Divorce Lawyers & Family Law Attorneys in Contra Costa County serving Alamo, Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Blackhawk, Brentwood, Briones, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Clyde, Concord, Cowell, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Hilltop Mall, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Los Medanos, Maltby, Martinez, Moraga, N Richmond, North Richmond, Oakley, Orinda, Pacheco, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Point Richmond, Port Chicago, Port Costa, Rheem Valley, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Tara Hills, Vine Hill, Walnut Creek, Walnut Heights and West Pittsburg

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How to Find the Best Divorce Attorney in Contra Costa County CA

Everyone has heard the statistics about divorce. Some experts put the divorce percentages as high as fifty percent. Theories for why this is so are too numerous to count. Whatever the reason, if you find yourself needing a divorce, you'll need some guidance. While there is a lot to think about before proceeding, you will almost certainly need a good Contra Costa County divorce attorney to get you through the legal maze. Here, The Prime Buyer's Report has put together a list of resources to help you on your way. more »

How to Find the Best Divorce Attorney in Contra Costa County CA 

Whether or not the parties in a marriage have children, a divorce (or dissolution of marriage as it is called in legal-ese) is handled in a branch of the court system known as family law. Often, lawyers who specialize in helping people through divorce are known as family law attorneys, divorce attorneys, or both. If you already have or are already comfortable with a lawyer through some other matter, it is a great idea to ask them if they can represent you. He or she may be ready, willing and able to assist you, and if not, can usually recommend a colleague that specializes in divorce law.

Contra Costa County Family Law Attorneys and Divorce Lawyers
In the world of family law, there are always at least two parties (occasionally more than that): basically husband and wife. Whereas in other areas of civil law the parties are known as plaintiff and defendant, in family law they are referred to as petitioner and respondent. Any family law or divorce attorneys are qualified to represent either party. In fact, there is little functional difference in the designations of petitioner and respondent. Whichever party makes the first request to the court for a dissolution or separation is the petitioner; he or she "petitions the court" and the other party "responds" to the petition.

If there are children under the age of eighteen involved in your divorce, divorce lawyers or family law attorneys will also be able to negotiate custody, visitation and support issues as a matter of course. Where divorcing parties are not fiercely divided over these issues, it is usually fine to negotiate an agreement and memorialize it through your respective counsel. If however, custody, visitation or support issues are contested, it may be best to be sure you have a divorce or family law attorney that specializes in custody disputes.

It is worth noting that in California, dissolutions of marriage are governed by a few rules that are good to familiarizing yourself with before you consult with attorneys. California, and several other states, have "community property" laws which govern the way virtually all the money, property and objects that accumulate during a marriage will be divided in the event of divorce. The community property laws do not affect matters of custody or visitation if your dissolution involves minor children. Community property is a complicated subject, and your attorney will be able to explain how it will apply to your individual case.

California is also known as a "no-fault" divorce state. That means any party can request a divorce and need not state any reason other than the catch-all: irreconcilable differences. Most jurisdictions strongly favor this type of policy for divorcing parties, because it avoids unpleasant accusations which must then be argued and/or proven in front of a tribunal. This means that many allegations which divorcing spouses might find relevant, if not extremely vexing, and which may or may not be true, are irrelevant. Good divorce attorneys can explain how this will work in your individual case.

Finally, in California, a unique statute (Family Code Section 2033) allows either party in a divorce to retain counsel, irrespective of that party's ability to pay a retainer or fees. If you are demonstrably unable to produce the requisite funds to retain counsel, a family law or divorce attorney may agree to accept a partial interest in your house instead. These agreements are liens against an asset that many divorcing people have, a house, condo or other ownership of land. These liens are called family law attorney's real property liens, or FLARPL. An encumbrance (debt) for this purpose attaches only to the encumbering party's interest in the real property.

Family Law Attorneys and Divorce Lawyers in Contra Costa County
Licensed lawyers are controlled by several governing bodies. The largest is the American Bar Association (ABA), which oversees all state Bar Associations. In California, licensed attorneys are regulated by the ABA and the California Bar Association (CBA). Additionally, many lawyers are members of local Bar Associations, although they are not required to be part of these smaller, regional associations.

