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Stipulations & Settlement Agreements

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Although a divorce is an inherently adversarial proceeding where you and the other party are situated on opposing sides of a lawsuit, it is not necessary to have the court adjudicate all aspects of your divorce proceeding. While the court has the jurisdiction and ability to divide your community estate, enter orders for spousal and child support, order custody and timeshare for children of your marriage or partnership, and provide other relief incident to the proceeding and specific to your matter, it need not always do so.

Indeed, you are entitled to settle all, or part, of your case. The matters to which you and the other party agree can be made into a formal document, executed by both you and your spouse or partner, and submitted to the court for its approval and adoption into either an Order or a Final Judgment.

  • If you and your partner or spouse agree to a resolution of all matters pertaining to the dissolution, annulment, or legal separation action, you can enter into a Settlement Agreement. This document is a complete and final resolution of your matter.
  • The Settlement Agreement must be freely and voluntarily entered into by both parties, and must be submitted to the court for approval. While the ultimate goal is to have the Settlement Agreement incorporated into a Final Judgment, be it for dissolution, annulment, or legal separation, the agreement itself is a contract and is enforceable as a contract until such time as the court does enter a Final Judgment.
  • When the Final Judgment is entered, your Settlement Agreement becomes a Court Order, enforceable by contempt proceedings in the event of non-compliance.
  • If you and your spouse or partner are able to agree on isolated issues in your matter, you can enter into a stipulation relative to those issues. It is possible to stipulate to a wide array of matters, from the valuation of one item of real or personal property to the use of an expert to an order regarding support and/or custody and timeshare. The stipulation must be submitted to the court with the request that it become an order.
Our Awards and Memberships

Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., recognizes that family law matters involve complex, sensitive issues that can have a lasting impact on you, your family, your finances and your future.

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10.0 Avvo Superb Top Attorney Family Law, Divorce
Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys 2017
100 TOP WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES Women Who Lead
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS (AAML)
2022 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best
100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies In the Bay Area San Francisco Business Times
2021 LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESSES Business Pride
10 Best Female Attorneys 2017 American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
San Francisco Bay Area's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Winner 2021
2018 Best Lawyers Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report
California Board of Legal Specialization (CBLS) State Bar of California
2020 Client Champion Debra R. Schoenberg
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards 2019
Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in Concord 2020
2018 Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in San Francisco
Fast 100
Lead Counsel Rated
Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) Fellow
National Board of Trial Advocacy
2017 Parents' Press Best of The Bay
San Francisco Business Times
Rated By Super Lawyers Debra R. Schoenberg
The Business of Pride
2021 Best Businesses Three Best Rated
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards & Summit
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys of 2018
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