Mark A. Ambrose is your family attorney for all of your legal needs, providing comprehensive services regarding your legal, financial, and personal goals.

Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Custody
• Paternity
• Child Support
• Spousal Support (Alimony)
• Grandparents’ Rights

Probate

• Guardianships
• Conservatorships
• Wills
• Trusts
• Power of Attorney

Juvenile Dependency

• CPS involvement

Restraining Orders

• Domestic Violence
• Civil Harassment

Civil

• Name Changes
• Contract Disputes/Litigation

Family Law

Family Law is the area of law relating to relationships within the family. If your concerns or issues fall under one or more of the following categories, Mark A. Ambrose will be able to represent you and assist you with your legal needs.

Divorce or Dissolution of Marriage

A divorce is the process of terminating a couple’s marital status. We understand that separating from one’s spouse can be very difficult and emotional. At the Law Offices of Mark Ambrose we will help ease your stress by assisting you with your legal needs until your divorce is finalized. We’ll help you with all issues relating to the divorce process including but not limited to, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, etc.

Child Custody

If you need help obtaining child custody orders, Mark Ambrose is the one to turn to. Child custody issues generally involve parents who are separated from one another. In these cases the court makes orders to determine which parent has legal and physical custody of the children involved. The court will also makes orders to determine a visitation schedule for both parents based on the best interests of the children. The factors the judges look at include the health, welfare, and safety of the children. Custody cases also include attending mediation prior to the court hearing to give the parents an opportunity to meet with a neutral third party who will assist the parents in developing their own parenting plan. The mediator will also make a recommendation to the court as to what he/she believes is in the best interests of the children.

Child Support

Child Support is a court ordered payment that one parent must provide to the other parent in order to ensure that the needs of the children are being met. These payments are based on factors such as the incomes of the parties and the amount of time they spend with the children. In some cases the issue of child support is directed to the Department of Child Support Services (DCSS), a county agency designed to bill and collect on child support. Whether your case is part of an existing custody case or with DCSS, Mark Ambrose will be able to represent you.

Spousal Support (Alimony)

In California, alimony is referred to as spousal support. Spousal Support is when a party is ordered to pay his/her spouse a certain amount based on the parties incomes during and/or after a divorce. Spousal support is meant to allow each party to live based on the marital standard of living during the marriage. The court will also look at the length of the marriage to determine the length of time spousal support will be ordered.

Grandparents’ Rights

Grandparents’ Rights refers to a grandparent’s right to visit their grandchildren. There are certain circumstances in which a grandparent must fall under in order to be able to file for visitation. For more information, contact Mark A. Ambrose and schedule an appointment.

Guardianship

A guardianship allows an adult to be the legal guardian of a minor child. Guardianships do not take away any parental rights to the child, but rather allows the guardian to perform tasks such as enrolling the child in school, taking the child to see a doctor and other responsibilities a parent may need to do. A guardianship is not always permanent as it can be terminated.

Conservatorships

A conservatorship is similar to a guardianship, except it is used for legal adults who are unable to care for themselves or their assets.

Wills & Trusts

To secure your family’s future, think about organizing your assets with a will or trust. A will or trust organizes your assets so that if something were to happen to you, your family would not have to worry or argue about your assets. Make sure your assets are distributed and handled according to your wishes. For more details about wills and trusts, please schedule an appointment by calling (916) 492-9170.