Military Divorce

A California Law Firm Handling Military Divorces

We represent military personnel and their spouses in Southern California and throughout the world when the case is in either Riverside or San Bernardino County. Military divorce is a special area of the law with regard to jurisdictional and service issues. Our Riverside law firm is able to handle both the legal issues and the emotional difficulties involved in a long-distance divorce. For more information about military divorce, contact the Law Office of Heather M. Cullen. We can help you get through this difficult time.

Active duty military personnel must consent to the service of a summons and a dissolution petition. The Servicemember's Civil Relief Act (SCRA) (formerly known as the Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940) makes it difficult to personally serve papers on anyone on active duty without his or her consent, either on shore or on a ship. Depending on where the military person is stationed, serving papers may be prohibited by local law.

We are very familiar with the requirements of the SCRA, as well as with the Uniformed Services Former Spouses Protection Act (USFSPA), the Survivor Benefit Plan (SBO), and military disability pay regulations. These laws govern how military pensions and benefits can be divided. The award of child support, especially in urgent situations, is controlled by federal law.

It is challenging to obtain a divorce from an active duty service member. Because our law firm has the experience and understanding of the applicable laws, we can accomplish your goals as quickly as possible under the limitations imposed by federal regulations.

We also represent military personnel stationed anywhere in the world who reside in California or whose spouse either resides or is stationed in California and who are seeking a divorce while they are deployed. We use our technological resources to keep the case moving as fast as possible within the limitations imposed by military divorce. We handle communication with our long distance clients using e-mails, telephone, and faxes to move the proceedings through California family courts.

For any family law matter related to divorce, contact our California attorney, Heather Cullen, or any of the attorneys at the Law Office of Heather M. Cullen. We know that getting divorced while in the military, child custody issues, and the financial uncertainty of military life can take its toll. We are sensitive to the emotional cost of a military divorce and offer supportive representation that gets you through this difficult time.