Smith/Ostler

In 1990, the California Court of Appeal in Marriage of Ostler and Smith upheld a trial court ruling that rather than setting a fixed monthly amount of child support, ordered a base monthly amount of child support plus a flat percentage of the payor's bonus income. In the years following this case, ordering a percentage of future variable income as additional support became a commonly used tool for family law attorneys and judges to deal with cash bonuses and other types of compensation including overtime, stock options, restricted stock and Employee Stock Ownership Plans. It is easy to see why "Smith/Ostler orders" eliminate the risk that a payor will be ordered to pay child support on income the payor may never receive. Such orders also insure that the children receive a share of the variable income as child support if it is, in fact, received by the payor. The method also reduces the need to have successive modification proceedings due to fluctuations in a payor's income from bonuses, commissions or other additional income.

 

Customer
Testimonials

    "Mr. Louie and his team were great to work with and they investigated my case thoroughly. I was very happy with the outcome of my personal injury case and the legal services."


    “This was my first experience with the personal injury law. Mr. Louie totally explained all the details to me and answered all the questions that I had. The case had a very positive outcome. I will hire Mr. Louie again in the future if I need any legal services. ”


    “I had a situation that I was in and needing some legal advice. Calvin was helpful in answering my questions and I also received emails from him asking to make sure all my questions were answered. That’s A++ service!!”


    “Calvin and his team were incredibly helpful with my legal situation. Being completely new to this, I was worried because I needed to find people I could trust. Louie & Kitsuse are a legal team you can trust and will help resolve your issue.”


    “Mr. Louie was very resourceful and supportive regarding a dilemma I recently had over a false claim. While my initial reaction would have worsened my situation, Mr. Louie's counsel brought me back on track, and help (sic.) avoid complications in an already tricky situation.  Mr. Louie's office responded in a timely and professional manner to my enquiry. Thank-you.”


    “Calvin Louie did a great job on my personal injury case. Throughout my medical treatment and subsequent issues concerning my accident, Mr. Louie and his team were kind and patient. I want to thank Mr. Louie for everything that he did for me from our first meeting through to the moment my case was settled. I was very happy with the outcome. ”


    “They had great legal advice, Calvin was very helpful and thorough in explaining the options I had for my situation.”


    “Mr. Louie was someone I had to reach out to handle a legal case of mines. I was very impressed with his overall work ethic. I wasn't sure of what to expect when I went to his law office, but he gave me a very re-assuring and confident attitude towards my case which gave me a good peace of mind. I would recommend his law office to the people I know.”


    “Calvin's years of experience in the Family Law area clearly shows when it comes to giving advice that returns the results that are best suited for me. He keeps me informed of the development of my case. And the other attorneys in the firm as well as office staff are extremely competent and personable.
    Emotions usually fly high in Family Law cases and mine is no exception. Calvin has an uncanny ability to soothe my agitation and stay focused on the discussions at hand. I also get to observe this calm demeanor in action in court and when dealing with the opposing attorney.”


    "I received a very large settlement through my attorneys at Louie & Kitsuse Law Office, which was much more than I expected. Mr. Louie and his team handled the matter from start to finish and I would recommend him to anyone who has a personal injury matter!"


    “Calvin is the epitome of a supportive lawyer who defends his client. When he heard my friend’s case, he reacted with genuine caring and determination to obtain fair terms. Throughout the reworking of the settlement, Calvin was strategic and detail-oriented. He was always responsive to questions via phone calls and emails and took the time to explain legalities in understandable language. He and his staff are professional and friendly experts at their jobs. Without hesitation, I would recommend Calvin to you for resolution of your legal problems.”


    “I found Mr. Louie to be to the point with sound advice. He was generous with his time & I appreciated his kindness and concern for me. Divorce is highly emotional, especially for a marriage of 35 years plus -- he kept me focused on what was best for me.”


    “Calvin Louie is the best lawyer I have met. He is very responsive and willing to work with the client. He is very reachable and helpful. I strongly recommend Calvin Louie.”

