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September 2022
John Gilligan is working with Judge Kaufman and other California Flexcom members to finish and overhaul the court stipulation form. He is donating many weekly hours to the Los Angles County to get this done to facilitate in court settlements and ease court backlog due to COVID lockdowns.
In August, Kristin Trutanich was an instructor at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Homicide College educating those in attendance on California’s Homicide Law and Theories of Liability. She was part of a team of instructors whose goal is to provide the necessary education to law enforcement on the best practices for investigating and prosecuting homicides.
June 2022
This roundtable with three very experienced, accomplished family law attorneys is intended to give you an overview of the special issues of high-asset divorce. Click here to watch and read the full transcript
Michael Sarris and John Gilligan have been appointed daily settlement officers (DSO) assigned to Long Beach, Whittier, and Downtown courts to settle cases to ease the backlog in the courts caused by covid.
Also, John Gilligan’s certification to be a temporary judge has been renewed and he will be sitting as a temporary judge in all LA county courts.
March 2022
We are proud to announce that John Gilligan has been recognized by California Super Lawyers for 14 years. Super Lawyers is an annual service that rates outstanding lawyers within their discipline of practice. The selection process consists of statewide nominations, peer evaluations, and independent research by Thomson Reuters.
Kristin Trutanich taught LASD Homicide School in February 2022. Kristin will be participating as a panelist at the 5th Annual Sorrell Trope Family Law Trial Institute Program on Saturday, March 12, 2022.
January 2022
This is a screenshot of the zoom meeting of the LA County Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee (“FLEXCOM”) of which John Gilligan is a member. FLEXCOM is at the cutting edge of family law in the state of California from putting on instructional seminars for other family law lawyers and judges to proposing family law legislation in Sacramento. Only the best of the best family law lawyers get recommended to FLEXCOM.
The LA County Bar Association, Family Law Section put on its 43rd Annual Child Custody Colloquium, which is a compilation of the best Judges, Family Law Attorneys, Mental Health Professionals, and related experts in the field of Child Custody Law. John Gilligan chaired the Child Custody Colloquium Committee and organized the entire event by organizing the panels, obtaining the Judges, lawyers, the mental health professionals. It took place on October 30, 2021, and was a resounding success.
GFT Lawyer John Gilligan speaks at the Child Custody Colloquium about special needs kids and choice of schools for the Los Angeles Bar Association on October 26th, 2019.
GFT is collecting new and used clothing and unused personal products to donate to a local domestic violence shelter in support of Domestic Violence Month.
GFT attended the LA County Bar Dinner and Installation on September 28th 2019 at Hotel Indigo in Downtown Los Angeles.
Our very own Kirstin Trutanich was an instructor at the California Gang Investigators Conference in Anaheim, hosting nearly 700n local, state, and international law enforcement officers and prosecutors.
Kristin Trutanich provided the study group with a practical guide to introducing electronic and documentary evidence in court, as well as the relevant evidence codes and case law to use to support their arguments for admissibility.
GFT makes an effort to participate in local family law seminars to comply with continuing education, but also to network with judges, lawyers and experts who present at and attend these seminars.
John Gilligan served as Daily Settlement Officer in Long Beach in Dept. S14, S15, and S16.<
Kristin Trutanich developed a 4 hour training course on homicide law, presented to the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Death Investigations Course for law enforcement investigators. The course is run approximately 3 times a year and has been attended by investigators from all over the world.
The State Bar certifies attorneys as specialists who have gone beyond the standard licensing requirements.
GFT lawyer John Gilligan will attend the Judge ProTem Program recognition ceremony and reception in Los Angeles Room 222 on June 6th.
GFT lawyer Kristin Trutanich takes the 2019 Advanced Family Law Course on May 24, 25, 26 & June 7, 8, and 9.
GFT lawyer John Gilligan served as Daily Settlement Officer in Long Beach in Dept. S14, S15, and S16.
GFT lawyer John Gilligan served as Temporary Judge for Family Law Dept in Room 222 in Los Angeles.
John Gilligan and Wendy Tse attended the Orange County Study Group on Thursday, May 16th at Il Fornaio in Irvine. Rob Benavente from SGS&B and Barbara Hopper from the GFT office presented on “Bonvino: Undue Influence…..Who Cares?”
