San Mateo, California Divorce Lawyers

At ADZ Law our accomplished divorce attorneys advise and represent clients in California divorce and dissolution proceedings in the San Francisco Bay Area and throughout the State. We are compassionate, zealous advocates who are steadfastly committed to our clients and their children. Drawing on our combined several decades of family law experience, we provide clients with an honest assessment about what the law can achieve and the options available to pursue their goals.

The Experience and Approach of Our Divorce Lawyers

The divorce attorneys at ADZ Law have many years of experience helping clients navigate the California divorce process. We counsel clients about their rights, duties, and options, to help them make the best, informed, decisions for themselves and their family. We believe this work helps our clients lay the groundwork for a life where they have autonomy and agency. Clients appreciate our results-oriented, passionate approach to dissolution.

We also have the calm temperament necessary to effectively resolve divorce-related disputes through peaceful negotiation, when possible. We believe that clients can retain more control over the outcomes in their cases and save themselves the often-experienced anxiety of litigation by meaningfully engaging in comprehensive negotiations. We are adept at advising clients on whether negotiation, litigation, or a combination of the two is right for their dissolution. Regardless of a client’s circumstances and reason for considering divorce, we take the time to listen to all their concerns.

Our divorce lawyers apply the full depth and breadth of their extensive family law experience to empower, support, and advocate for our clients throughout the divorce process.

Divorce and Dissolution in California

In the State of California, termination of a marriage or domestic partnership is accomplished by filing a petition for dissolution, which is the reason that divorce is also referred to as a dissolution. The terms divorce and dissolution are interchangeable and do not have different meanings.

California dissolution is a no-fault process, with irreconcilable differences constituting sufficient grounds to end the relationship legally through a divorce proceeding. Most divorces are filed and granted on this basis. In fact, the only other basis for termination of a marriage in the state is permanent incapacity to make legal decisions (incurable insanity).

As part of a dissolution proceeding, other issues relating to termination of the relationship must be addressed, including:

• Child custody
• Child support
• Division of property
• Spousal support (often referred to as “alimony”)

The divorce attorneys at ADZ Law have extensive experience negotiating and litigating all types of divorce, from simple divorces with no children to multi-faceted divorces with significant issues, such as complex asset division and high-conflict custody disputes. Other areas of our expertise include cases involving matters of same-sex relationships, domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, intellectual or physical disabilities, special needs children, and alcohol and drug abuse.

In the family law practice at ADZ Law, our attorneys also help clients in obtaining orders identifying the legal parents for children born outside of a marriage, children with multiple parents, children born of formal or informal sperm donation or surrogacy, children formally and informally adopted, children raised informally by loving adults, and other types of unique families.

Custody, Support, and Property Division in a Divorce Case

Resolution of custody, support, and property division issues in a divorce case can occur in several ways.

Resolutions can be accomplished through litigation, where the parties ask a judge to make a decision on any given issue, usually through a Request for Order. Litigation can be straightforward or complicated and contentious, dependent on the circumstances of the family at hand. The attorneys at ADZ Law have the depth of experience necessary to analyze the best litigation strategy and get results. Our attorneys acknowledge that there is no “one size fits all” approach, and that litigation may be the best strategic decision for some clients.

In some cases, the parties are able to negotiate the terms of an agreement on some or all of the issues in a dissolution through collaborative practice, mediation, or other types of alternative dispute resolution. If the parties cannot resolve all the issues through a negotiated agreement or alternative dispute resolution, the court ultimately decides those issues.

Our attorneys at ADZ Law have in-depth, wide-ranging experience in all methods of resolution. We excel in negotiating agreements on behalf of clients, while fully preserving and protecting their rights and interests. And, when negotiation is not an option or when an agreement cannot be reached, our attorneys have the skill and tenacity that it takes to litigate all types of divorce issues in court.

A specific divorce case may involve only one method for resolving disputes or reach resolution through a combination of one or more means of resolution. Regardless of how divorce issues unfold, and what it takes to resolve all the necessary issues, our divorce lawyers have the experience, skill, and knowledge to provide highly competent, effective counsel and representation throughout the entire process. In addition to providing the legal skill to help you navigate every step of a divorce, we provide the crucial emotional and moral support you deserve.