    “Mr. Louie was very patient with me and took extra time to answer my many questions. This experience is very new to me so I really appreciated his kindness.”


    “I was referred to Calvin from a close friend of mine. I had gone to one other DUI attorney but after speaking with Calvin in person, I knew he was the one to represent me. In my consultation, he was intelligent, knew the law, and I felt was very transparent/trustworthy. Calvin has been excellent in working my case. He has been very thorough in this (sic.) explanations on why this happen and how it can be held up in court. He gave me all the necessary information and guidance to help me decide what is best for me. He has gone above and beyond in trying to help ease the pain of the DUI. He has gone above and beyond my expectations to what a lawyer does. He has help me with easing the pain of DMV suspension license. Help me work on the dates that are best for me for my WWP in Santa Clara County. Every question I have asked has been met with detailed and thorough explanations. I truly value Calvin's help in getting me through what I thought was going to be an absolute mess. I highly recommend him in any cases.”


    “It is my first time working with a lawyer. Calvin is patient and very nice. He listens and gives me fair solutions. My case is very small. I spoke to other lawyers before (sic.) came to Calvin. No one would take my case, or I should say none of them wanted to waste time on my case. However, Calvin is not like them. He stands up for things that's (sic.) wrong and unreasonable. I'm very grateful that I have Calvin on my side and guides me through everything. He is responsible and always promptly on responses. Thank you Calvin for helping me out. I greatly appreciate it.”


    “We looked to Calvin for legal assistance after not being able to resolve a failed real estate purchase which resulted in the seller withholding our money in escrow and trying to apply an illegitimate penalty on us. Calvin carefully listened to our case and reviewed all pertinent documents. At the time we knew he had other larger cases on hand but nonetheless he took the time and effort to listen and advise us. At no time did we feel unimportant or unworthy of his time. He was very patient, concise, and clear about what he could do and would do. We have yet to fully resolve our case but expect a favorable outcome.”


    “Very knowledgeable and made me feel safe when the entire world was against me. Great response time and willing to go out of his way. Had a peace in mind with his trustworthiness and honesty. My stress level reduced by his urgency to resolve any inconvenience.”


    "I truly want to thank Mr. Louie and his team from the bottom of my heart for everything that they have done for me. Mr. Louie fight so hard for me in my Personal Injury Case. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs a lawyer in San Jose."

    "Mr. Louie and his team were great to work with and they investigated my case thoroughly. I was very happy with the outcome of my personal injury case and the legal services."


    “This was my first experience with the personal injury law. Mr. Louie totally explained all the details to me and answered all the questions that I had. The case had a very positive outcome. I will hire Mr. Louie again in the future if I need any legal services. ”


    “I had a situation that I was in and needing some legal advice. Calvin was helpful in answering my questions and I also received emails from him asking to make sure all my questions were answered. That’s A++ service!!”


    “Calvin and his team were incredibly helpful with my legal situation. Being completely new to this, I was worried because I needed to find people I could trust. Louie & Kitsuse are a legal team you can trust and will help resolve your issue.”


    “Mr. Louie was very resourceful and supportive regarding a dilemma I recently had over a false claim. While my initial reaction would have worsened my situation, Mr. Louie's counsel brought me back on track, and help (sic.) avoid complications in an already tricky situation.  Mr. Louie's office responded in a timely and professional manner to my enquiry. Thank-you.”


    “Calvin Louie did a great job on my personal injury case. Throughout my medical treatment and subsequent issues concerning my accident, Mr. Louie and his team were kind and patient. I want to thank Mr. Louie for everything that he did for me from our first meeting through to the moment my case was settled. I was very happy with the outcome. ”


    “They had great legal advice, Calvin was very helpful and thorough in explaining the options I had for my situation.”


    “Mr. Louie was someone I had to reach out to handle a legal case of mines. I was very impressed with his overall work ethic. I wasn't sure of what to expect when I went to his law office, but he gave me a very re-assuring and confident attitude towards my case which gave me a good peace of mind. I would recommend his law office to the people I know.”