GFT lawyer Kristin Trutanich participated in the Los Angeles Run to Remember on April 30th to pay tribute to the first responders that serve our community.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is excited to announce the opening of our Criminal Law Department. Kristin Trutanich, a former top prosecutor for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, has successfully defended a number of criminal defendants over the past few months with our office. Often Family Law cases have a Criminal Law element to them, most commonly involving domestic violence. Ms. Trutanich is a valuable resource to our Family Law clients now that we have the ability to handle all aspects of their cases under one roof.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS was interviewed and quoted in the Los Angeles Daily Journal profile article of Judge Randall Pacheco of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Mr. Gilligan stated of Judge Pacheco — “He’s very kid-oriented, not only for the kids before him. Sometimes he’s thinking of step-siblings. He’s thinking of new, blended families.” Gilligan said the judge’s tentatives promote settlement talks, and there have been times both parties went out into the hallway to discuss a resolution after Pacheco posited a plan. “He’ll tell you a long, drawn-out reason – the reason why he decided to do what he did. Sometimes, lawyers can get a little anxious about that, but it makes the litigants feel like they truly get their day in court.”
On October 13, 2018, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich will join fellow family law attorneys and judges in a night of celebration at the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section’s “The Prom” Dinner and Installation of Officers.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS attended the Temporary Judge Program Recognition Ceremony on August 8, 2018 which honored participating attorneys who have generously donated time to serve the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles as Temporary Judges. Mr. Gilligan sat as Temporary Judge over 40 times in 2017 and continues to donate his time regularly to the Temporary Judge Program.
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Gilligan, Frisco and Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS is finishing a highly contentious 7-Day Trial against a high powered partner with Deloitte & Touche over the issue of spousal support and attorney’s fees.
Gilligan, Frisco and Trutanichr is proud to announce that Kristin Trutanich, a former Deputy District Attorney with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, has joined the firm. Ms. Trutanich is a Trial Attorney with over 13 years of litigation experience. As a Deputy District Attorney, she tried over 70 jury trials involving domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, complex litigation, gang violence and murder. She was assigned to the Victim Impact Program (VIP) where she prosecuted sexual assault cases, crimes against children and domestic violence murders and to the Hardcore Gang Division (HGD), where she was responsible for vertically prosecuting gang murders and attempted murders
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS attended the Temporary Judge Program Recognition Ceremony on August 8, 2018 which honored participating attorneys who have generously donated time to serve the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles as Temporary Judges. Mr. Gilligan sat as Temporary Judge over 40 times in 2017 and continues to donate his time regularly to the Temporary Judge Program.
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On May 5, 2018, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS will be speaking on the panel “Getting and Keeping Clients” at the upcoming Los Angeles County Bar Association’s 50th Annual Family Law Symposium
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John J. Gilligan, CFLS received his recertification as a Temporary Judge with the Los Angeles Superior Court for another three years.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Janine M. Frisco was interviewed and quoted in the Daily Journal profile article of Judge Mark Epstein of the Los Angeles Superior Court.
LOS ANGELES — Judge Mark Epstein once delayed his vacation to ensure two children knew where they’d be going to school after summer break. It was a family law case in which parents bickered about their school of choice, and Epstein wanted to resolve the matter before the first day of classes. If he hadn’t put off his own downtime, the children might have started at one school and then been forced to enroll in another week later. “That’s really hard on the kids; it’s not fair,” Epstein said.
And while he ruled against Janine Frisco of Long Beach firm Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich LLP and her client, Frisco praised the judge for being considerate. “It just showed me that this judge cares more about the kids and getting what’s right instead of saying it’s my holiday or my vacation. … He went above and beyond what a judge does,” she said.
After nearly 30 years as a complex business litigator, Epstein has spent his first year on the bench presiding over family law cases at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse. He might be new to the field, but he already describes himself as a “proceduralist” and holds firm on certain practices. For one, he’d prefer not to talk to children in his capacity as a judge. “I think it’s terrible,” Epstein said. “The danger of it is … you’re putting a 14-year-old witness on the stand and subjecting that person to examination and cross-examination about which parent they would rather be with.”
