Family Law

• Divorce
  Our San Luis Obispo family law attorney is deeply invested in providing customized, results-driven legal strategies for each of his clients. With 30+ years of legal experience, our attorney has handled thousands of divorce and family law cases successfully. Take a look at what our past clients had to say about our excellent legal services.
• Child Support
  As you file for divorce, among the many concerns you are probably harboring is how you will be able to financially provide for your child as a single parent. If you wish to petition for child support, our Santa Maria child support attorney at the Law Offices of R. Morgan Holland, L.C. can provide you with the dedicated and personalized legal services you need.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  If you are considering divorce and are concerned about being able to see your children regularly, speak to our legal team at the Law Offices of R. Morgan Holland, L.C. If you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement regarding child custody or a visitation schedule, a judge will have to make the final decision, which will always be done with the child's best interest in mind.
• Adoption
• Paternity
  Although establishing paternity can be an extremely sensitive issue, it is often necessary in order for your child to receive the financial and legal support he or she needs. If you wish to prove paternity as a father interested in obtaining child visitation rights, child custody rights or a mother in need of child support, our legal team can help you move toward an effective resolution.
• Guardianship
  A guardianship or an order of non-parent custody are ways provided by law that can put you in charge, or keep you in charge so that you need not worry about where your child is going to spend tomorrow.
• Spousal Support
  A: You have received a summons and complaint from one of your creditors because you have been sued. The question becomes: What can I do? That depends upon many factors, including whether you believe that you owe the money that you are being sued for and how much debt you have. If you know that you really owe it, the court will hold you liable in most cases. At the same time, even though you may have a very good defense, it may cost more to defend your case than what you can afford. Either way, if you do not defend the suit, then the creditor will most likely obtain a judgment against you. With the judgment, the creditor will be able to take a large chunk of your paycheck or take all of the funds from your bank account. At the Law Offices of R. Morgan Holland, L.C. the earlier that we know your situation, the more that we can often do to help you. The filing of a bankruptcy will immediately stop a creditor's lawsuit (excepting a child or spousal support action) when it is filed. However, that does not mean that you are safe to wait until one of these things happens to you before you take action. With the advent of the means test, pre-bankruptcy planning may be necessary for you. While the bankruptcy laws do not require that you have any particular level of income, the income that you do have will used in the calculation to determine your qualification to file. Most types of income are considered, but there are some that are not. Many of the bankruptcy laws have a look-back period when determining whether your filing will be successful. Frank and candid discussions with a bankruptcy attorney regarding your current and past situation is essential in nearly every case.
• Legal Separation
  A legal separation is defined as an alternative to divorce, allowing a couple to divide their assets, debts, and go their separate ways while still maintaining a legal married status. Sometimes individuals choose to legally separate for personal, religious or financial reasons instead of filing for divorce.

Criminal Law

• DUI/DWI
• Traffic Violations
  Most adoptions that take place in California are independent adoptions. In order to place a child up for adoption, the birth parent must possess personal knowledge regarding the birth family. They must know the adoptive family’s age, name, religions, race or ethnicity. The birth parents must also know the length of their current marriage, employment, how many people live in their home, whether there are currently other children living with the family, and convictions, traffic violations or health conditions the adult may have. The idea of this option adoptions is for the birth mother to be able to make an educated decision on who she places her child with.
• Sex Crimes
• Misdemeanors
• Restraining Order
  You and your family should not have to live in fear after experiencing verbal, physical, or psychological threats or abuse at the hands of another family member, such as a partner or spouse. If you fear for your safety, we can help you file a restraining order against any individual in order to prevent him or her from coming near you.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Many clients have safely and successfully entrusted their important legal matters in family law, bankruptcy, estate planning, and real estate law  to Mr. Holland.
• Real Estate Transactions
  To execute powers of attorney documents, the principal must be of sound mind and a legal adult. The document will also need to be signed in the presence of at least two witnesses. The witnesses cannot be the agent you are granting powers or an employee of your healthcare provider. If the powers being granted include the ability to manage real estate transactions or certain other financial duties, you may need to have the document notarized.

Health Law

• Auto Accidents

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Our Santa Maria incapacity planning lawyer at the Law Offices of R. Morgan Holland, L.C. can proactively work to protect your loved ones through estate planning. We are compassionate to the stress and difficulty that emerges when a loved one’s health deteriorates and are committed to giving families the legal support that they need during difficult moments.
• Wills
  When you pass away, your estate will go through probate, the process by which your affairs are settled with a state court. If you have a last will and testament, you can decide who will manage the probate process and determine what will happen to your property. Without a will in place, your assets will be subject to California’s intestacy laws, and your final wishes will not be consulted or honored.
• Trusts
  Irrevocable trust - after it is made, the creator no longer has ay rights to the trust and it cannot be changed or terminated at any time throughout their life
• Power of Attorney
  By establishing powers of attorney, you appoint agents to act on your behalf. Our Santa Maria powers of attorney lawyer at the Law Offices of R. Morgan Holland, L.C. can help you in selecting and formalizing your choice of agent and ensure that they have the powers they need to assist you in times of crisis.
• Probate
  While attorneys in most other states charge hourly or settle on a flat fee for probate services, California attorneys charge a “statutory fee.” These fees ensure the lawyer is paid fairly, basing fees on the percentage of the value of the assets in probate.

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a form of liquidation that allows a person to obtain relief from most of their debts. If you are struggling with debt and wish to start a new financial chapter in your life, Chapter 7 bankruptcy may be the right course of action for you.
• Foreclosure
  Q: What happens to the homeowners' association dues on my property when it stays in my name because the bank hasn't completed its foreclosure?
• Debt Collection
  As soon as you file for bankruptcy, courts issue an order called the automatic stay that prohibits most creditors from initiating or continuing debt collection actions against you. This includes lawsuits filed against you by creditors. So if a credit card company already filed a debt collection lawsuit against you, it must pause while the automatic stay is in effect. Bankruptcy courts can lift the automatic stay at the creditor's request, however, credit card companies must prove they have legal grounds to win this type of motion.