Legal Counsel Options for Divorce Petitioners and Respondents in Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, San Ramon and Richmond
There is a remarkably varied selection of counselors at law; it can be difficult to know where to turn. When you have determined a few things about your case, it can still be difficult to choose which lawyer will be best for you. That's why we've listed some of the best family law and divorce lawyers in Contra Costa County for you. The top ten family law and divorce law firms in Contra Costa County includes:

Look for Attorneys in Contra Costa County That Do More Than the Bare Minimum
When retaining divorce attorneys or law firms, look for those that have been mentioned favorably in industry publications, or have high consumer ratings from such organizations as the Better Business Bureau. The Prime Buyer's Report has compiled a list of reputable publications, associations, and internet resources. To view these links, see the article, "Key Consumer Resources for Law Firms in Contra Costa County."

 

 

How to Find the Best Divorce or Family Law Attorney in Contra Costa County 

Know What You're Looking For From Divorce Lawyers
Before you can decide if particular Contra Costa County divorce lawyers are right for you, it's best to have a clear idea of exactly what you're looking for.  In terms of dissolution of marriage actions, is yours a relatively big case? That is: Was your marriage long term? Is either party a high earner? Are there significant assets or very young children? Or was it short term, perhaps no minor children are involved, or the assets are few.  Are you looking for a one-on-one relationship with your divorce attorney, or is a large firm team-strategy better for you? Do you want a family law attorney that will be able to take your case to trial, if need arises? Many divorce attorneys specialize in trials. They often take cases from other family law attorneys who do not. Don't be alarmed if your attorney brings in an associate for trial assistance after having handled your case from the beginning. Would you prefer an attorney who specializes in mediation or collaborative law? Every case is unique, but if you have a general idea of what services you're seeking from divorce lawyers, it will make it easier for you to narrow your search.

Much of the information you need is available on the Internet, including definitions of terms, an attorney's record with the Court and Bar Association, and much, much more. See the article "Consumer Resources for Family Law or Divorce Attorneys in Contra Costa County."

• Use the list of questions below to help narrow your search.

• How long have the divorce attorneys been practicing family law?

• How long have the family lawyers been practicing in their specialty?

• How much are the retainer fee for the divorce law firms?

• What is the hourly rate for the divorce attorneys?

• What are the divorce attorneys' case loads like?

• How many people from the law firms will work on a divorce case like yours (associate attorneys, paralegals, investigators, legal assistants, secretaries, etc)?

• Will the lawyers take a family law attorney's real property lien (FLARPL) in lieu of fees?
 (See  the article "How to Find the Best Divorce Attorney in Contra Costa County" above, for an explanation of FLARPL.)

It's very important that you work with a lawyer that you can trust and who makes you feel comfortable. Consider your first impression, beginning with the first phone call. Did you get a person, or an answering service? Was your initial impression that you were dealing with competent professionals?  Did you feel respected and accommodated by the attorneys or law firms? If you were offered a consultation, did you feel at ease with the attorney? Did you feel he or she had confidence in your case? Were you able to speak freely with the divorce lawyer? Probably one or two names will rise to the top of your list after you have considered these things.

First Impression of a Good Divorce Lawyer
Good divorce lawyers will listen carefully to what you're saying and will ask relevant questions. If family law attorneys seem to only want to get you in the door, or tries to make you sign a retainer agreement without hearing something about your case, choose someone else. You are not obligated to hire the first divorce attorney you talk to.

When you've selected what seems to be the most suitable legal representation for you, make sure you understand the terms of your agreement with the law firm. Check for any consumer complaints from the Better Business Bureau, and check to see if there are legitimate complaints lodged with the State and Local chapters of the Bar Association.

Once you have retained your attorney, keep in contact with him or her, but be aware that your case is rarely the only priority in the office. Throughout your case, you will surely have questions for your divorce attorney. Write them down and try to consolidate your questioning. That is, instead of calling every time you have a question for your lawyer, call once a week with all your questions ready. This will also save you money in legal fees. 