Epstein believes that could have a lasting impact on the relationship between a parent and child. He’s spoken only twice to minors, and on one of those occasions, both parties preferred Epstein’s involvement to that of an independent evaluator. When a family is facing a move-away order because the parents live far apart, Epstein said he’ll take that up before any other matter in a divorce case, noting that he doesn’t want a child bouncing back and forth while the trial plays out. “What you want is to bifurcate the trial and see who’s going to get custody of the child. … I think it’s better than me holding a trial four months later. … I don’t understand the logic of that,” Epstein said. “It’s a lot of hassle on the kid and a terrible waste of … resources.”
Family law attorney Richard Trugman of the Trugman Law Group in Beverly Hills said Epstein quickly picked up on the knowledge required. The judge stays on top of reading case documents, and while he doesn’t issue written tentative rulings, he’ll announce them orally. “He would at times tend to say ‘OK, this is my sense of things after reading the papers. I’ll hear argument,’” Trugman said, “which is fairly typical of a good judge to narrow the discussion.” Frisco recalled going over court transcripts and was reminded of how well Epstein simply explained things.
Epstein said he does that quite a bit with self-represented litigants to help focus the conversation and provide an example. “The issue before me, say, is custody and what one person wants to tell me is how the other side hasn’t been paying child support. … Really, under the law, it’s not related to custody,” Epstein said. “You can owe child support and never pay it. It doesn’t mean you can’t see your children.”
Family law attorney Michele Friedlander in Encino said Epstein’s demeanor is thoughtful and thorough and that he gives both sides the opportunity to make arguments and consider them sufficiently before ruling. “It seems like he keeps a tight rein on parties to steer them towards resolution,” Friedlander said. “He made his expectations known and clear and told the parties if they don’t meet the deadlines and show up to the trial-setting conference having completed the things on his list, then they’re going to have some explaining to do.”
Epstein said he offers words of encouragement to parents who’ve had their child visitation reduced because of substance or alcohol abuse problems. For drugs like methamphetamine, however, he’s more skeptical. “Meth is super addictive. I don’t want to hear, ‘I’ve been clean and sober for a month,’” Epstein said. “I don’t think so. Not with meth. Maybe with other drugs.” Epstein said one of the hardest parts of his job is domestic violence matters because it could be tough to determine when a restraining order should be issued. A tough call might be where there were no hits, but a few shoves. Since the preponderance of evidence is low, it’s about weighing the risk of not issuing an order. “So you can be telling someone, ‘I’m destroying your chance to have a livelihood … but you got to do your best and get it right,’” Epstein said. “Sometimes you really just don’t know; there’s no way to know. Those ones are really tough for me.” Epstein added that he’ll usually sign off on recommendations made by Family Court Services though he has tweaked them in the past.
He is a native Angeleno and grew up in the west side neighborhood of Westdale. After graduating from UCLA, he enrolled at the University of Berkeley School of Law, where he finished his studies in 1985. Epstein spent the early years of his career clerking for federal judges, including a year for U.S. Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan Jr. In 1988, he moved back to Los Angeles and joined Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, where he spent nearly three decades in civil litigation. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Epstein to the Los Angeles County Superior Court in 2016.
Off the bench, Epstein is an avid fan of both word and jigsaw puzzles and — although he’s embarrassed to admit it — computer games. His favorite titles include “Starcraft II” and the “Diablo” series.
~ Arin Mikailian, Daily Journal Reporter
On January 12 to 15, 2018, John J. Gilligan will join the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Southern California Chapter for its 25th Annual Trial Advocacy Institute, “Words of Wisdom from Family Law Wizards”.
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This past month on November 16, 2017, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich attended the Appreciation Party for Commissioner John Chemeleski at the Long Beach Yacht Club to thank him for his 23 years of service on the bench in Long Beach. Commissioner Chemeleski will be transferring to the Los Angeles Superior Court.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich, LLP will be adopting a family this holiday season through The WomenShelter of Long Beach.
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The attorneys of Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich will be celebrating with fellow family law attorneys to ring in the holidays at the Long Beach Bar Association Family Law Section Holiday Party on December 5, 2017.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich has moved its offices to the 17th Floor in the World Trade Center. Please note our new Suite Number #1740 effective September 18, 2017.
The attorneys at Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich will be celebrating with other family law attorneys and judges at the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section Gala Dinner and Installation of Officers on November 4, 2017.
