Santa Maria Family Law Experienced lawyers to give you the results you deserve.

Family Lawyers in Santa Maria

Representing Clients Throughout Santa Barbara County 

At Morales Law, P.C., we understand that family law matters can be a source of anxiety for our clients because these cases can involve your spouse, children, business, home, financial future, and other deeply personal and important aspects of your life. With so much at stake, it’s natural to feel overwhelmed, but that’s why it’s important to retain reliable counsel. 

Our team has decades of legal experience, and our founding attorney, Marcus Morales, is a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of CA, Board of Legal Specialization. This designation means that our attorney has a high level of competence in family law, evidenced by experience, continued education, and rigorous testing. 

We pride ourselves on our ability to provide timely and effective legal representation. Our firm is recognized for our prompt response time, ensuring that our clients' concerns are addressed efficiently. We believe in open communication and transparency, and we are dedicated to keeping our clients informed every step of the way. From complex property divisions to contentious child custody disputes, our attorneys have the skill and experience to handle a wide range of family law matters.

To learn more about how our Santa Maria family law attorneys can help you, call (805) 422-7966.  

Types of Cases We Handle in Santa Maria

We offer compassionate counsel in the following matters: 

  • Child custody. We can help you advocate for your desired custody arrangement in and out of court. 
  • Child support. We can advise you on how California courts calculate appropriate child support amounts and help you navigate child support cases. 
  • Divorce. Our firm can help you file a contested or uncontested divorce. We also represent clients in military divorce cases. 
  • High-asset divorce. Our team can handle complex divorce matters, including divorces involving a large number of assets. 
  • Legal separation. While you take time apart, we can help you establish temporary spousal support and custody arrangements, as well as defined living arrangements. 
  • Paternity. We can help you establish or challenge paternity claims. We represent fathers who wish to obtain legal rights or other parties who wish to obtain child custody or support orders (but need to first legally establish parentage). 
  • Property division. We can help you compile a list of separate and community (i.e., marital) assets and develop a strategy to protect your right to a fair share of the marital assets. We can also advise you on how domestic abuse and wasteful dissipation can impact your case. 
  • Business valuations. Whether you have a restaurant in Western Village Shopping Center, an internal medicine practice, or another business in Santa Maria, our team can work with experts to determine its value and negotiate a fair settlement that helps you protect your business and ownership status. 
  • Spousal support. Our attorneys can help you evaluate eligibility, calculate appropriate amounts, and negotiate or litigate support agreements.
  • Modification and enforcement actions. If you experience a change in circumstances or suffer because another party violates the terms of your court-order agreement, our attorney can help modify or enforce the existing orders. 

How Is Community Property Divided in California? 

California is a community property state, meaning that most assets acquired during a marriage are considered jointly owned by both spouses. Dividing these assets when a marriage ends can be a complex issue.

To simplify the process and protect their financial interests, many couples choose to establish a marital agreement, commonly known as a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement. This legal document details how assets will be divided in the case of divorce or separation. If a couple lacks such an agreement and cannot reach a consensus during their divorce, the court will decide how community property is allocated.

In California, the court is obligated to split community property equally between the spouses. Although this might seem straightforward, the process can be complex due to the various assets involved. Factors such as each spouse's earning potential, the standard of living experienced during the marriage, the length of the marriage, and which party has physical custody of minor children can all influence the court's decision. 

Let Our Santa Maria Family Law Attorneys Help Protect Your Interests

Known for not being “afraid to […]  go to bat” for our clients and for being “very professional and available for even the smallest of questions,” our firm is skilled in handling family law cases. Working with our firm, you can trust our team to offer responsive and personalized counsel. 

Give us a call at (805) 422-7966 to learn more about our family law services. We offer free initial consultations. 

Contact Us Today

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Our Client Testimonials

    "His confidence and compassion helped ease my stress"
    I am so grateful I chose Morales Law to help me with my child custody case. Marcus Morales truly took the time to learn about my case and his attention detail was highly appreciated. He is easy to get in contact with, and made me feel like every conversation was important to him. He is strong and intelligent while in the courtroom. His confidence and compassion helped ease my stress throughout a high stress point of my life.
    - Sarah H.
    "look no further than Morales Law"
    Morales Law handled my complex, and highly contentious, custody and move away case. After my first phone call with Mr. Morales I immediately knew I wanted him and his team to represent my family and I. Everyone at Morales Law displays professionalism, courtesy, and thorough knowledge of the family court system. Mr. Morales is a well-respected attorney who will go to bat for you in the courtroom. His team always got back to me in a prompt manner and kept me up to date with every single detail of my case. In all, if you're in need of legal assistance with your family matter, look no further than Morales Law.
    - Valanci V.
    "I appreciate all you did. A friend for life ."
    If anyone is looking for an Attorney to get things done Hire Marcus !! Stop prolonging your case. Don’t go cheap go with value !! Thanks Marcus for all your help . You literally save me from Bankruptcy!! I appreciate all you did. A friend for life .
    - Javier
    "I 1000 percent recommend him. I’m forever thankful!"
    What can I say about Marcus and his team that hasn’t already been said? Mr. Morales and his exceptional team are just amazing. From the initial stages of communication, it has become evident that Mr. Morales and his team are truly exceptional. Their professionalism and dedication have been nothing short of outstanding. Right from our very first interactions, Mr. Morales, together with his team, have consistently demonstrated a level of excellence that surpasses expectations. I 1000 percent recommend him. I’m forever thankful!
    - Laura C.
    "I can’t recommend someone more!"
    I don’t know how to stress how thankful I am to have chosen Marcus as my attorney. Marcus does not sugar coat, nor is he unrealistic but he will fight for you in every possible way , help your voice be heard, fight for what is best for your child and for justice in your case. You will not regret having Marcus in your corner. I can’t recommend someone more!
    - Christine R.
    "Their strength, experience, and extensive knowledge was simply invaluable to our case."
    The Morales Law team was a pleasure to work with, their attention to detail and focus on client service is second to none. They catered to my family’s specific needs in a very challenging case. They were responsive, friendly, and went above and beyond to deliver absolutely outstanding service. Marcus Morales is kind, professional, and has a powerful presence in court. He was always honest and direct in his advice and in his actions. They fought for us and truly took ownership of our case, seeing it through to the very end. We highly recommend Morales Law if you’re looking for an intelligent, aggressive lawyer who will represent your family’s best interests, even in the most difficult times. We were so pleased with our choice in representation and we give our highest recommendation to Marcus and the Morales Law team. Their strength, experience, and extensive knowledge was simply invaluable to our case.
    - Jasyn J.
    "I highly recommend Morales Law Firm"
    If you’re looking for a family law lawyer, I highly recommend Morales Law Firm, Mr. Morales is a great attorney and his firm helped me and listened cared about my case. I’m very happy with the outcome, Mr. Morales and his team are far the best and I have worked with previous lawyers in the past he cares about his clients.
    - Crystal
    "Extremely helpful and professional."
    Morales Law, P.C. has been extremely helpful in explaining the legal process of divorce and guiding me to an educated decision. The team is always professional and available for even the smallest of questions. I'm so happy to have them represent me in this difficult case.
    - Satisfied Client