Santa Rosa Family Law Attorney

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Wine Country Family Law & Bankruptcy Office, P.C. offers our Sonoma County family law clients skilled assistance with:

We offer an initial consultation of up to one hour with our experienced Santa Rosa family law attorney. The consultation may be conducted in our Santa Rosa office, by phone, or video conference. During your consultation, our Sonoma County family lawyer will review the facts of your matter, provide you with information regarding the process and legal concepts, and provide various service options we may be able to offer you, along with a fee quote, if applicable.

CLICK HERE to contact our Santa Rosa family lawyer to discuss your individual case.

Family Law in Sonoma County

At Wine Country Family Law & Bankruptcy Office, P.C., we understand the emotional impact of family legal issues and how these issues can complicate your relationships, financial wellbeing, and future. That’s why we primarily focus on helping clients through divorce, custody, child support, and other issues they may be facing. While this may be one of the most stressful times in your life, it will not last forever—and the steps you take now to resolve these issues will ensure that you are prepared for whatever comes next.

Learn more about the variety of family law issues we handle, and when you’re ready to discuss your needs in greater detail, contact our office.

Divorce in California

Many of the cases we handle are divorce cases. While we understand that divorce is the end of one chapter, we believe that approaching divorce with professionalism, empathy, and hope allows you to start the next chapter on a positive note. Our firm has successfully represented clients in many types of divorce cases, including uncontested, contested, high-asset, LGBTQI+ divorces, and contentious divorces.

When we approach each divorce case, we do so with our client’s best interests in mind. An in-depth initial consultation gives us insight into your goals and objectives through divorce. If you are in a position where you cannot handle the stress of communicating with your ex-partner, we will ensure that all communication is funneled through each side’s legal representatives. If you want to minimize stress and preserve a co-parenting relationship, we will focus on understanding both side’s needs and creating agreements that are mutually beneficial.

Our firm also handles legal separations. In a legal separation, the parties are still married, but they have to abide by the terms of their legal agreement. This includes financial matters, child custody, and visitation. If the couple later decides to divorce, the terms of their legal separation may become the foundation of their divorce agreement. This option allows couples struggling with this big decision to spend some time apart without fully committing to a divorce.

Mediation Options

A growing number of couples now turn to mediation before going through a standard divorce process. Mediation removes a lot of the aggression and anxiety that come with divorce, as it takes the decision-making out of the courtroom and lets you and your ex-partner negotiate with the help of a skilled mediator.

Our team of family law attorney mediators understand what’s at stake during a divorce, and we also know that many couples want to navigate complex issues without damaging the co-parenting relationship. With a neutral mediator, you and your ex-partner can provide input and offer solutions. The mediator’s role is to explain your legal options, identify areas of miscommunication, and create an environment where both parties feel safe and able to speak freely. This is in stark contrast to a conventional divorce, where both sides have their contentions aired out in court, and approach issues in a more adversarial manner.

Mediation has a number of benefits. You and your ex-partner maintain control over the process. Rather than leaving important decisions up to the court, you can figure out where you are willing to compromise and where you want to hold your ground. Since this process happens outside the courtroom, it may lead to a faster resolution of issues. Furthermore, you have complete freedom to leave mediation at any time. While we hope you are able to negotiate everything within mediation, we also know it’s important that you have the freedom to pursue conventional options instead. Mediation is not legally binding until both parties agree; even if a solution is presented, you are not obligated to accept it.

Child Custody and Parenting Time

Many of our clients choose us because of anxiety over custody disputes and parenting time disagreements. We know that one of your greatest concerns is losing access to your children. Whether you are in the middle of a divorce, you are having custody disputes after the end of a marriage, or you and your co-parent were never married, a solid custody agreement eliminates confusion and serves the best interests of the child.

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all parenting time arrangements. Today’s parents have a variety of obligations, and your parenting schedule should meet the needs of everyone involved. When both parents have a set work schedule, setting up a parenting time and visitation schedule is often easy and straightforward. What if one parent works 24-hour shifts, works one week on and one week off, or has fluctuating hours? Even in these situations, it is possible to come up with a custody agreement that allows both parents to have meaningful time with their child and protects the child’s relationship with their parents.

While California courts prefer joint custody in which both parents have substantial parenting time, that isn’t always possible. Whether you are pursuing joint custody or sole custody, we will help you navigate your options and craft a compelling case. From standard parenting time schedules to holiday agreements and vacations, our goal is to ensure that every base is covered by the time you head to court for a custody hearing. A strong timesharing schedule sets boundaries, prevents miscommunication, and provides stability for your child.

Paternity and Child Support Issues

Every child has the right to be supported by both parents. Our firm has represented both those who are being asked to pay child support and those who receive child support. Although California child support calculations are fairly straightforward, there are many factors that can complicate this matter. Significant earning disparities can lead to substantially larger payments than expected, even if the child spends equal time with both parents. Seasonal income changes, parents who pay child support to multiple co-parents, and circumstances that impact a child’s standard of living can all cause dramatic changes in ordered child support payments. Whether you are trying to ensure that your child support money is being calculated appropriately or you want your co-parent to pay their fair share toward your child’s upbringing, our team is here to support you the whole way.

A significant part of child support cases is proving paternity. In some situations, proving paternity is just a matter of procedure. In others, a child’s paternity is truly in dispute. Either way, our goal is to uncover the truth as quickly as possible so that the child in question can begin receiving the support they deserve from both parents. In our cases with paternity clients, we understand the emotional and important nature of our work. Whether we are helping someone avoid paying for a child who is not biologically his or proving paternity so that a client can have access to his child, we put our clients’ needs first.

Spousal Support and Alimony

If one partner makes significant decisions during the marriage which impacts their ability to make money but aids the family in a different way, they may find it harder to financially survive on their own outside of the marriage. Without alimony and spousal support options, a divorce could leave them broke and unable to meet even their most basic needs. The spousal support system strives to make these inequalities fair. At our firm, we help those who are ordered to pay alimony and those who receive spousal support. We believe that spousal support should allow both partners to enjoy a similar standard of living without impeding unfairly on the paying spouse. When a marriage ends, both parties should be fairly compensated for the sacrifices they made for the family—including financial and non-financial contributions.

In addition to helping clients with initial alimony discussions and agreements, we also help those trying to modify or terminate their spousal support agreements. Changes in income, living arrangements, and marital status are all good reasons for a change in spousal support.

Whichever family law issues you’re facing, you can trust our team of family law attorneys to provide the expertise, support, and information you need. These times are challenging, but with strong legal support, they do not have to derail your life.

Contact Wine Country Family Law & Bankruptcy Office Today

As you explore your options for your divorce, mediation needs, custody dispute, child support, or other family law issue, turn to the team at Wine Country Family Law & Bankruptcy Office, P.C. Our team brings a blend of in-depth knowledge, extensive legal experience, and empathetic support to every case we take on. We recognize that people do not turn to family law firms for happy or celebratory reasons, but we want to make the experience as positive as possible for you as we work toward legal solutions that fit your needs. To schedule a consultation, call our team at 707-669-0841 or get in touch with us online.