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This past month on October 26, 2017, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich joined other members of the Long Beach Bar Association to celebrate its centennial year in working with the law and Long Beach. Founded in 1917 the Long Beach Bar Association has a proud history of action, service, and camaraderie among its members. The members of the Long Beach Bar Association include over 400 attorneys, judges of the Los Angeles Superior Court, justices of the California Appellate Court, and other legal professionals from throughout the greater Long Beach area, including many cities in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
On October 11, 2017, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS will host this month’s meeting for his Family Law Study Group which will feature guest speaker Dennis S. Smith of Stratis Financial on the topics of proving the marital standard of living and managing your money after divorce.
John J. Gilligan, CFLS volunteers his time twice a month to act as a Judge Pro Tem (an attorney who has been appointed to serve as a judge as a substitute for a regular judge) at various Los Angeles Superior Courts including Long Beach, Los Angeles, Torrance and Norwalk.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS is on the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s committee that is putting on the Family Law Symposium and will also be a presenter at that seminar which is scheduled for May 5, 2018.
Paralegal Joi Millett has completed the program and passed the test through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) to obtain her Paralegal Certification. There are only 1,300 paralegals in California who are nationally certified.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS, a long-standing member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (FLEXCOM), has been appointed for another three-year term where he will be working on the Symposium Committee.
The LACBA Family Law Section is committed to:
What LACBA Family Law Section Does:
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich has invited a spokesperson from the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Los Angeles Organization to speak at lunch on June 27, 2017 and provide information regarding CASA volunteers.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is proud to announce that John J. Gilligan has been selected to act as a Family Law Temporary Judge for the Los Angeles Superior Court – Central District to assist with the processing of Judgments to reduce the backlog, and provide for a quicker turnaround time to have Judgments entered. The Superior Court is creating a specialized temporary judge program that allows temporary judges to sign stipulated and uncontested judgments through the Central District. Mr. Gilligan will undergo training with Judge Thomas Trent Lewis, the Supervising Judge of Family Law at the Los Angeles Superior Court – Central District, on July 21, 2017 relating to his appointment as a temporary judge.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS, has been selected by Judge Thomas Trent Lewis, the Family Law Presiding Judge at the Los Angeles Superior Court, to be on a team that will provide input and develop a more efficient system to process Judgments and reduce return time to less than 30 days.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegal Brianne Cram will be volunteering at the Huntington State Beach Clean-Up on April 8 2017 as part of an event organized by the Orange County Paralegal Association along with Wavehuggers. In addition to helping to keep the beaches clean, there will also be a presentation on coastal conservation and marine debris.
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On March 1, 2017, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS will attend his Family Law Study Group where he will be meeting with the Norwalk Superior Court Family Law Judges, Judge Daniel P. Ramirez, Judge Charles Q. Clay, Judge James E. Horan, and Judge LaRonda J. McCoy.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan is a member of FLEXCOM (Family Law Section Executive Committee) and chairs the Sub-Committee on Rules and Statutes. He will be commenting on new Family Law legislation including the possibility of lowering the age of the child per Family Code Section 3042 from 14 years to 10 years if the child wishes to address the court regarding custody or visitation.
Family Code Section 3042 (Custody – Child’s Wishes Considered)
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Janine M. Frisco is the chair for this year’s Mater Dei High School “Scarlet, Gray & Cabernet” wine tasting and auction gala that will be held on February 25, 2017.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegal Jennifer Laszlo has completed her program through the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) to obtain her Advanced Paralegal Certification in Family Law – Dissolution Case Management. Ms. Laszlo is one of only nine other paralegals in the state of California who has attained the distinction of being an Advanced Certified Paralegal (APC) in Family Law.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegal Linda Caravana will be attending the “Social Media and Ethics” seminar presented by the Los Angeles Paralegal Association (LAPA) on January 25, 2017. The seimar will discuss how social media and internet use have opened up new avenues and ethical obstacles for law firms and legal investigations as well as evidentiary issues relating to social media.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich, LLP will be adopting a family this holiday season through The Guidance Center in Long Beach. Learn More
On December 20, 2016, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS will be celebrating the season with fellow attorneys and will be attending the Holiday Get Together held by the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Learn More
On October 26, 2016, Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, hosted this month’s meeting for the Family Law Study Group along with guest speaker Susan Wise Miller, renowned vocational evaluation expert.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, has agreed to return to the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association for another year.
