Los Angeles Domestic Partnership Agreement Lawyer

California recognizes a gay or lesbian couple's right to legally establish a family with a domestic partnership registration. Attorneys at our Los Angeles firm, Stolar & Associates, feel that the preparation of a domestic partnership agreement can be a valuable part of the process of establishing a family. If you would like speak with a lawyer from our firm about your specific situation and the possible benefits of entering into a pre-partnership agreement, please contact our Beverly Hills office for a free consultation.

Domestic partnership agreement: a blueprint for your relationship

The most common reason for a couple to participate in a domestic partnership agreement is to maintain a clear separation of property, assets, and debt one party had prior to the relationship. Another goal is often to preserve one partner's assets for his or her children. The agreement outlines the way in which community property, separate property, and mutual support will be awarded in the event of dissolution of the partnership or death of one party.

Be sure your agreement is drafted by a well-qualified lawyer

It is not unusual for the court to determine that all or part of a domestic partnership agreement is invalid. A long list of factors are considered by the court when deciding whether to enforce a domestic partnership agreement: it must be fair, both signers must have understood fully what they were signing, the proper disclosures must be included, there are time limits, and there can be no evidence of fraud or coercion. As with any other contract, the success or failure of a domestic partnership agreement lies in the details. Do-it-yourself pre-partnership agreements often provide a false sense of security to the partners. It is extremely important that you work with an attorney with the appropriate experience when preparing your agreement.

At Stolar & Associates in Los Angeles our lawyers have been helping gay and lesbian couples establish strong families since domestic partnership registration first became available in California. We have over twenty years of experience serving non-traditional families in L.A. area courts, including those in Orange County and Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties. If you would like to speak with an attorney from our firm about a pre-partnership agreement please call 310.288.1828 or e-mail our Beverly Hills office for a free consultation.