Expert Family Law Attorneys Serving Sonoma County, CA
Family law issues are often incredibly complicated and require unique approaches to resolution. That is why it is vital to retain an experienced legal team to advocate for you in your family law matter. At Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., our Sonoma County family law attorney can fill any role needed as your legal counsel, whether that is as a compassionate negotiator or aggressive courtroom litigator. We focus on protecting your legal, financial, and personal rights both now and into the future.
Our skilled legal counsel are:
- Supportive and informative throughout your case;
- Strategic and practical when offering family law advice and solutions; and
- Knowledgeable and up-to-date on all matters of California family law.
Contact Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. today to discuss your upcoming or pending family law matter with a seasoned attorney. We will guide you towards possible solutions and conflict resolution techniques in your case.
How Our Sonoma County Family Law Lawyers Can Help
Family law is our exclusive focus at Schoenberg Family Law Group. Family law is a branch of civil law that covers a broad range of issues involving relationships between family members and other loved ones.
An experienced family law attorney from Schoenberg Family Law Group can help you with any of the following cases and more:
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements;
- Divorce;
- Same-sex marriage and divorce;
- Military divorce;
- High-asset and complex divorce;
- Property division;
- Child custody and visitation;
- Child support;
- Modifications of orders;
- Enforcement of judgments;
- Paternity;
- Domestic violence;
- Adoption; and
- Guardianship.
As family law attorneys, we pride ourselves on helping you to:
- Understand California law as it pertains to you;
- Negotiate or litigate your case as your circumstances demand;
- Create a complete, error-free, and enforceable order that meets your needs; and
- Move your case through the family law system as expeditiously as possible.
At Schoenberg Family Law Group, we frequently handle high-net-worth and high-conflict cases. We want to reduce the anxiety and stress created by your legal issues. Call or reach out to our Sonoma County office online to let our family law attorneys evaluate your case.
Why Clients Trust Our Sonoma County Family Law Firm
- Board-Certified Family Law Expertise: Founding attorney Debra R. Schoenberg is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist. This distinction reflects advanced knowledge, substantial family law experience, and ongoing professional requirements.
- Nearly 40 Years of Family Law Experience: Our firm has spent decades representing families in divorce, custody, support, property division, and other sensitive family law matters.
- High-Asset and High-Conflict Case Experience: We regularly handle matters involving substantial assets, business interests, real estate, complex compensation, contested custody, and emotionally difficult disputes.
- Strategic Negotiators and Trial Advocates: We pursue efficient resolutions whenever possible, but we are prepared to litigate when settlement does not protect your rights.
- Focused Family Law Representation: We practice family law exclusively. Our team brings over 400 combined years of experience and expertise in the field.
Sonoma County Family Law Attorney Quick Links
- What Are Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements in Sonoma County?
- Family Law Cases in Sonoma County
- Divorce and Military Divorce Information
- Property Division in Sonoma County
- Sonoma County Spousal Support
- Child Custody and Child Support in Sonoma County
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Contact an Experienced Sonoma County Family Lawyer
What Are Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements in Sonoma County?
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements are legal documents that set forth rules married couples must follow upon divorce or death. These rules pertain to the division of assets and finances. While these documents are similar, a prenuptial agreement is signed before marriage, and a postnuptial agreement is signed after marriage.
It is imperative to draft either document with the help of attorneys, as they must follow specific rules to be upheld in court. Both must be entered into voluntarily, be in writing, signed and notarized, and be clear, transparent, and fair.
Family Law Cases in Sonoma County
Family law cases for Sonoma County residents are handled through the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma. Divorce, custody, support, guardianship, and related family law matters are commonly processed through the Civil and Family Law Courthouse in Santa Rosa.
Having an attorney familiar with California family law and local court expectations can help you avoid unnecessary delays, prepare stronger filings, and understand what to expect at each stage of your case.
Divorce in Sonoma County
Divorce is only one way to end a marriage in California. A couple may also file for a legal separation or an annulment. Only one spouse must file for a divorce.
California is a no-fault divorce state, meaning neither party is to blame for the divorce. One spouse must only state the spouses have irreconcilable differences.
To file for a divorce in California, the filing spouse must be a resident of California for six months prior to filing and a resident of the county in which they file for three months before filing.
Helpful and supportive
Debra and team were so helpful and supportive through the most difficult time in my life. Grateful to the team for their advice – would highly recommend their services to anyone needing a divorce attorney.
Military Divorce in Sonoma County
Military divorces are more complex than other divorces due to additional state, federal, and military laws that apply to the division of pensions, health insurance, properties, and pay. State laws still determine child custody, debt, spousal support, and child support.