John was a long standing member of the Executive Committee the Los Angeles County Bar Association is honored that he has agreed to come back on board.
In addition, the LACBA Family Law Section strives to:
John Gilligan Volunteering as Family Law Mediator
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS has regularly volunteered his time to serve as a Family Law Mediator at the Los Angeles Superior Court – Southwest District in conjunction with the South Bay Bar Association Mediation Program. While acting as a Family Law Mediator, Mr. Gilligan has been successful in assisting numerous parties in resolving their family law disputes. Learn More
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan, CFLS has regularly volunteered his time to serve as a Daily Settlement Officer at the Los Angeles Superior Court – Stanley Mosk Courthouse. Mr. Gilligan, in his role as neutral settlement officer will meet with the parties and their attorneys to assist the parties in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the case and provide the parties with an opportunity to reach an agreement using a problem-solving approach.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegal Linda Caravana has completed her training and has been appointed as an official Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer. She was already assigned her first case to investigate wherein the court ended up following her recommendations. Learn More
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegal Linda Caravana will be completing her training on May 7, 2016 to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Volunteer and will be attending an appointment ceremony by the court on May 17, 2016. Learn More
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Paralegals Joi Millett and Brianne Cram volunteered at the Orange County Food Bank in Garden Grove on April 9, 2016 as part of an event organized by the Orange County Paralegal Association. Learn More
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of Brian K. Brandmeyer. Brian died peacefully at his home in Palos Verdes on New Year’s Day at the age of 78. He was surrounded by Janice, his devoted wife of 54 years, and his four children: Kent, Terese, Michael and Kevin.
Brian was born in Spokane, Washington but spent his formative years in Fargo, North Dakota where he attended Bishop Shanley High School. A three sport varsity athlete, he forged his passion for sports and all things competitive on the field of play. To follow were decades of pick-up basketball, tennis, golf and an encyclopedic grasp of sports statistics that would be the envy of any fan.
He came west and attended both college and law school at Loyola University in Los Angeles, graduating in 1962 to begin a 53 year career as an attorney specializing in Family Law. His commitment to Loyola Law School was life long, as he served on its Board of Governors and was President of its alumni association.
Brian and Jan lived happily in Palos Verdes where they raised 4 children. They are now blessed with 11 grandchildren.
After his family, Brian’s passion was the practice of law. He built two law firms from the ground up. With 9 lawyers, the Long Beach firm of Brandmeyer, Gilligan & Dockstader remains one of the preeminent Family Law firms in the region. Brian was a legal warrior, successfully representing countless clients over the decades, and, to nobody’s surprise, Brian never retired, last going into the office on December 23, 2015.
All who knew Brian immediately felt his warmth, egalitarian nature, and kind human touch. He woke up every morning happy, optimistic, and ready to make the world a better place. If the measure of a man is how well he lived, Brian squeezed every last drop out of life.
To honor Brian’s memory, in lieu of flowers contributions can be made to Providence Trinity Care Hospice Foundation 5315 Torrance Blvd. Torrance CA 90503 or ALS Association- Golden West Chapter PO Box 565 Agoura Hills CA 91376.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own John J. Gilligan is a member of FLEXCOM (Family Law Section Executive Committee) and chairs the Sub-Committee on Rules and Statutes which proposes new legislation relating to family law issues to the legislators and judiciary in Sacramento. Currently, he is assisting with legislation relating to the issue of date of separation in light of the holding of the recent case, In re Marriage of Davis (2015) 61 Cal.4th 846, 189 Cal.Rptr.3d 835.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own Wendy K. Tse has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine for its 2016 Winter / Spring Digital Edition. Her answers to FAQs will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com. I want to change my name back to my maiden name. How do I do this?
1. I want to change my name back to my maiden name. How do I do this?
Changing your name back to your maiden name is a simple process in a dissolution of marriage. On the Judicial Council Judgment Judicial Council form (FL-180), there is a provision allowing your former name to be restored. You type in your maiden name exactly as you would like it, and once the Judgment is entered by the court, your name is effectively changed as the Judgment is a formal order of the court.
2. What is a deposition?
A deposition is a formal means of obtaining information in a civil action and is basically your testimony under oath taken outside the courtroom, usually taken in one of the attorney’s offices. You will be asked questions by the opposing attorney and in some cases by other attorneys. The questions and your answers will be recorded by an official court reporter.
