Experience, at Your Side When You Need it Most
As a California family law attorney with 40 years of experience, including extensive experience
as a temporary judge and referee/private judge, I have seen divorcing couples struggle through disputes over issues that can often be resolved through mediation. Since 2007 I have focused my legal career exclusively in the area of divorce mediation and services designed to help people avoid taking their divorce into the courtroom.
Contact me to arrange a free 30-minute consultation in any of the following areas of law:
Divorce mediation
I act as a neutral professional to assist divorcing spouses in not only reaching a divorce
agreement and entering a judgment of divorce, but also filling out the paperwork to start and
complete their divorce, including the required disclosures of:
- Income
- Expenses
- Personal and marital assets
- personal and marital debts
Mediation sessions may be scheduled to resolve all divorce issues including matters related to
child or spousal support, division of assets and liabilities, including specific treatment of the
family residence and other real property, banking and retirement accounts, life insurance, income tax returns, business valuation, deferred compensation and bonuses, and college education expenses.
I also provide an informal setting for the parties to communicate their needs and priorities about the issues of child custody, including:
- Legal and physical custody arrangements (I call them parenting plans)
- Specific arrangements for a wide variety of parenting issues, including access to school and health information
- Requirements for a guardian ad litum
- Reunification counseling and supervised visitation
Upon reaching an agreement between the parties, I prepare a marital settlement agreement for review by both parties (and hopefully an attorney for each party) and submit it to the court along with a judgment. The Agreement is binding between the parties when signed and enforceable through the Superior Court once the judgment has been filed.
Representation for Prenuptial and Post-nuptial Agreements
Most prenuptial agreements are subject to the specific requirements of the Uniform Premarital
Agreement Act, so it is very important that any person intending to enter into such an agreement seek legal counsel. Over 40 years I have drafted, negotiated, and litigated the validity of many premarital agreements, so if you are considering entering into a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement, I can serve as your lawyer to draft and/or review the document, recommend revisions and explain the provisions of the agreement, prior to signing.
I can also serve as mediator for both parties seeking to work up an acceptable draft of a
prenuptial agreement, to be reviewed by each party's individual attorney prior to signing. If I act in the role of mediator to draft an agreement, I cannot serve as legal counsel for either party.
Divorce Negotiations
If you are trying to resolve your property settlement, support or custody matters in your divorce without litigation, it is highly advisable to seek your own legal counsel through the process. I offer legal representation to assist individual parties in negotiating the terms of a divorce settlement. In the event a settlement cannot be obtained by mediation or other methods of alternative dispute resolution, you will need a different attorney for courtroom litigation as I no longer offer trial services.
Experienced Tustin Divorce Lawyer · Skilled Orange Family Law Lawyer
From my office in Orange, I provide California divorce mediation and family law negotiation
services for clients throughout Orange County and Los Angeles County. Contact my office to
arrange an initial 30- to 45-minute free consultation about mediation services, my fee schedule
and other areas of my California family law practice.