When you engage us, you don’t just get a family law attorney, you have someone on your side. Here’s what you can expect from our team:
"Lindsay Torgerson helped me navigate an uncomfortable process with ease, kindness, and professionalism. I'm so grateful to her for her outstanding attention to detail and confidence in guiding me through. Thank you!"
We understand that practicing law is about more than legal procedures. And it’s about more than winning, although that’s important. It’s about providing real service to our clients and doing our best to help you when you need it most.
We can help protect you and your family’s interests from the first moment you hire us. We have vast experience with family law cases involving complex assets and business issues.
With so many options to explore as you choose a family law attorney, why choose Wine Country Family Law? Our team has been built with real people in mind. We looked at what struggles clients face as they go through a divorce, and we asked ourselves what those people need more than anything. This may be one of the most difficult times in your life, and we genuinely want to minimize your stress as much as possible.
That’s why we have a firm commitment to client service. We are here to listen. We are here to be supportive. We are here to keep you informed by responding quickly to inquiries and concerns. When you choose us, you can rest easy knowing that everything we do is in your best interest. We never yield simply to avoid a long legal battle if you haven’t yet gotten what you want. Our goal is to walk away from every case knowing that we secured the best possible outcome for our client, whether that means handling a case in court or settling it outside of court through alternative dispute resolution methods.
When you choose Wine Country Family Law, you’ll feel like a partner in your case, giving input, getting regular updates, and being as involved as you choose to be.
Many family law matters can be filled with emotion, which is why we’re here to help. With offices in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, and Ukiah, we conveniently provide services in divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, and more.
Our goal is to listen to your situation, ask questions, and really help you decide the best next steps. We understand the best path for you is going to be dependent on your situation. Contact us today to see how we can help. Learn how we help our clients with finances.
California is a ‘community property’ state, which means all property in a marriage is either considered ‘community’ (belonging to the couple) or ‘separate’ (belonging only to one spouse). Community property typically includes all the property the couple acquired together during their marriage. Whereas, separate property denotes property that was separately acquired by the spouses before their marriage or after their separation. It can also refer to gifts or inheritances received during the marriage.
Unless a prenuptial agreement states otherwise, community property is divided equally in a California divorce case, and each spouse or domestic partner will retain their separate properties.
The initial court filing fee is $435, although this number can vary slightly from case to case. Other expenses, such as hourly rates for attorneys and additional court fees, vary widely from case to case. The total cost will also depend on whether or not the case is contested and if the couple has to bring in additional professionals such as forensic accountants, appraisers, custody evaluators, etc., throughout the divorce proceedings.
Uncontested divorce cases can be relatively simple and inexpensive, as all the couple has to do is sort out the paperwork and work out agreements. The general rule of thumb is the longer you have to spend in court, the more money it’s going to cost you.
The decisions made on behalf of the child or children’s welfare, which generally include education, healthcare, extracurricular activities, religious activities or institutions, travel, and living arrangements, are considered legal custody. Physical custody, on the other hand, denotes the parent with whom the child or children spend a significant amount of time.
