Family Law

• Divorce
  Going through a divorce is considered by many psychologists to be one of the most traumatic events a person can experience. Feelings of guilt, anger, hurt, grief and the desire for revenge can make it difficult for you or your spouse to make the right decisions. The trust that your marriage was based on may be called into question. Your attempts to resolve the many issues confronting you and your spouse may be seen through a filter of fear and mistrust. Under these circumstances it is extremely difficult to deal with financial issues or the best interests of your children. Engaging in an adversarial legal process in addition to these already difficult circumstances can be emotionally and financially devastating. Traditional adversarial divorce litigation focuses on finding fault, misdeeds and incompetence. Collaborative divorce focuses on finding solutions.
• Child Support
  Many couples choose a mediated divorce because it helps minimize the costs of divorce. It also provides a context in which a couple can respectfully resolve any or all of the issues in a divorce, including custody and visitation of children, spousal and child support, division of assets and liabilities. But there is sometimes a complicating issue in the process: Finances. In situtions where one of the spouses needs assistance in understanding some of the financial considerations, a neutral financial expert such as a CPA or financial planner can be brought into the mediation process to provide the necessary information, and when helpful to even attend a joint mediation session with both of the spouses. If you’re concerned about financial issues as they pertain to a divorce, please give me a call at (805) 477-0505. I will give you a confidential and objective opinion about your particular situation. ____________________________________________ Westlake Village’s Leading Divorce Mediator Disclaimer The materials on this website are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. These materials are intended, but not promised or guaranteed to be current, complete, or up-to-date and should in no way be taken as an indication of future results. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and the receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship between sender and receiver. Blog posts on this website are offered for general informational and educational purposes only. They are not offered as and do not constitute legal advice or legal opinions. You should not act or rely on any information contained in this website without first seeking the advice of an attorney. The transmission of an email request for information does not create an attorney-client relationship and you should not send us via email any information or facts relating to your legal problem or question. This website also contains links to other resources on the Internet. These links are provided as citations and aids to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest, and are not intended to state or imply that the Law Offices of Barton Pokras sponsors, is affiliated or associated with, or is legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  Barton Pokras also has considerable experience in the areas of taxation, business law, contracts and real property so that he is particularly able to assist divorcing families who own businesses, have sophisticated estate plans, real property holdings and retirement plans that need to be dealt with in the division of community assets and liabilities. When the parents of children live in different states it isn’t always clear which state has the jurisdiction to decide custody and visitation issues. Each of the 50 states in the USA has enacted a uniform set of laws dealing with the issues of interstate child custody jurisdictional disputes. Sometimes only one of the states can lawfully exercise jurisdiction, and sometimes more than one state has jurisdiction. In situations where more than one state has jurisdiction, there is a procedure for determining which of these states will hear the case. Barton Pokras has experience in this area, and has successfully litigated these issues. Some divorces are known as “high conflict divorces.” These are the cases that usually end up going to trial in court. These cases are generally not suitable for mediation or collaborative practice, because at least one of the parties is not interested in reaching a settlement. In many of these cases one of the spouses has a clinical personality disorder (e.g. borderline personality disorder, narcissistic personality disorder). He doesn’t have the expertise, of course, to make such a diagnosis, but he works with mental health professionals who are familiar with these types of individuals, and he has experience in this area of family law. His approach in these cases is to proactively “defend” his clients, devise strategies to keep the costs down, and to associate with experienced mental health professionals to protect the client and any children who may be involved. Barton’s law degree is from the University of California, Hastings College of Law (1972, Honors), and he has a Master of Laws in Taxation from Golden Gate University Law School in San Francisco (1981).
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
  For Westlake Village residents, the Law & Mediation Offices of Barton Pokras provide an outstanding resource. Barton Pokras is a Family Law Attorney with substantial experience in all aspects of family law. He can help you with the challenges of taxation, business law, contracts and real property — and divorce mediation. Pokras is particularly adept at helping divorcing families who own businesses, have sophisticated estate plans, real property holdings and retirement plans that need to be dealt with in the division of community assets and liabilities. The Law Offices are located in the heart of Westlake Village, at 3075 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. If you are dealing with a divorce or legal separation, and need advice about child custody or visitation, child support, spousal support or alimony, give the offices a call today. The Law Offices of Barton Pokras are experienced in handling the more complicated aspects of divorce, including asset and property division, post-judgment modifications, paternity and parental rights and prenuptial agreements. Barton Pokras can also offer expert guidance regarding mediation and the collaborative process.
• Spousal Support
  My experience with Barton Pokras started out great and just got better! At the outset, he was able to put me at ease during a very difficult divorce process. His expertise was evident immediately. More importantly, he was an engaged advocate committed to protecting my position throughout a lengthy negotiation with my ex-wife and her counsel. He paid sincere attention to my biggest concerns and never let anything “fall through the cracks.” Basically, my wife left me after 22 years of marriage. My greatest fear was that I would have to pay large sums of alimony for a very long time. Miraculously, Barton somehow convinced all concerned that no alimony payments would be appropriate (that’s right – zero!) largely on the argument that I was committed to finishing the job of putting ours sons through college in these difficult economic times. His measured, consistent, calm approach finally won the day and I will forever be grateful. Choosing Barton Pokras as my attorney was one of the best decisions I have ever made! He operates as a true fiduciary for his clients and I am very proud to recommend his services.
• Legal Separation
  The legal requirements for obtaining a California divorce or legal separation can be satisfied by using any of several different processes. Depending upon your own individual circumstances, some are more appropriate than others. At the Law Offices of Barton Pokras we will explain the various options that are available to you, and advise you as to which ones best fit your needs.

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Disputes
  He has represented individuals, partnerships and corporations in the areas of taxation, business law, contracts and real property so that I am particularly able to assist divorcing families who own businesses, have sophisticated estate plans, real property holdings and retirement plans that need to be dealt with in the division of community assets and liabilities. Barton is licensed to practice in all the courts of the State of California and in the United States Tax Court. He is a member of the Coalition for Collaborative Divorce, the Collaborative Family Law Professionals (Ventura), and the Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association, as well as the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals. Barton is on the Board of Directors of the Ventura Family Law Bar Association and current president (2010) of the Coalition for Collaborative Divorce. Barton Pokras has represented clients in the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeals, the Superior Courts in Ventura, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange County, San Diego, San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Solano Counties, as well as in the Federal District Court for Northern California. He has a long history of providing pro bono legal services to low income families. The State Bar of California, the Ventura County Bar Association, the San Francisco Bar Association, and the Ventura Superior Court have commended him for his pro bono family law work. He is a volunteer with the Ventura Superior Court Family Law Facilitator’s Office, the Ventura Superior Court Mediation panel, and the Ventura County Bar Association pro bono referral service.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  2007-Present Private practice in Ventura County, CA, devoted almost exclusively to Family Law, (I also assist Families with Estate Planning matters.

Finance Law

• Tax Law
  1973-1992 In private practice, San Francisco, CA. Emphasizing Family Law, Civil and Tax Litigation, Admitted to practice before The United States Federal District Court for Northern California, The United States Tax Court. Hearing Officer – San Francisco Rent Board