of trial at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse can run $10,000 or more in attorney fees alone.
Divorce mediation in Los Angeles and negotiated settlements typically cost a fraction of that amount, with most cases resolving for $15,000 to $40,000 in total legal fees, significant savings that can be redirected toward your children’s education or your post-divorce financial security.
2. Privacy and Discretion
Unlike publicly available court filings, the divorce settlement process is private. For high-profile individuals, such as celebrities and business owners, keeping information about your assets, income, and family out of court filings is very important. The fact that divorce settlement mediation in Los Angeles involves so much media interest and public disclosure can affect a person’s reputation and success.
3. Control Over Outcomes
By negotiating or mediating the resolution of your divorce, you and your spouse – with the help of each of your attorneys – decide what will happen in your future instead of relying on a judge who only has fifteen minutes to review your case among many other cases on the same calendar day. This element of control becomes significant when there are complex issues such as:
The division of stock options, RSUs, and cryptocurrencies, which are usually found in the technology industry in Los Angeles
4. Faster Resolution
More than three or four months of live experience are needed before you can move forward with a divorce, though the actual matter will usually settle within three to six months of being filed. If you are getting a divorce in Los Angeles, you should understand that there are many ways to reduce the amount of time you will spend in court in a divorce and still be able to continue with your normal working life after the divorce is finalized.
5. Your Children Will Have Less Stress
If you have children, it is important that you shield your children from the stresses of parents fighting against each other in court. The collaborative process of settling an issue through mediation in Los Angeles will create an environment that will be easier on the children’s feelings during this difficult time. It will also help to establish a superior agreement between you and your child as co-parents in the future.
California is one of the ninecommunity property states in the country. As a result, California laws govern the distribution of assets and liabilities of married couples during a divorce. As a result, for any negotiation of a fair marital settlement agreement, these laws must be understood in detail when entering into a divorce.
According to the California Family Code, all assets and debts obtained during marriage are, in general, classified as community property and are jointly owned by the two spouses. Community property includes, but is not limited to:
Assets owned before marriage, gifts, and inheritances received by one spouse typically remain separate property. However, the line can blur when:
In complex cases of high net worth divorce (for example, in Los Angeles) that involve a collection of assets that are intermingled and/or that have increased in value due to community funds, forensic accountants and financial professionals familiar with the laws of California will frequently be called on to accurately trace and classify separate versus community property.
The first step to take as soon as you start thinking about divorce is to contact an experienced, skilled lawyer who specializes exclusively in divorce. At Moradi Neufer, we begin by determining what your individual goals are, evaluating your assets/debts, understanding California Family Law as it applies to you, and advising on the best means of reaching a settlement, mediation, collaborative divorce, litigation, etc.
Once one spouse has completed the above steps, that person may file a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage with the Los Angeles Superior Court and provide the other spouse with a copy of this document. This step in the process will initiate California’s six-month mandatory waiting period for the divorce process to be considered final. Even if you anticipate an amicable settlement, proper filing and service are essential procedural requirements.
While your divorce settlement is being negotiated, life goes on. Our Los Angeles divorce attorneys work to establish temporary arrangements for:
These interim orders maintain stability for your family while the permanent settlement is negotiated.
In accordance with California law, both spouses must obtain a Preliminary Declaration of Disclosure (PDD) to disclose their income, assets and liabilities. This disclosure must be made prior to negotiations on any financial arrangements between the two parties. Full financial disclosure is necessary in order to ensure that both spouses are negotiating from a fully informed perspective when it comes time to negotiate the divorce agreement.
In divorce cases involving complex assets, multiple properties, other business interests, extensive stock portfolios, entertainment royalties, or foreign bank accounts in Los Angeles, financial disclosures play an incredibly important role. At Moradi Neufer, our lawyers help clients create their own comprehensive disclosures while also carefully reviewing each party’s disclosures for any potential “red flags”, indicating that the other party may be hiding financial information.
Accurate valuation of all of the community assets is one of the most important parts of negotiating the divorce settlement. Valuation of community assets may include:
Our firm works with many highly reputable appraisers, CPAs, and forensic accountants throughout the Los Angeles area to ensure that all valuations are conducted and/or supported correctly in order to protect your interests and assets in the divorce.
