Family Law News Monthly

Substantial evidence supported the court’s ICWA findings where the agency had inquired of all available family members except a sole maternal uncle. The trial court may infer that denials of ancestry were in response to questions about ICWA heritage even if the agency did not describe its inquiries. Read more

In a prior dependency case, the juvenile court removed A.M. from mother due to mother’s substance abuse.  The court placed A.M. with her father and terminated its jurisdiction. Read more

The Court of Appeal sanctioned appellant’s counsel $1,750 for submitting briefs containing fabricated case citations generated by artificial intelligence, including multiple nonexistent cases with false volume and page numbers. Read more

The State Bar of California is currently considering a proposed amendment to Rule of Professional Conduct 7.3, which governs attorney solicitation. Because this proposal directly affects domestic violence restraining order (DVRO) practice, FLEXCOM has been actively involved throughout the public comment process. Read more

The California Lawyers Association Family Law Section (FLEXCOM) is powered by leaders who bring both vision and dedication to advancing family law statewide. This month, we highlight two such leaders, Becky R. Diel and Shanon Quinley, CFLS, whose work is shaping both the future of committee structure and reach and statewide policy. Read more

The Court of Appeal sanctioned defense counsel $1,500 and referred him to the State Bar for submitting a brief containing fabricated case citations generated by artificial intelligence. He cited to a non-existent case and misrepresented quotations from actual cases. Read more

FLEXCOM’s ‘No Holds Barred’ seminar in Walnut Creek on October 25, 2025, brought together leaders from across California’s family law community for a day of genuine dialogue, laughter, and reflection. Read more

This year, FLEXCOM is carving a new lane. It is one that unites expertise with advocacy and emphasizes the influence of thought on the law that shapes interpretation and legislation. As Chair for 2025–2026, my vision is to strengthen FLEXCOM’s role as both a thought leader and a unifying force in California family law. Read more

Father appealed Jurisdiction findings under Welfare & Institutions Code (W&I) §300(b) and (g). The Appellate Court focused on the W&I 300(g) basis. A single justified basis is sufficient for jurisdiction. W&I §300(g) is justified when a parent is unable to care for a child and unable to arrange for a child’s care. Father was incarcerated before and during the events and proceedings that required out-of-home care for his daughter. Read more

This opinion was published “as a warning. Simply stated, no brief, pleading, motion, or any other paper filed in any court should contain any citations—whether provided by generative AI or any other source—that the attorney responsible for submitting the pleading has not personally read and verified." Read more