200+ Free CA Family Law Specialist Practice Questions

You must be an active California Bar member in good standing for at least 5 years, demonstrate substantial involvement (25% of practice) in family law for the 5 years preceding application, complete required tasks covering dissolution, custody, support, and property division, complete 45 hours of family-law CLE within the 3 years before applying, pass the CBLS uniform family law examination, and pass peer review by judges and attorneys familiar with your work.

The exam uses the CBLS uniform format: a one-day exam (approximately 8.5 hours) combining 75 multiple-choice questions and 8 essay questions. Topics tested are governed by the California Family Code, leading appellate decisions, and family law procedure. The exam fee is $359 plus a $154 laptop fee. The passing standard is a 453 scaled score. The exam is offered approximately every 2 years.

California uses a mandatory statewide guideline formula codified at Family Code §4055. The DissoMaster software (used by virtually every California court) implements the formula. The key inputs are each parent's net disposable income (FC 4058 defines gross income broadly — wages, self-employment, perks, recurring gifts), the timeshare percentage (the percentage of primary physical custody), and applicable deductions. The guideline is presumptively correct and may only be rebutted under FC 4057 (e.g., extraordinarily high earner, parent suffering hardship). Mandatory add-ons include childcare for employment and uninsured healthcare.

Family Code §4320 lists fourteen factors the court must consider when ordering permanent spousal support: (a) earning capacity to maintain the marital standard of living; (b) supported party's contribution to supporting party's education/career; (c) supporting party's ability to pay; (d) needs based on marital standard of living; (e) obligations and assets; (f) duration of marriage; (g) supported party's ability to work without unduly interfering with children's interests; (h) age and health; (i) documented domestic violence; (j) tax consequences; (k) balance of hardships; (l) goal of self-support within reasonable time; (m) any criminal conviction of an abusive spouse; (n) any other just and equitable factors. Temporary support uses local guidelines (Santa Clara, Alameda); permanent support is FC 4320 analysis only.

Family Code §3044 creates a rebuttable presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody to a parent who has perpetrated domestic violence against the other parent, the child, or a child's sibling within the previous five years is detrimental to the best interest of the child. To rebut, the perpetrating parent must show by a preponderance of the evidence that custody is in the child's best interest, considering seven mandatory factors including completion of a 52-week batterer's program, parenting class, drug/alcohol counseling if relevant, compliance with probation/parole, and protective orders. The presumption profoundly shapes custody outcomes when DV findings exist.

When community funds are used to pay down a mortgage on one spouse's separate-property home, the community acquires a pro tanto interest under In re Marriage of Moore (1980) and In re Marriage of Marsden (1982). The formula apportions appreciation by the ratio of community principal reduction to total purchase price (or value at marriage for Marsden), giving the community a percentage of post-contribution appreciation plus dollar-for-dollar reimbursement of principal payments. Mortgage interest, taxes, and insurance do not generate community interest — only principal reduction does.