 

 

Consumer Resources for Family Lawyers or Divorce Attorneys in Contra Costa County 

Attorneys Associations, Licensing & Consumer Resources
 
BBB Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbb.org/)
The State bar of California (www.calbar.ca.gov)
Collaborative Practice California (http://www.cpcal.org/ )
FindLaw (http://www.findlaw.com/)
LexisNexis (http://www.lawyers.com/)
Sonoma County Bar Association (www.sonomacountybar.org)
Marin County Bar Association (http://www.marinbar.org/)
Solano County Bar Association (http://www.solanobar.org)
San Mateo Bar Association (http://www.smcba.org/)
Santa Clara Bar Association (http://www.sccba.com/)
Alameda County Bar Association (http://www.acbanet.org/)
Contra Costa Bar Association (http://www.cccba.org/)
Napa County Bar Association (http://www.napalaw.com/)
San Francisco County Bar Association (http://www.sfbar.org/)

 
The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for divorce lawyers and family law attorneys in Contra Costa County within the following zip codes:  

94506, 94507, 94509, 94511, 94513, 94514, 94516, 94517, 94518, 94519, 94520, 94521, 94522, 94523, 94524, 94525, 94526, 94527, 94528, 94530, 94531, 94547, 94548, 94549, 94553, 94556, 94561, 94563, 94564, 94565, 94569, 94570, 94572, 94575, 94582, 94583, 94595, 94596, 94597, 94598, 94801, 94802, 94803, 94804, 94805, 94806, 94807, 94808, 94820 and 94850

 
The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for the top 10 family lawyers and divorce attorneys in Contra Costa County within the following cities:

Alamo, Antioch, Bay Point, Bethel Island, Blackhawk, Brentwood, Briones, Byron, Canyon, Clayton, Clyde, Concord, Cowell, Crockett, Danville, Diablo, Discovery Bay, El Cerrito, El Sobrante, Hercules, Hilltop Mall, Kensington, Knightsen, Lafayette, Los Medanos, Maltby, Martinez, Moraga, N Richmond, North Richmond, Oakley, Orinda, Pacheco, Pinole, Pittsburg, Pleasant Hill, Point Richmond, Port Chicago, Port Costa, Rheem Valley, Richmond, Rodeo, San Pablo, San Ramon, Tara Hills, Vine Hill, Walnut Creek, Walnut Heights and West Pittsburg

 

 

  

Divorce Lawyers / Family Law Attorneys Walnut Creek Area
County	City-Area	City	Family Law / Divorce Attorneys Found
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Alamo CA	1
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Clyde CA	* see Concord CA
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Concord CA	4
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Cowell CA	* see Concord CA
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Lafayette CA	8
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Moraga CA	1
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Orinda CA	2
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Pleasant Hill CA	8
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Rheem Valley CA	0
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Saranap CA	* see Walnut Creek CA
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Walnut Creek CA	48
Contra Costa	Walnut Creek	Walnut Heights CA	* see Walnut Creek CA

 

 

Divorce Lawyers / Family Law Attorneys San Ramon Area
County	City-Area	City	Family Law / Divorce Attorneys Found
Contra Costa	San Ramon	Blackhawk CA	* see Danville CA
Contra Costa	San Ramon	Clayton CA	0
Contra Costa	San Ramon	Danville CA	2
Contra Costa	San Ramon	Diablo CA	0
Contra Costa	San Ramon	San Ramon CA	8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divorce Lawyers / Family Law Attorneys Pittsburg CA Area
County	City-Area	City	Family Law / Divorce Attorneys Found
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Antioch CA	4
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Bay Point CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Bethel Island CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Brentwood CA	2
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Byron CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Discovery Bay CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Knightsen CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Los Medanos CA	* see Pittsburg CA
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Oakley CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Pittsburg CA	0
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	Port Chicago CA	* see Pittsburg CA
Contra Costa	Pittsburg	West Pittsburg CA	* see Pittsburg CA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Divorce Lawyers / Family Law Attorneys Richmond CA Area
County	City-Area	City	Family Law / Divorce Attorneys Found
Contra Costa	Richmond	Briones CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Crockett CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	El Cerrito CA	4
Contra Costa	Richmond	El Sobrante CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Hercules CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Hilltop Mall CA	* see Richmond CA
Contra Costa	Richmond	Kensington CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Maltby CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Martinez CA	6
Contra Costa	Richmond	North Richmond CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Pinole CA	1
Contra Costa	Richmond	Point Richmond CA	* see Richmond CA
Contra Costa	Richmond	Port Costa CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Richmond CA	3
Contra Costa	Richmond	Rodeo CA	1
Contra Costa	Richmond	San Pablo CA	2
Contra Costa	Richmond	Selby CA	0
Contra Costa	Richmond	Tara Hills CA	* see San Pablo CA
Contra Costa	Richmond	Vine Hill CA	* see Martinez CA

