Category Archives: Family Law
Who Keeps the Dog? Pets in a California Divorce
Who Keeps the Dog? Pets in a California Divorce By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. For many couples, the hardest conversation in a divorce isn't about the house or the retirement accounts. It's about the dog who sleeps at the foot of the…
What California Courts Weigh in Custody in 2026, Including Human Trafficking
What California Courts Weigh in Custody in 2026, Including Human Trafficking By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. The core list of what a judge considers in determining a child’s best interest is in Family Code section 3011, read together with related provisions such…
Smart Locks, Cameras, and Domestic Violence: California’s 2026 Connected-Device Rules
Smart Locks, Cameras, and Domestic Violence: California’s 2026 Connected-Device Rules By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. A Pleasanton or Danville house is often full of devices someone else can still operate: the lock, the garage, the cameras, the thermostat, the alarm. Beginning January…
Selling or Buying Out the Family Home in a California Divorce
Selling or Buying Out the Family Home in a California Divorce By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. Most East Bay divorces involving a house end in one of three ways: the house is sold and the net proceeds are divided; one spouse keeps…
Can the Children Stay in the House? Deferred Sale Orders in a California Divorce
Can the Children Stay in the House? Deferred Sale Orders in a California Divorce By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. In a Pleasanton, Dublin, or Livermore divorce, the family home is often the asset people argue about first and the place the children…
Firearms, Domestic Violence, and Custody in California: What Changed in 2026
Firearms, Domestic Violence, and Custody in California: What Changed in 2026 By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. When domestic violence and child custody overlap, California law already starts from a protective place. Under Family Code section 3044, if a court finds that a…
OpenAI’s “Astra for Law”: What East Bay Clients Should Know
By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. OpenAI announced Astra for Law on September 17, 2026 — a configuration of its GPT-6 Astra model aimed at law firms and legal technology companies. The pitch is familiar: stronger legal research tools, connections to practice software,…
Alameda County’s New Local Rule 5.26: Pausing Status Conferences While You Mediate or Collaborate
By Kent Tierney | Tierney Law Group, P.C. If you are going through a divorce, legal separation, or nullity case in Alameda County, the court will usually set status conferences to keep the case moving. Those conferences are useful when the parties need the court’s…
Coercive Control Under California’s Domestic Violence Prevention Act: What Spouses and Parents Need to Know
Coercive Control Under California's Domestic Violence Prevention Act: What Spouses and Parents Need to Know How a quiet 2021 amendment to Family Code § 6320 has reshaped the definition of domestic violence — and what it means for restraining orders, custody, and divorce litigation in…
How Much Does a Family Lawyer Cost in California?
Family lawyers offer support and guidance during some of life’s most difficult and emotional times. They handle civil matters related to marriage, divorce, children, and property division and can help you understand your rights and responsibilities if you are dealing with these issues. If you…
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