Property Division in Sonoma County
California is a community property state, meaning marital assets and debts are shared equally upon divorce. Marital assets and debts typically do not include separate property distinguished by prenuptial and postnuptial agreements or:
- Property acquired prior to marriage;
- Property acquired by separate gift or inheritance; and
- Royalties, rents, or profits accumulated from separate property.
Spousal Support in Sonoma County
Spouses may request support both during the pendency of a divorce action and at the close of a divorce case. Temporary spousal support awards end when the divorce is finalized and are typical to cover the living expenses of the lower-earning spouse during the divorce.
Rehabilitative, permanent, and reimbursement support begin after the divorce. The most common of these is rehabilitative support. The goal of rehabilitative spousal support is to give the lower-earning spouse an opportunity to gain valuable job skills or education and become self-supporting.
Permanent spousal support is rare but may be awarded in cases of long-term marriage where a spouse cannot enter the workplace due to advanced age or illness. Reimbursement support may be requested by a spouse who helped finance the other spouse’s education or career advancement during the marriage but will not realize the benefit of their investment.
Child Custody and Visitation in Sonoma County
California has both legal and physical child custody. Legal custody is a parent’s ability to make significant decisions regarding a child’s health, education, and welfare. Physical custody refers to which parent a child lives with.
Parents may share legal and physical custody, or a parent may have sole legal and physical custody. Joint physical custody does not have to be an even split, just approximate. If a parent does not have physical custody of a child, that parent is said to have visitation.
When judges have to make a custody and visitation order on behalf of parents, they do so according to the best interests of the child. When deciding what is in the child’s best interests, the court considers:
- The age of the child;
- The health of the child;
- The emotional ties between the parents and the child;
- The ability of the parents to care for the child;
- Any history of family violence or substance abuse; and
- The child’s ties to the school, home, and their community.
Courts do not give preferential custody to the mother or the father regardless of the age or sex of the child.
Child Support in Sonoma County
Parents must support their children. In California, parents are required to pay support until a child turns eighteen or nineteen if the child is still in high school and living with a parent.
California has a set of child support guidelines that include a mathematical formula for computing monthly child support obligations. Factors included in the child support calculation include, but are not limited to:
- The parents’ monthly incomes;
- The amount of time spent with the child;
- Health insurance costs for the children;
- Any income tax deductions the parents can claim;
- Mandatory payroll deductions; and
- Child care costs incurred by either parent.
Guardianship in Sonoma County
A guardianship is a court order for someone other than a child’s parent to:
- Have custody of a child;
- Manage a child’s property; or
- Both.
A guardianship is not an adoption. In guardianship, parents still have rights and can request reasonable contact with a child. A guardianship can terminate if the parents can take care of a child.
In an adoption, parents’ rights are permanently terminated. The adoptive parents’ rights become those of the birth family as to inheritance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sonoma County Family Law
Where Are Family Law Cases Heard in Sonoma County?
Family law cases in Sonoma County are handled through the Superior Court of California, County of Sonoma, with many divorce, custody, support, and related matters processed at the Civil and Family Law Courthouse in Santa Rosa.
Do I Need a Lawyer for a Family Law Case in Sonoma County?
You are not legally required to hire a lawyer, but having one is important, especially if your case involves children, property, support, domestic violence, business interests, or conflict with the other party.
How Long Does a Sonoma County Divorce Take?
A California divorce takes at least six months because the state has a mandatory waiting period. Contested divorces involving custody, property division, support, or high-conflict disputes may take longer.
How Is Property Divided in a Sonoma County Divorce?
California community property law requires an equal division of assets and debts acquired during the marriage. Separate property may be excluded if properly traced and proven.
What Happens if Parents Cannot Agree on Custody?
If parents cannot agree on custody and visitation arrangements, the court requires them to participate in mediation through Family Court Services before a judge makes a decision based on the child’s best interests.
Can Child Support Be Changed After an Order Is Entered?
Yes. A parent may request a child support modification if there has been a substantial change in circumstances, such as job loss, income changes, new childcare costs, or changes in parenting time.
Contact an Experienced Sonoma County Family Law Attorney
For more information about any family law issue in Sonoma County, contact the experienced, compassionate attorneys at Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. We want to help you find practical, creative solutions to your most complex family law problems.
We practice only family law and are dedicated to bringing you the best possible family court outcome. Whether this is through extensive negotiations, mediation, or trial litigation, our firm is prepared to represent you.
Speak with our office in Sonoma County today to schedule your private consultation. Contact us online today.
