Section 2033 Of Chapter 3.5. Attorney’s Fees And Costs From California Family Law Code >> Division 6. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 3.5.
2033
. (a) Either party may encumber his or her interest in
community real property to pay reasonable attorney's fees in order to
retain or maintain legal counsel in a proceeding for dissolution of
marriage, for nullity of marriage, or for legal separation of the
parties. This encumbrance shall be known as a "family law attorney's
real property lien" and attaches only to the encumbering party's
interest in the community real property.
(b) Notice of a family law attorney's real property lien shall be
served either personally or on the other party's attorney of record
at least 15 days before the encumbrance is recorded. This notice
shall contain a declaration signed under penalty of perjury
containing all of the following:
(1) A full description of the real property.
(2) The party's belief as to the fair market value of the property
and documentation supporting that belief.
(3) Encumbrances on the property as of the date of the
declaration.
(4) A list of community assets and liabilities and their estimated
values as of the date of the declaration.
(5) The amount of the family law attorney's real property lien.
(c) The nonencumbering party may file an ex parte objection to the
family law attorney's real property lien. The objection shall
include a request to stay the recordation until further notice of the
court and shall contain a copy of the notice received. The objection
shall also include a declaration signed under penalty of perjury as
to all of the following:
(1) Specific objections to the family law attorney's real property
lien and to the specific items in the notice.
(2) The objector's belief as to the appropriate items or value and
any documentation supporting that belief.
(3) A declaration specifically stating why recordation of the
encumbrance at this time would likely result in an unequal division
of property or would otherwise be unjust under the circumstances of
the case.
(d) Except as otherwise provided by this section, general
procedural rules regarding ex parte motions apply.
(e) An attorney for whom a family law attorney's real property
lien is obtained shall comply with Rule 3-300 of the Rules of
Professional Conduct of the State Bar of California.