Andy Cook

Andy Cook is here to help you! With a great courtroom presence (he used to be a professional announcer) and strong writing skills, Andy is able to get your message across to the many family law judges in San Diego County.

Andy Cook handles family law matters exclusively. He has one associate attorney and has run his own practice in the Bankers Hill area of San Diego, located about a mile from the main San Diego Family Law Court, for over 23 years. Andy has been Certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization for over 15 years and has been rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale Hubbell's Peer Review program. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Bar Association from 2013-2016.

Andy is a member of the California Association of Certified Family Law Specialists; the California Lawyers Association (and its Family Law section); the San Diego County Bar Association (and its Family Law section); and the San Diego County Family Law Bar Association.

Andy is a graduate of the University of Vermont and California Western School of Law.

He lives in the Carmel Valley section of San Diego.

He is married with two children.

• Free Consultation
• Credit Cards Accepted
  Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express

California

Since 1994

9th Circuit

Since 1997

U.S. Supreme Court

Since 2000

Owner

Law Offices of Andy Cook

1995 - Current

Exclusive Family Law practice in the Bankers Hill area of San Diego.

California Western School of Law

J.D. (1993) | Traynor Moot Court (co-champions brief writing and second place oral argument) and National Moot Court Competitions

Honors: First Year Honors Instructor

University of Vermont

B.A. (1984) | Major in History

Best of the Bar, 2017

San Diego Business Journal

2017

Best of the Bar, 2016

San Diego Business Journal

2016

Awarded in the Category of Family Law

California Lawyers Association

Member

2018 - Current

Activities: Member of Family Law section

California Western School of Law Council of Visitors

Member

2017 - Current

Tom Homann LGBT Law Association

Member

2014 - Current

Lawyers Club (San Diego)

Member

2013 - Current

Consumer Attorneys of San Diego

Member

2012 - Current

Speaker, Divorce Cases from Start to Finish for Paralegals, San Diego

November 2, 2016

National Business Institute

Speaker, Periodic Meeting, San Diego

October 9, 2007

San Diego Chapter, California Society of Certified Public Accountants

Panelist, What Family Law Judges Want You to Know, San Diego

November 2, 2007

National Business Institute

Panelist, Roadmap Through Divorce Proceedings, San Diego

October 17, 2008

National Business Institute

Panelist, Handling Military Issues in Family Law, San Diego

March 5, 2009

Halfmoon Seminars

Family Law Specialist

State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization

Q. Child support over 18

August 1, 2019

A: I need to know what court is in charge of this case, i.e., that is, is it in California, where I practice, or Texas, where your question indicates you are from (Houston) and where I am not licensed to practice.

Under California law, child support ends when the child turns 18, unless the child is a full-time high school student (and some other factors also apply). If the child is "barely" going to school, it doesn't sound like he's a full-time student.

There are exceptions under this California law. One would be if you owe past support; you have to pay that no matter how much time has gone by. Second would be if you, in a previous court hearing or court filing, agreed to pay child support longer than what would otherwise be the law in California. Third, and this probably does not apply, would be if your son is incapacitated and cannot work and is likely to end up being supported by the government. ... Read More

Q. Hello. I need help filing for supervised visitation for son’s father who is a drug user. Is it a long process?

July 31, 2019

A: No, it shouldn't be. It sounds like an emergency, so the Court should hear you on an emergency basis, which usually means within two business days or less, provided you have proof of the use; or other evidence -- like declaration(s) from eyewitnesses who saw the drug use; an admission from the father that he is using illegal drugs, a declaration from you that you recently saw the drugs and have knowledge what the drugs in question look like (and where you found the drugs); or other admissible evidence. You may or may not have to tell the father that you are going to court on an emergency basis.

I am assuming that you are the other parent not a third-party.

If you are asking for supervised visitation, the court will have to decide whether the visitation is professionally supervised or may be supervised by a mutual acquaintance and who that acquaintance should be; and if it is professionally supervised, who should pay for it.

But even if the court awards you supervised visitation for the father, there will have to be a follow-up hearing where the court has more time to listen to both sides of the story. ... Read More

Q. Does visitation order start after serving the other party with the court order?

June 10, 2019

A: It depends whether the judge said at the hearing that the order is "effective forthwith". If so, it doesn't matter when the written order is filed or served. If the judge was silent on this issue, the order is effective upon service of the Order.