SAN DIEGO Military Divorce ATTORNEY

Led by experienced San Diego military divorce attorney Scott Levin, San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law helps service members and their spouses navigate the unique challenges of military divorces with compassion, fairness, and efficiency. By prioritizing amicable solutions, Scott helps military families avoid the stress and expense of traditional litigation, enabling them to focus on rebuilding their lives.

 

A divorce can be a complicated process and a military divorce can be even more complicated. Military divorces often involve complex issues such as military pensions, benefits, and deployments, which require a knowledgeable mediator who understands the intricacies of military family law.

Military divorce attorney mediator Scott Levin is proud to support military members and their families in Oceanside, Point Loma, Coronado, Mira Mesa and nearby San Diego communities by specializing in military divorce mediation. As a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst and experienced family law mediator, Scott Levin ensures that a fair and thoughtful settlement is reached and approved without clients needing to go to court.

Whether you are a service member facing a high-conflict divorce, dealing with child custody challenges across state or international lines, or needing guidance on dividing military benefits, our firm is here to help. We understand the demands of military life and work diligently to provide solutions tailored to your unique circumstances.

we specialize in the complexities of military divorce

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Deployment & Divorce

After you file for a divorce, the courts expect you to make progress in finding an agreement that will allow you and your spouse to separate in an agreeable manner. However, if one or both spouses are on active duty, they may not be able to meet the deadlines. A military divorce lawyer will be able to help you with the timeframe as to when paperwork needs to be filed.

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Child & Spousal Support

For those in the military, the combined amount for child and spousal support cannot exceed 60% of the payer’s income. This rule is specific to military personnel and does not apply to civilians. Make sure that your divorce settlement reflects that rule.

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Military Retirement Benefits

A successful career in the military entitles a military officer to retirement benefits. But, in the case of a divorce, how much of these benefits will extend to the ex-spouse? Speak to a San Diego military divorce lawyer to get the facts.

Survivorship Benefits

Because of the inherent dangers of being in the military, officers often have a Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP). This plan pays monies to the surviving spouse so that they can manage their lives despite the loss of a spouse. However, if the officer died after a divorce, the surviving spouse may not be eligible for the Survivorship Benefits. In addition, if the officer marries someone else, the benefits will go to only one of the spouses, not both. As you can imagine, this can get quite messy.

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Why Choose Our Military Divorce Attorney in San Diego?

San Diego is home to several major military installations, and our firm understands the day-to-day realities of military families.

  • Local Expertise: Knowledge of California divorce laws and federal regulations impacting military families.
  • Tailored Strategies: Solutions designed to accommodate unpredictable deployment schedules and the demands of military service.
  • Compassion & Respect: A commitment to representing both active-duty service members and civilian spouses with integrity and understanding.

Where to divorce in San Diego if living near your military base

Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton:

Located north of San Diego, near Oceanside. Members will rely on the North County Superior Courthouse located at 325 South Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081

Naval Base San Diego

Situated in the South Bay region of San Diego. Members will visit the South County Superior Courthouse located at 500 Third Avenue, Chula Vista, CA 91910

Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar:

Located in central San Diego 5 miles east of UTC and nestled to the west of Scripps Ranch and south of Mira Mesa. Members will file for divorce at the Central Superior Courthouse located at 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101.

Naval Base Coronado:

Comprising several facilities, including North Island and Silver Strand, and located on the Island of Coronado. Members will rely on the Central Superior Courthouse located at 1100 Union Street, San Diego, CA 92101.

Work with an Experienced San Diego Military Divorce Lawyer

If you need helpful information about San Diego military divorce, our experienced team is here to provide personalized legal guidance. Contact San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law at  858-255-1321 or complete our online consultation form to discuss your situation. We’ll work together to develop a strategy that respects your service, safeguards your family, and protects your future financial well-being.

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Online Military Divorce Mediation in California

Military families face unique challenges when going through a divorce, including frequent relocations, deployments, and the complexity of dividing military benefits. Online virtual military divorce mediation provides a tailored approach to address these complexities while ensuring convenience and flexibility for both spouses.

Benefits of Military Virtual Divorce Mediation in San Diego

  1. Accessible Across Locations: Military spouses often live in different states or countries due to service obligations. Virtual mediation allows both parties to participate remotely, overcoming geographical barriers.
  2. Reduced Stress: Avoids the need for frequent travel or in-person court appearances.
  3. Collaborative Process: Encourages amicable resolutions and reduces hostility, which is especially important for families with children.
  4. Quick Resolution: Streamlines the divorce process so both parties can move forward with clarity and closure.

Online military divorce mediation offers a respectful, practical, and efficient path for service members and their spouses to navigate the complexities of military life and divorce. It ensures that both legal and emotional needs are addressed while minimizing disruption to family life and military service.

