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Family Law Attorney with a History in Santa Rosa & Sonoma County

Sonoma County Family Law Attorney Arlene Kock

I’m pleased to announce the expansion of my family law practice to include Santa Rosa and Sonoma County where my family has had roots for three generations.

My maternal grandmother’s side of the family moved to the Santa Rosa area in the late 1800s. The Lee building on 4th Street was constructed by my family. The Lee brothers were a well-known and highly respected drayage company that served Northern California.

I’ve been practicing family law for over 40 years and have regularly appeared in family law cases in Sonoma County. My Northern California staff and I continue to operate remotely as does our local family courts. I look forward to providing full-service family law legal assistance to our Sonoma County community, including child custody and support, divorce, domestic partnerships, paternity, prenuptial agreements, spousal support, visitation rights, and more.

Arlene D. Kock, Esq.

Child Custody Attorney in Sonoma County

sonoma county child custody attorney

Who Gets Child Custody in California?

In Sonoma County, like in the rest of California, child custody determinations are guided by the Family Law Code to ensure the child’s best interests, focusing on their health, safety, and welfare. The law emphasizes maintaining frequent and continuing contact with both parents unless there is a history of child abuse, domestic violence, or any situation where such contact would not benefit the child. Relevant sections include California Family Code Sections 3011, 3020, 3040, and 3080. According to Section 3040, custody should be granted in order of preference, prioritizing the child’s best interests.

Domestic Violence and Custody

If a child is exposed to domestic violence, directly or indirectly, the court must design a custody plan that ensures safe contact with the abusive parent. Depending on the severity of the abuse, the court may prohibit any contact between the child and the abusive parent.

Custody Language and Definitions

The court aims to avoid designating one parent as the visiting parent and the other as the custodial parent. Instead, both parents are referred to as having “parenting time,” emphasizing the quality of time spent with the child rather than the quantity.

Who Can Ask for Custody of a Child?

Custody can be petitioned not only by biological parents but also by grandparents, stepparents, or anyone who believes they can provide suitable care and guidance. According to California Family Code Section 3040, custody is granted in preference order, focusing on the child’s best interests. The court first considers granting custody to both parents jointly or to either parent individually. If neither parent is suitable, custody may be granted to other individuals who can provide a stable and appropriate environment for the child.

Ensuring Visitation

California Family Code Section 3040 outlines the order of preference for custody based on the best interests of the child as per Sections 3011 and 3020. The court considers which parent is more likely to facilitate frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent, without gender bias. Parents may be required to submit a custody plan. If neither parent is granted custody, the court considers the child’s current living environment and stability, then any other suitable individuals.

Court Considerations and Custody Changes

The court evaluates which parent is more likely to support frequent contact with the noncustodial parent. If a parent with greater time share sabotages the child’s relationship with the other parent, custody may be reassigned to the non-offending parent.

Legal Guidance

Determining the best custodial placement is crucial for the well-being of both children and parents. To protect your legal rights and those of your children, it is advisable to hire an attorney with extensive experience in family law.

Divorce & Family Law Attorney in Sonoma County

sonoma county divorce family law lawyer

Divorce Settlements: The Best Way to End a Marriage

Resolution of a family law or divorce case is widely recognized by family lawyers, mediators, and judges as the optimal way to serve a client’s interests. Fortunately, the vast majority of family law cases do settle, though the journey can be challenging, arduous, and costly.

To effectively settle a family law case, all parties must approach the situation with a willingness to compromise. True compromise means that both parties feel they have gained and conceded something. If one party has unrealistic expectations of what is fair, the case is likely to end up in court.

For an attorney representing a client, it is crucial to understand the psychological dynamics influencing the case as early as possible. For instance, if one spouse is bitter and resentful about the breakup, these emotions can drive the entire case, leading to attempts to “get even” through property division, child custody, or other issues. An experienced family law attorney will address these potential psychological issues with the client during the initial consultation.

Each family law case is unique, influenced by specific issues and personalities, and will take its own path to resolution. Some cases can be resolved quickly if both parties are emotionally prepared and organized about property division and other matters. However, cases with significant property issues and complex fact patterns may take months or even years to resolve.

Legal guidance & experience

A skilled attorney will not only be knowledgeable about the applicable law but will also guide the client in engaging with the other party and their attorney. Maintaining direct and civil communication and proactively solving problems helps create a stable environment and fosters trust, which is essential for settlement and forward progress in the divorce case.

After over 40 years as a Family Law practitioner, I find that settlement is more an art than a science. Settling allows the parties to move on with their lives, stabilizes the parenting relationship, and helps them let go of the problems of the marriage.

Client Testimonials

I have worked with many attorneys over the years. I know good and I know mediocre. I have had the great good fortune to work with her on some matters and am impressed with how knowledgeable, efficient and effective she is. She is a 10 out of 10 in my view. I have referred clients to her and the feedback has always been top rate. I have been thanked for making a referral to her after the client met with her. You are in great hands here!

— Elizabeth JohnsonAttorney

Scared to death of going to court. After hiring Arlene and fighting back, I got the results I wanted. Absolutely loyal and the best.

— Anonymous

Very few attorneys are as experienced as is Arlene, know all the ropes and really care about the best outcome for each and every client. Additionally, she keeps her costs as reasonable as possible. You will not find a better advocate at a more reasonable cost or at any cost. If you ever need an excellent, tough and compassionate attorney to represent you on divorce or custody matters, I can enthusiastically recommend Arlene. She is the best!

— Amper S

So relieved to have Arlene Kock guiding me legally. Her experience and knowledge of very complex family law matters has been the saving grace of a terrible situation. Her almost encyclopedic grasp of the finer points of custody and visitation is amazing and such an advantage in negotiations. Arlene's professional demeanor makes opposing counsel look like thugs, yet she's tenacious and tough and obviously well respected in the courts. You'll be grateful she's on your side; I know I am. Thanks Arlene- you are my rock!

— Stafford S.

One of the most accomplished attorneys I've worked with in my nasty child custody case. I had two other attorneys before her that just didn't get it or help me understand what should be done to best run my case. She knew the court, the judges and knew how to master the management of the legal process. I have my kids now thanks to her.

— Bill M

I have been Arlene's client for the last 5 years. All I can say is she is the best attorney I have ever used on my messy case. She is always dependable, hard working, a model attorney always trying to follow the concept of working together on a case with the other side first and foremost rather than fight for fighting sake. Because of her talents, my Kids are happy with my custody plan and I do not think I will have to go back to court again for a long time because Arlene got a great settlement we all can all live with. If you want to hire the best she is it!!!!

— Anonymous

Arlene Kock is highly professional and an expert in the field of family law and dealing with complex challenges. More importantly she cares about her clients and the children involved. She is an expert problem solver and does not beat around the bush to get things done. She gets tasks completed but always shows a human element and attention to detail. She is also a good listener and will work with her clients. Her staff is experienced and understands when you call it is important and treats you as important as all the clients that Ms. Kock represents. I have known Ms. Kock for close to seven years and she is excellent! I consider her to be more than my attorney!

— John D.

Ms Kock is the BEST! Plain and simple. Her staff was awesome ensuring I was in the loop at all times since I was an out of state Father and the work of the team was of great quaility. More important Ms. Kock is a caring person and stayed with me the entire time of the ordeal. She made sure my son had all the right tools and always showed me what would be right for my son. He came first and I trusted her with my son. She is my family now and at times when I need advice she has never left my side nor has her team. She is just a wonderful person and an honest person. She is the BEST!

—Anonymous