Agenda

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Please log into the webinar 15 – 30 minutes before start time.


Friday, October 31, 2025
8:30 am – 3:20 pm PDT


Agenda:
Presented by Sarah Arnott and Karin Buckley

Ethical Considerations When Working On A Case Involving Children

  • The danger of becoming enmeshed in your client’s worldview
  • Defining & promoting the best interest of the children
  • Understanding the scope of client confidentiality
  • Working with family law clients while avoiding the unauthorized practice of law

Custody Basics

  • Review of standard terminology and criteria for determining custody
  • Jurisdictional and venue issues
  • Best interest standard
  • Custody practicalities
  • Prepping client for assessment and mandatory mediation

Obtaining, Enforcing, and Modifying Child Support Awards

  • Retroactivity
  • DCSS vs. private support orders
  • Working with the client to obtain necessary documents
  • Guideline vs. non-guideline orders
  • Mandatory vs discretionary child support add-ons
  • Preparing the order
  • Enforcement and contempt
  • Modifying support order
  • True-ups and income checks
  • Setting your client up for success

Custody Disputes and Evidentiary Hearings

  • Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)
  • General vs. limited in scope
  • Move-aways
  • Modification of a “permanent” order – Montenegro v. Diaz
  • Gathering of evidence and admissibility issues

Working with a 730 Expert

  • Purpose of a California Evidence Code 730 evaluation
  • Full scope or brief focused assessment
  • Preparing clients for a 730 evaluation
  • Sanchez waiver
  • Ensuring experts are prepared to testify

Ethical Considerations When Working on a Case Involving Children

  • The danger of becoming enmeshed in your client’s worldview
  • Defining & promoting the best interest of the children
  • Understanding the scope of client confidentiality
  • Working with family law clients while avoiding the unauthorized practice of law

 

Webinar Instructions 
 
All attendees must log-on through their own email – attendees may not watch together if they wish to earn continuing education credit. HalfMoon Education Inc. must be able to prove attendance if either the attendee or HalfMoon Education Inc. is audited. 

Certificates of completion can be downloaded in PDF form upon passing a short quiz. A link to the quiz will be sent to each qualifying attendee immediately after the webinar. The certificate can be downloaded from the Results page of the quiz upon scoring 80% or higher. 

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Microsoft Edge (most recent 3 versions) 

Internet connection: 1 Mbps or better 

Hardware:  2GB of RAM (minimum), 4GB or more of RAM (recommended) 

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Credits

Paralegals
6.0 CLE Hours (Including 1.0 Ethics Hour)

NFPA - National Federation of Paralegal Associations
6.0 CLE Credits (Including 1.0 Ethics Credit)

 

Continuing Education Information

This webinar is open to the public and is designed to qualify for 6.0 CLE hours, including 1.0 ethics hour, for paralegals in California. Paralegal certification is not required to participate in this course.

The National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA) has approved this course for 6.0 total CLE credits, which includes 5.0 general CLE credits and 1.0 ethics CLE credit.

Attendance will be monitored, and attendance certificates will be available after the webinar for those who attend the entire course and score a minimum 80% on the quiz that follows the course (multiple attempts allowed).

*On-Demand Credits*

The preceding credit information only applies to the live presentation. This course in an on-demand format is not pre-approved by any licensing boards and may not qualify for the same credits; please consult your licensing board(s) to ensure that a structured, asynchronous learning format is appropriate.

Speakers

Sarah Arnott

Attorney & Partner at Van Voorhis & Sosna LLP

Ms. Arnott was certified as a specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization in 2015 and served as the chairperson of the family law section of the San Francisco Bar Association’s Barristers Club in 2013. She is also trained in Collaborative Divorce. A native of New York and North Carolina, Ms. Arnott moved to California to attend Santa Clara University School of Law, from which she received her J.D. She has exclusively practiced family law since 2008. Ms. Arnott is well-versed in all areas of family law, including dissolutions, custody, spousal and child support, enforcement, and contempt proceedings. Additionally, she has demonstrated excellence in matters relating to domestic violence protective orders, and premarital agreements. In 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025, she achieved a remarkable milestone by earning the prestigious Super Lawyers award, a testament to her outstanding legal expertise and dedication to excellence. Ms. Arnott was named 2023-2024 Volunteer Attorney of the year by San Francisco Unified Family Court

Karin Buckley

Senior Paralegal at Van Voorhis & Sosna LLP in San Francisco

Ms. Buckley is the prior president of the San Francisco Bar Association Paralegal Section and continues to sit on the board. She taught family law for two semesters at San Francisco State in their paralegal program. Since obtaining her paralegal certificate from Cañada College in 2011, Ms. Buckley has worked exclusively in family law. Prior to becoming a paralegal, she taught English at middle and high schools across the country. During her free time, Ms. Buckley enjoys reading Victorian novels, trashy true crime, and taking her Golden Retriever, Jolene, on swim dates. She has presented multiple CLEs over the years, mostly focusing on discovery.