    “Calvin's years of experience in the Family Law area clearly shows when it comes to giving advice that returns the results that are best suited for me. He keeps me informed of the development of my case. And the other attorneys in the firm as well as office staff are extremely competent and personable.
    Emotions usually fly high in Family Law cases and mine is no exception. Calvin has an uncanny ability to soothe my agitation and stay focused on the discussions at hand. I also get to observe this calm demeanor in action in court and when dealing with the opposing attorney.”


    "I received a very large settlement through my attorneys at Louie & Kitsuse Law Office, which was much more than I expected. Mr. Louie and his team handled the matter from start to finish and I would recommend him to anyone who has a personal injury matter!"


    “Calvin is the epitome of a supportive lawyer who defends his client. When he heard my friend’s case, he reacted with genuine caring and determination to obtain fair terms. Throughout the reworking of the settlement, Calvin was strategic and detail-oriented. He was always responsive to questions via phone calls and emails and took the time to explain legalities in understandable language. He and his staff are professional and friendly experts at their jobs. Without hesitation, I would recommend Calvin to you for resolution of your legal problems.”


    “I found Mr. Louie to be to the point with sound advice. He was generous with his time & I appreciated his kindness and concern for me. Divorce is highly emotional, especially for a marriage of 35 years plus -- he kept me focused on what was best for me.”


    “Calvin Louie is the best lawyer I have met. He is very responsive and willing to work with the client. He is very reachable and helpful. I strongly recommend Calvin Louie.”

    “Mr. Louie was very patient with me and took extra time to answer my many questions. This experience is very new to me so I really appreciated his kindness.”


    “I was referred to Calvin from a close friend of mine. I had gone to one other DUI attorney but after speaking with Calvin in person, I knew he was the one to represent me. In my consultation, he was intelligent, knew the law, and I felt was very transparent/trustworthy. Calvin has been excellent in working my case. He has been very thorough in this (sic.) explanations on why this happen and how it can be held up in court. He gave me all the necessary information and guidance to help me decide what is best for me. He has gone above and beyond in trying to help ease the pain of the DUI. He has gone above and beyond my expectations to what a lawyer does. He has help me with easing the pain of DMV suspension license. Help me work on the dates that are best for me for my WWP in Santa Clara County. Every question I have asked has been met with detailed and thorough explanations. I truly value Calvin's help in getting me through what I thought was going to be an absolute mess. I highly recommend him in any cases.”


    “It is my first time working with a lawyer. Calvin is patient and very nice. He listens and gives me fair solutions. My case is very small. I spoke to other lawyers before (sic.) came to Calvin. No one would take my case, or I should say none of them wanted to waste time on my case. However, Calvin is not like them. He stands up for things that's (sic.) wrong and unreasonable. I'm very grateful that I have Calvin on my side and guides me through everything. He is responsible and always promptly on responses. Thank you Calvin for helping me out. I greatly appreciate it.”


    “We looked to Calvin for legal assistance after not being able to resolve a failed real estate purchase which resulted in the seller withholding our money in escrow and trying to apply an illegitimate penalty on us. Calvin carefully listened to our case and reviewed all pertinent documents. At the time we knew he had other larger cases on hand but nonetheless he took the time and effort to listen and advise us. At no time did we feel unimportant or unworthy of his time. He was very patient, concise, and clear about what he could do and would do. We have yet to fully resolve our case but expect a favorable outcome.”


    “Very knowledgeable and made me feel safe when the entire world was against me. Great response time and willing to go out of his way. Had a peace in mind with his trustworthiness and honesty. My stress level reduced by his urgency to resolve any inconvenience.”


    "I truly want to thank Mr. Louie and his team from the bottom of my heart for everything that they have done for me. Mr. Louie fight so hard for me in my Personal Injury Case. I would highly recommend him to anyone who needs a lawyer in San Jose."

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