What San Diego Military Divorce Clients Say

Testimonials

Scott is an incredible mediator who is not only skilled at providing you with information about your legal rights, but is equally a patient and caring human. Scott will help guide you from the initial steps to the very end. Having him as our mediator really helped us sift through every part of the divorce agreement in a way that was easy to understand and digest. If you’re in this unfortunate position, Scott’s knowledge and guidance will help make it a little easier.
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Suzanne B.
Scott ia an amazing mediator, he works with compassion, responds quickly, and keeps you updated on your case. He explains everything in detail and listens to what you have to say. He works with you with a high level of professionalism.
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Cristina
Scott Levin helped my husband and I go through the divorce mediation process without ending up with attorneys. He helped change around our Marital settlement agreement several times to fit our needs. The process with Scott was quick and efficient. I would definitely recommend Scott Levin for divorce mediation services.
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Freda B.
Thank you so much for helping to navigate us through a very difficult time. Your generosity and guidance ultimately made it possible for me to put aside my concerns and move forward with my divorce …You made all the difference.
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Laura S.
Scott is a Professional in all aspects of how he conducts his business. He is kind and Ethical and connects very well with all personalities. I highly recommend Scott.
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Rodrigo B.
Scott is truly dedicated to the best outcome for the family of his clients. He really does a great job of helping set up a successful life after marriage for all parties involved. Highly recommend.
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Chad H.
Scott is compassionate and informative. I trusted his calm disposition to take me through the highs and lows and mediation. He is customer service centered and intelligent. Thank you Scott!
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Madelyn H.
I was told repeatedly it would be absolutely impossible to mediate in my highly contentious divorce with decades together, a # of children, lots of accounts and properties- it was overwhelming and typically is the kind of divorce that takes many many years and many 100s of 1000s of dollars. But then we found Scott. He was fair and respectful to both parties and most of all ensured that our kids would have the best outcome in this very sad breakup of our family. He kept it fair, affordable and quick. He is personable and he really cares. The mediators my friends have used in their own situations PALE in comparison to Scott Levin. My family has always been the most important thing in the world to me and our choice of mediator helped to keep us sane, calm and hopeful throughout this devastating situation in the middle of a pandemic. He allowed us to stagger visits so we did not need to be present together bc of the high conflict circumstances. Very grateful Scott Levin made the impossible possible, by guiding us through from start to finish!
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The B.
I highly recommend working with Scott as your mediator. It's a very challenging time anyway and using Scott for the dissolution of my marriage helped make a difficult life experience a lot less stressful and challenging. The cost of working with Scott was minimal compared to the cost of us hiring individual attorneys AND a lot less stressful. Scott is very understanding, knowledgeable and caring for both sides. I'm thankful we found Scott. I'm especially thankful that my husband and I were amicable from the start of this process which made a very sad and difficult situation less so. Do yourself a favor and hire San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law and work with Scott.
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Stephanie O.

Frequently Asked Questions About Military Divorce in San Diego

Military divorce mediation is a process where a neutral mediator helps military couples reach agreements on issues like property division, child custody, spousal support, and military benefits without going to court. It considers the unique challenges faced by service members and their families.

Possibly but we help many active duty members through the divorce process when their spouse is residing in California or if they maintain California residency. California courts can handle military divorces if you or your spouse meets residency requirements. We can advise you on filing options based on your circumstances.

It depends on factors like length of marriage overlapping with military service and USFSPA guidelines. We’ll help you navigate the division process to ensure fairness. In mediation, it is also possible to make a deal so that the military pension is kept by the member and the spouse receives other value in exchange.

Yes. Courts often allow temporary modifications to custody arrangements during deployment. We can help you request adjustments that consider your child’s best interests. Child custody after divorce is one of the key reasons you should consider hiring our firm. We help co-parents by asking what will happen in the future if the active duty member is stationed outside of San Diego or California or outside of the United States. We help you figure out solutions to this possibility during the divorce process so that you can have a plan in place when it happens. This way, the children and the member continue to maintain ongoing contact without having to resort to getting court orders to set this up.

Yes, more often than not in my experience. Military divorces involve specific legal considerations, such as:

  • Division of military pensions under the Uniformed Services Former Spouses’ Protection Act (USFSPA).
  • Healthcare benefits like TRICARE eligibility for ex-spouses.
  • Issues surrounding deployments, PCS moves, and long-distance parenting plans.

No. Online mediation allows both parties to participate remotely, which is especially beneficial when one spouse is deployed or stationed elsewhere.

Yes. Our San Diego mediation attorney Scott Levin has extensive knowledge and experience with active duty divorce cases and will assist with creating flexible parenting plans and financial agreements that consider how things will change with deployments, PCS moves, and other lifestyle changes specific to military life.

We offer a 25% discount for military families at San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law. Our affordable military divorce mediations on average cost less than $7,000 for the entire process and many clients pay significantly less depending on their situations. Book a consultation to receive a flat fee affordable quote from Scott Levin.