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Woodland Hills and Pasadena Law Firm Uncovers Breaches of Fiduciary Duty


Certified family law specialist finds the support you deserve

By law in California, from the time parties are married until a court enters a final judgment dissolving their marriage and containing a final property division, each party owes the other a “fiduciary duty.” This is the highest duty of good faith and fair dealing existing in the law. What this means, in general, is that spouses must be completely honest and forthcoming in all their dealings with one another, and must disclose all information that might have any bearing on any financial aspect of the case to the other during the divorce process. When a partner or spouse attempts to hide or dispose of assets, or hide sources of income either during the marriage or during the divorce process, a breach of fiduciary duty occurs.

Breaches of fiduciary duty tend, by their nature, to be difficult to uncover, but when they can be proven, the consequences to the party who committed the breach can be very substantial. Penalties can include awards of sanctions in the form of attorneys’ fees and costs and in extreme cases, unequal division of the community property and imposition of limitations on the breaching party’s participation in the case. This tends to be an, especially pertinent issue in high-net-worth divorce cases, in which the hidden assets or income can be substantial and the consequences quite significant.

At the Law Offices of Steven A. Blunt, our attorneys and network of forensic accountants and other professionals are experienced in handling complex matters, including business pension and other property valuations. We are also skilled in uncovering anything your spouse tries to hide.

Preserving community property in divorce

During the process of a divorce, the goal of the court is to preserve all property until the parties agree concerning its disposition or the court orders the same. From the commencement of a divorce case, both parties are required by court order to refrain from selling, transferring, encumbering or disposing of any property, except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life. Property includes:

  • Primary residence
  • Real estate
  • Stocks, bonds, and other investments
  • Retirement accounts
  • Pensions
  • Businesses
  • Art
  • Jewelry
  • Vehicles

How a lawyer can help

If you suspect that your spouse is hiding assets or income, or failing to make full disclosure, our attorneys can conduct a thorough investigation using our network of forensic accountants, private investigators and other professionals to uncover hidden property. We aggressively will fight for your right to a full and fair property award in your divorce.

Call experienced attorneys when you suspect breach of fiduciary duty

The family law attorneys at the Law Offices of Steven A. Blunt are skilled at helping protect you from breach of fiduciary duty and keeping track of changes in your spouse or partner’s assets. Call us at 818-337-3595 or contact us online to have your case reviewed