Author name: Hepner & Pagan, LLP

Technology has transformed how families stay connected across distances. FaceTime, Zoom, Google Meet, and other video platforms let parents and children maintain relationships even when they can’t be physically together. But for years, family courts treated virtual visitation as a nice supplement to in-person time—not as genuine parenting time that counts in custody arrangements. In […]

Family law is evolving in profound ways. For decades, custody determinations focused primarily on which parent could provide material care—housing, food, education. But increasingly, courts recognize that children’s wellbeing depends on something deeper: freedom from psychological manipulation and control. In 2026, we’re seeing a major shift in how courts evaluate parental fitness when one parent

Some General Considerations When Deciding on Divorce vs. Separation in California? When facing dire issues in their marriage, many Californian couples assume divorce is the only path that’s open to them; however, in California, legal separation is a meaningful alternative and could offer many of the same legal protections as divorce. In some relationships, there

Some Facts Concerning the Evolution of Fathers’ Rights in California. As a father going through a California divorce, you may wonder (or be fully aware) if there is still evidence of bias on the part of the family courts when deciding on custody issues regarding your child. Some fathers fear that the courts will still