3. What can the spousal support recipient do to protect against the payments ending with the payor’s death or disability?
Spousal support usually ends upon the payor’s death or can be reduced if there is a change of circumstances such as the payor becoming disabled. A spousal support recipient could try to protect against support payments ending with the payor’s death or disability by negotiating a buy-out of spousal support where the payor pays a lump sum to the recipient spouse and therefore the payor’s death or disability would not affect spousal support. Alternatively, a spousal support recipient could obtain some type of security such as a life insurance policy on the payor’s life so that the recipient would receive some money should the payor predecease the recipient. Similarly, a spousal support recipient could obtain disability insurance in the payor, however, disability insurance is usually cost prohibitive. Additionally, if the case involves a long term marriage, one of over ten years in length, the spousal support recipient may be entitled to collect a higher amount of Social Security upon the death of the payor.
4. When will my child support end?
Generally, California Family Code §3901 provides that a parent’s duty to support his/her child continues as to an unmarried child who has attained the age of 18 years, is a full-time high school student, and who is not self-supporting, until the time the child completes the 12th grade or attains the age of 19 years, whichever occurs first.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John T. Bachmayer, has once again been invited to judge a Moot Court competition at California State University, Long Beach, (CSULB), on January 15 and 16, 2016. This will be his fifth time judging.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John T. Bachmayer, has once again been invited to judge a Moot Court competition at California State University, Long Beach, (CSULB), on January 15 and 16, 2016. This will be his fifth time judging.
Commr. John Chemeleski was a guest speaker at John Gilligan’s Study Group on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at the offices of Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich. Commr Chemeleski discussed the infamous Davis case, which is arguably the most important case we’ve had in California Family Law in the last 25 years. MCLE credit was given to those in attendance.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, will be giving a presentation on the Davis Supreme Court Case to his family law study group on October 14, 2015, at the Ascari Ristorante in Long Beach.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, has been working diligently with the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar, as well as family law judges and prestigious lawyers, on a new and improved stipulation form.
GFT’s own Certified Family Law Specialist, John J. Giligan, is a member of the LA County Bar Association’s family law executive committee (FLEXCOM), which recently formed a new Daily Settlement Officer (DSO) program in Compton.
Mr. Gilligan graciously volunteered to be the DSO in D-2. In this capacity, he will be donating his time monthly, and/or twice quarterly, to assist the LASC Central district in settling its family law cases. He will take cases from the department that are ready to go to trial, or to Request for Order (RFO), and try to get the parties to settle in order to avoid going to court and to reduce the backlog of unresolved cases.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John J. Gilligan, has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine. His answers to FAQ’s will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com View PDF
GFT is proud to announce that John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist*, has been reappointed to the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar, a great honor. John’s term will run through June 2017.
The LACBA Family Law Section is committed to the following:
In addition, the LACBA Family Law Section strives to:
*Mr. Gilligan is certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialtion, as a certified family law specialist since 1997. Only 10% of California’s family law attorneys have earned this additional education and title.
GFT’s own Certified Family Law Specialist, John J. Giligan, is a member of the family law executive committee (FLEXCOM) for the LA County Bar Association which is forming a new Daily Settlement Officer (DSO) program in Compton beginning March 12, 2015. John has also volunteered to be one of the program’s initial settlement officers donating his time to assist the Compton court in settling its family law cases. The reason for the DSO program is that the courts had to dismantle the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) program in the last round of budget cuts. The Los Angeles County Bar Family Law section stepped in to fill the gap. The courts are interested in providing improved service to members of the Compton community.
Raymond R. Goldstein, Esq., and Chair of the State Bar of California’s Family Law Section, will give an MCLE presentation to Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s paralegals and attorneys titled, “Support, EQ & Fee Enforcement: A Few Basics, and Well Beyond,” on Tuesday, April 21, 2015.
The discussion will include: Method of Payment; Enforcement of costs and fee; Judgment, enforcement and renewal; Defense of laches; Crediting money received for support; Property subject to enforcement of money judgment; Community property; Community estate liable for debt of either spouse; Liability of married person’s earnings for premarital debt of spouse; Liability for support obligation; Judgment lien for installments under support judgment; Property not subject to execution; Levy on property in private place; Turnover order in aid of execution; Deposit accounts and safe deposit boxes not exclusively in name of judgment debtor; Examination of judgment debtor; Examination of third person; Witnesses, privilege of spouse of judgment debtor; Creditor’s action against third person; Enforcement by changing order; Lien under terms of changing order; Order to assign right to payment; Where settlor is a beneficiary; and Claims for child or spousal support.
