Marriage of Jensen CA6
Following a custody hearing, the trial court ordered appellant Heather Jensen to pay respondent Gregory Jensen’s attorney’s fees and costs. On appeal, Heather argues the trial court abused its discretion by awarding the fees under Family Code section 2030, which is intended to equalize access to counsel for family court litigants by ordering one party to pay “whatever amount is reasonably necessary for attorney’s fees” for the other. (Fam. Code, § 2030.) She contends that because any disparity in access to financial resources to pay for counsel favored Gregory, the trial court was precluded from ordering her to pay his attorney’s fees under section 2030’s needs-based provision, and that her conduct in the custody proceeding did not justify the trial court’s award. We agree that the trial court abused its discretion and will reverse the order.
I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND
In December 2017, the trial court entered judgment dissolving Gregory and Heather’s marria
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