Once we have completed all financial disclosures and valuations, our Los Angeles divorce lawyers prepare settlements that fit your goals through negotiations on:
Through skilled negotiation and, when appropriate, divorce mediation in Los Angeles with a neutral mediator, our goal is to reach a comprehensive marital settlement agreement that protects your rights and sets you up for a stable post-divorce life.
Once all terms are agreed upon, the settlement is memorialised in a formal Marital Settlement Agreement (MSA). This detailed legal document becomes a binding contract between you and your spouse, incorporated into your final divorce judgement. Our attorneys ensure your MSA is thorough, legally sound, and clearly addresses every aspect of your settlement to prevent future disputes.
The Los Angeles Superior Court will receive your marital settlement agreement as part of your dissolution of marriage. The court will examine to ensure that the marital settlement agreement is fair and complies with California law in order for it to be part of the final decision. Your divorce will become official once it becomes final at the end of the six-month period (after entry of the judgment by the court).
Divorce mediation is often used to settle the disputes and finalize divorce agreements between many couples in Los Angeles. A mediator (who is generally a neutral expert) facilitates discussions between people who are divorcing in order to create a divorce agreement.
Unlike litigation, where a judge decides your fate, or traditional settlement negotiation, where attorneys negotiate on your behalf, mediation puts you and your spouse in the same room (or on the same video call) with a mediator who helps facilitate productive conversations.
The mediation process typically includes:
In Los Angeles County, mediation is actually mandatory for child custody disputes when parents cannot agree. However, mediation for property division and other issues is voluntary but highly encouraged.
Given LA’s hectic lifestyle and traffic challenges, mediation offers flexibility. Sessions can be scheduled around your work commitments, often in the evenings or weekends, and can take place virtually, eliminating commute time to downtown LA courthouses.
Mediation is particularly effective when:
Important Note: Even in mediation, each spouse should still have their own Los Angeles divorce attorney to review agreements and protect their interests. The mediator cannot provide legal advice to either party.
Determining spousal support is often one of the most contentious aspects of divorce settlements in Los Angeles. California law provides guidelines for temporary support but gives courts significant discretion for permanent support based on numerous factors.
Under California Family Code Section 4320, courts (and parties negotiating alimony in settlements) consider:
For Los Angeles high earners, alimony calculations can be particularly complex, especially when income includes bonuses, stock compensation, real estate commissions, or business profits that fluctuate year to year.
In settlement negotiations, spousal support is negotiable. Unlike court-ordered support, which can be modified if circumstances change, parties can agree in their marital settlement agreement to:
Our Los Angeles alimony attorneys help clients craft spousal support provisions that provide appropriate support while incentivising self-sufficiency.
When children are involved, their best interests must be the paramount concern in any divorce settlement.
California recognises two types of custody:
Custody can be sole or joint. In Los Angeles, courts strongly favor joint legal custody, allowing both parents to participate in major decisions. Physical custody arrangements vary widely based on each family’s circumstances, work schedules, and children’s needs.
Los Angeles families face unique challenges in creating custody schedules:
Our Los Angeles child custody attorneys work with parents to create detailed parenting plans that address holidays, vacations, school breaks, and day-to-day schedules that actually work for LA lifestyles.
California uses a guideline formula to calculate child support based on:
For high earners in Los Angeles, child support calculations can become complex, especially when bonuses, commissions, and equity compensation are involved.
Los Angeles is home to extraordinarily successful individuals, entertainment executives, tech entrepreneurs, real estate moguls, financial professionals, and business owners. High-net-worth divorces in LA present unique challenges that require sophisticated legal strategies.
High-net-worth Los Angeles divorces often involve:
If you or your spouse owns a business in Los Angeles, protecting that business during divorce is critical. Key considerations include:
Business valuations must account for LA’s competitive market conditions, industry-specific factors, and future earning potential.
For celebrities, industry leaders, and other high-profile Los Angeles residents, maintaining privacy during divorce is paramount. Settlement negotiations and mediation keep details confidential, unlike public court proceedings. At Moradi Neufer, we understand the importance of discretion and have experience protecting clients’ privacy throughout the divorce process.