About Raymond Raymond Goldstein:
Raymond R. Goldstein is the managing partner at the Center for Enforcement of Family Support. The Center, established in 1979, is a private law firm that focuses its practice on the enforcement of past-due child and spousal support and related marital obligations. In addition to its utilization of common enforcement procedures against conventional debtors, the Center prides itself on pursuing the most evasive debtors with creative lawyering and dogged persistence, employing sophisticated remedies such as piercing corporate veils, stock turnover orders, set-asides of fraudulent transfers and extraordinary executions on property such as aircraft, boats and country club memberships.
Mr. Goldstein received his J.D. from the University of West Los Angeles in 1993. He has lectured regarding both civil and family law judgment enforcement to thousands of attorneys in both the public and private sectors, has spoken at numerous bar association events, and serves as an expert on judgment and support enforcement to the media. Mr. Goldstein is the author of many articles on the enforcement of judgments, the lead author of the enforcement chapters in CEB’s Child and Spousal Support: Establishing, Modifying, and Enforcing, and the update author to many chapters within CEB’s Debt Collection Practice in California. Mr. Goldstein proudly serves as Chairman of the Family Law Section’s Executive Committee of the State Bar of California. He is also a member of the Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Orange County, Culver/Marina, San Diego, and Sacramento Bar Associations. Mr. Goldstein is Secretary of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, is the former editor of their Family Law E-News, and is past Chair of the LACBA Family Law Section’s, Legislative subcommittee. Mr. Goldstein is an Honorary Member of the California Association of Judgment Professionals.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is proud of Brian K. Brandmeyer, John J. Gilligan, and Kathleen A. Tomeo, all of who have been recognized as 2015 Southern California Super Lawyers by the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine. In addition, Ms. Tomeo will be included in the September 2015 issue of Los Angeles magazine in the section: Top Women Attorneys in Southern California. View Digital Edition
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John J. Gilligan, has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine. His answers to FAQ’s will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com View PDF
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich hosted a firm holiday luncheon on Tuesday, December 23, at 1pm, at The Winery in Newport Beach.
GFT’s own Certified Family Law Specialist, John J. Gilligan, will present an MCLE program on January 14, 2015, at GFT, titled, “Seeking and Opposing Fee Requests.” Attorneys, paralegals and other legal professionals will attend the presentation. Lunch will be served.
John J. Gilligan, founding partner of Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich, LLP, has extensive experience specializing in California Family Law probate litigation and estate planning since 1981. Prior to becoming a founding partner for Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich, LLP, Mr. Gilligan founded Gilligan Law Corporation.
Mr. Gilligan graduated cum laude and received his Bachelor of Science degree in Political Science from State University of New York at Brockport, and obtained his Juris Doctorate from Western State University. He is certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, as a certified family law specialist since 1997. Only 10% of California’s family law attorneys have earned this additional education and title. In addition, Mr. Gilligan has been named every year to Southern California Super Lawyers since 2009 and is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell.
Since 1985, Mr. Gilligan has served as Judge Pro Tem in the Superior Court for family law and domestic violence matters. He is certified to serve as a Superior Court Mediator, having received his mediation credential from Pepperdine Law School. He is also qualified for service as Court-Appointed Minor’s Counsel. Mr. Gilligan is a member of the American Bar Association, Los Angeles and Orange Bar Associations, Irish-American Bar Association, Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Association and Orange County Trial Lawyers Association. He is also on the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association (2013-2016). Mr. Gilligan has lectured extensively on family law matters, authored numerous articles focusing on legal issues that stem from divorce and is the author of three Court of Appeal published opinions.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John J. Gilligan, has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine. His answers to FAQ’s will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com
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GFT is proud to announce that John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist*, has been appointed to the Family Law Rules Committee, a sub-committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee (FLEXCOM). John has been a member of FLEXCOM for the past two years.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is participating in the Verbum Dei High School, “Corporate Work Study Program.” The firm will have 3 VDHS students working in our office as interns during the school year. It is a wonderful opportunity for the students to gain real world work experience and skills.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, Wendy K. Tse, has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine. Her answers to FAQs will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John J. Gilligan, has contributed to the FAQ & Answer section of Divorce Magazine. His answers to FAQs will be featured on DivorceMagazine.com
View PDF
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich was successful in defending an appeal which challenged the constitutionality of the appointment of minor’s counsel in contested custody cases. The case was selected and published by the California Family Law Report in the May 2014 issue.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is pleased to announce that Kathleen A. Tomeo has joined the practice. Ms. Tomeo, a Certified Family Law Specialist since 1985, has been practicing Family Law for 36 years. She has extensive experience in divorce, contested custody disputes, child support, spousal support, complex financial issues, domestic violence, paternity, and post-judgment modification proceeding.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, will be speaking on a panel at the Los Angeles Family Law Symposium on May 10, 2014. The panel will discuss litigation costs and case management.