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dealing with Divorce Attorneys in Walnut Creek, Pittsburg, San Ramon and Richmond 

Have a Plan Before Talking to Divorce Attorneys.
When you find yourself in the market for a divorce lawyer, it's a good idea to know what it is you hope your attorney can do for you. Know what you hope to accomplish, and get comfortable with stating your requests and hopes. Ask yourself if you need a big team of lawyers, with a phalanx of attorneys and support staff, or if you really need a partner to work closely with you and devote a significant portion of his or her time to you and your case alone. Choosing between the big law firm experience and a small law firm or solo practitioner is a major first step. Know the advantages and disadvantages of each and plan accordingly.

Write Down the Facts Before Meeting with Contra Costa County Lawyers.
Think through your divorce case. It is important to understand that divorce lawyers are trained to understand legal disputes dispassionately. This does not mean they don't care about you or your case. To the contrary, many lawyers are dedicated to righting wrongs and finding equitable solutions to problems. It does mean, however, that your emotions are secondary to their job. You are hiring a divorce attorney to get results. Help them do their job by providing clear, factual, chronological information.

Remember to communicate your desires clearly. Your goals, dates of marriage and of separation, names and ages of any minor children, basic information about your financial situation and any other documents you think might be relevant to your case are great to bring with you when you are interviewing potential separation or divorce attorneys, and in your first meeting with any lawyers that you retain. Having these pertinent details at the ready from the start can help you and your divorce attorney immeasurably in the first stages of your case.

Get Opinions From Several Law Firms in Contra Costa County.
If you can, try to get a few opinions about the viability or possible outcomes of your divorce case. One divorce attorney may feel strongly that a matter is well-settled law, and there is nothing to be done. Do not let this deter you from contacting another, or several other, lawyers to get their opinions. Another family law attorney may feel the law is changing, or that your case fits an exception the other lawyers didn't see or didn't know about. 
 
It's Called "The Practice of Law" for a Reason.
Remember, the law is always changing. There is seldom a single answer to any question or legal dispute, and this inlcudes divorce settlements and child custody cases. Attorneys and counselors at law are working with this ever-changing material, and they are imperfect human beings. This reality means that divorce law is truly practice and not art or mastery.

Choose Experienced Divorce Attorneys.
This may not mean hiring the oldest divorce lawyer you can find. In fact, it may mean hiring that newly minted family attorney, just setting up shop. You might feel that by hiring an old hand you are getting the most experienced and reputable advocate that a retainer affords. But some divorce lawyers may have gotten calcified, stuck in a rut, or be less responsive to your concerns and questions. Due to the ever-changing nature of the law, that bright young divorce lawyer may have the most cutting edge information, may know about the latest trends in a particular area of law. He or she may also have some experience in the newest and best information acquired through an internship during law school. Internships in law school are called clerkships generally, and are a law student's opportunity to practice law with a safety net. Thus, a newly licensed divorce attorney may actually have more experience than you realize.

These generalizations are just that: generalizations. There are exceptions to every rule. Use your judgment, and choose the legal advocate with the experience you need.

Ask the Lawyers Questions About Possible Outcomes.
Knowing what to expect is always the best way to feel comfortable. Be sure to announce what you'd like to see, and be prepared for the range of responses. There is never a guaranteed outcome in a legal dispute: never. In fact, a divorce attorney who promises any particular result is probably acting beyond his or her ethical responsibilities. Ideally, your attorney can describe some possibilities. For instance, if you want to be able to buy out your spouse from an existing mortgage on your house, your attorney ought to be able to tell you if that is a realistic possibility. If you want to have primary custody of your children, your attorney ought to be able to tell you if the court is likely to be sympathetic to your wish. Your attorney can probably explain what, if any, child support or spousal support you may have to pay or are likely to be entitled to.

Know Your Rights When Working With Good Lawyers in Contra Costa County.
Although it can be difficult to know whether or not an attorney has acted in bad faith, or committed malpractice, there are resources available if you feel a lawyer has acted unethically. Reference the California State Bar Association Web site to learn more. (See our article, "Key Consumer Resources for Family Law and Divorce Attorneys in Contra Costa County.")