When you’re navigating a divorce settlement in Los Angeles, you need more than just an attorney, you need a strategic advocate who understands California family law, Los Angeles courts, and the unique challenges facing LA families.
Comprehensive Financial Analysis
We partner with forensic accountants, business valuators, real estate appraisers, and other financial experts to ensure accurate asset valuations and uncover any attempts to hide assets. We also help clients plan for what comes next, explore practical guidance on investing your divorce settlement wisely to make informed financial decisions after your case is resolved.
Strategic Negotiation
Our Los Angeles divorce settlement lawyers are skilled negotiators who know how to advocate forcefully for your interests while maintaining the possibility of settlement. We understand when to push and when to compromise to achieve the best overall outcome.
Trial-Ready When Necessary
While we prioritise settlement, we prepare every case as if it’s going to trial. This preparation strengthens our negotiating position and ensures we’re ready to litigate if settlement negotiations break down.
Child-Centered Custody Strategies
For parents, nothing matters more than protecting your relationship with your children. We craft custody arguments and settlement proposals that demonstrate your commitment to your children’s wellbeing and your ability to co-parent effectively.
Our attorneys regularly appear in Los Angeles Superior Court locations throughout LA County. We understand local procedures, know the judges and court personnel, and can navigate LA’s court system efficiently, saving you time and money.
From Downtown LA to the West Side, from the San Fernando Valley to the South Bay, from Pasadena to Long Beach, Moradi Neufer serves clients throughout Los Angeles County. We understand the diverse communities that make up LA and tailor our approach to each client’s unique cultural and personal circumstances.
If you’re considering divorce or have been served with divorce papers, time is critical. The decisions you make early in the process can significantly impact the outcome of your settlement.
During your consultation, we’ll:
Divorce settlement costs in Los Angeles typically range from $15,000 to $40,000 per party for standard cases, while high-net-worth divorces can exceed $50,000-$100,000+. Costs include attorney fees, court filing fees ($435), and expert expenses for appraisals or forensic accounting.
A marital settlement agreement (MSA) is a legally binding contract between divorcing spouses that resolves all divorce issues, including property division, spousal support, child custody, and child support. Once signed and submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court, the MSA is incorporated into the final divorce judgement.
Divorce mediation in Los Angeles typically takes 3-6 months for most cases. Simple cases with few assets may resolve in 2-3 months, while complex high-net-worth divorces can take 6-12 months, still much faster than traditional litigation, which can take 12-24+ months.
Yes, spousal support (alimony) is available based on California Family Code Section 4320 factors, including marriage length, income, earning capacity, age, health, and standard of living. In settlement negotiations, parties can agree on flexible alimony terms, including amount, duration, and whether support is modifiable.
Legal custody refers to the right to make major decisions about children’s education, healthcare, and welfare, while physical custody determines where children live and the parenting schedule. Los Angeles courts typically favour joint legal custody, while physical custody arrangements vary based on each family’s unique circumstances and schedules.
California is a community property state where assets and debts acquired during marriage are divided 50/50 in divorce. Separate property owned before marriage, gifts, and inheritances stay with the original owner, while spouses can negotiate which specific assets each receives as long as the overall division equals 50/50.
Most Los Angeles divorce settlements are resolved without trial through negotiation or mediation. You’ll file initial paperwork with LA Superior Court and may attend brief status conferences, but if you reach a comprehensive settlement agreement, a full trial is typically unnecessary.
Once your settlement is incorporated into your divorce judgement, property division cannot be changed except for fraud or mistake. However, child custody and child support can be modified with substantially changed circumstances, and spousal support is modifiable unless the agreement specifically states otherwise.
If your spouse refuses to settle, your case proceeds to trial, where a judge decides all contested issues. However, many initially disagreeable cases eventually settle through continued negotiation, mandatory mediation for custody disputes, or court settlement conferences before trial.
High-net-worth divorces involve complex issues like business valuations, stock options, multiple properties, entertainment royalties, and cryptocurrency, requiring forensic accountants and expert appraisers. These cases demand sophisticated legal strategies to protect substantial assets while maintaining privacy, especially for LA’s celebrities, executives, and business owners.
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We are a full-service family law firm with experience litigating and negotiating complex divorces and domestic partnership dissolutions in California.
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