The All Pro Dads Breakfast is a great way for dads to share valuable time with their children (students of PVIS) while listening to important topics from a featured speaker. This month’s speaker was GFT’s own, John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist*. Mt. Gilligan spoke about “Dads as Role Models” and was very well received.
*Mr. Gilligan is certified by the State of California, Board of Legal Specialization.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, gave a presentation on Obama Care and its effects on the practice of Family Law to his Study Group on October 9, 2013, at the Ascari Restaurant in Long Beach.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich’s own, John T. Bachmayer, has once again been invited to judge a Moot Court competition at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) in December. This will be his third time judging.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, will be speaking on a panel at a workshop entitled, “Divorce Options”. The panel will answer questions about the legal, financial, and emotional/social impact that divorce can have.
Sandcastles Children’s Program is a nationally known and respected, non-sectarian program that assists children, ages 6 – 17, in dealing with their parents’ divorce or separation. Concurrently, the program educates parents about their children’s experiences and offers advice on how to best help them with the transition. The next Sandcastles program will be on October 13, 2013, from 1pm – 5pm at the Rolling Hills United Methodist Church.
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GFT is proud to announce that John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist*, has been appointed to the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar, a great honor. John’s term will run through June 2016.
GFT’s own, John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist*, will be speaking at the Orange County Paralegal Association’s Annual Education Conference. The theme for this year’s conference is “Education through Inspiration,” and Mr. Gilligan’s presentation is sure to energize and motivated the attendees.
Taking place on Saturday, September 21, 2013, from 8am to 4pm, at the Radison Hotel in Newport Beach, the conference is expected to draw between 150 and 200 paralegals and attorneys, each of whom will receive CLE credit.
For more information, or to attend, please send an email to: info@ocparalegal.org.
*Mr. Gilligan is certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialtion, as a certified family law specialist since 1997. Only 10% of California’s family law attorneys have earned this additional education and title.
John J. Gilligan, Certified Family Law Specialist, will be speaking on a panel at a workshop entitled, “Divorce Options”. The panel will answer questions about the legal, financial, and emotional/social impact that divorce can have.
Learn More
GFT Announces the Launch of Alternatives: A Collaborative Divorce Group’s brand new website! www.alternative-divorce.com. Please visit the site for up-to-date information on collaborative divorce, members, a blog, and resources.
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Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich is now live on Twitter! For news and updates, please follow “GFT Lawyers”.
On Saturday, June 15, Dr. Greg Allen, LMFT, will be hosting a “Dad-Kid Day” workshop for dads with busy schedules who want to learn how to reconnect with their kids and help them to navigate their futures, and for kids (grades 6 – 12) who are struggling with today’s challenges and want to improve relationships with their parents and friends. Learn More
John J. Gilligan will be speaking at the All Pro Dad’s Day School Breakfast at Palos Verdes Intermediate School on April 10, 2013 at 7:00 a.m.
Gilligan, Frisco & Trutanich was chosen to be featured on KCAL 9’s “California Adventure TV,” and will appear in its upcoming legal segment as one of Southern California’s Best Family Law Firms. Watch Video
GFT has a brand new channel on Youtube! We will be adding new videos shortly. View Channel
John Gilligan summarizes the American Tax Payer Relief Act (“ATRA”), which Congress passed on January 1, 2013, to prevent our country from falling over the fiscal cliff. View PDF