Family Law

Family Law

Mission: The purpose of the Family Law Section is to provide a forum for family law mediators, practitioners and court-involved professionals to keep each other informed and educated related to news, issues, projects, and trainings that relate to the practice of family law in Sonoma County, as well as to effectively discover and implement ways to improve the practice of Family Law within our county.

Membership in the Family Law Section of the SCBA includes the ability to:

  1. Attend the multitude of educational seminars specific to the practice of family law which are offered each year.
  2. Participate in the discussions and input (through the FL Steering Committee and Rules Sub-Committee) of local rule amendments
  3. Be appraised of changes in court staffing, processes, judicial officer assignments, etc., which effect the Family Law Section
  4. Receive notices via email of time sensitive changes or notices that effect the practice of Family Law.

 

2024 Chair:

Deirdre Kingsbury

Deirdre Kingsbury
Evans Kingsbury LLP
(707) 596-6090
deirdre@evanskingsbury.com
 

2024 Board Representative:

Tricia Seifert

Tricia Seifert
Redwood Empire Law & Mediation (RELM)
(707) 578-9386
tricia@relmlaw.com

Family Law Section Committees:

Family Law Steering Committee (FLSC)

  • Carla Hernandez Castillo (2022-2024 term)
  • Deirdre Kingsbury, Chair (2022-2024 term)
  • Kathleen Mullins (2022-2024 term)
  • Erin Farley (2023-2025 term)
  • Tricia Seifert, Vice-Chair (2023-2025 term)
  • Destinee Tartuffe (2023-2025 term)
  • Michael Liotta (2024-2026 term)
  • Kelsey O'Rourke, Secretary (2024-2026 term)
  • Janessa McCune (2024-2026 term)
  • Hon. James Bertoli, Judicial Officer (non-voting)
  • Hon. Peter Ottenweller, Judicial Officer (non-voting)
  • Hon. Paul Lozada, Judicial Officer (non-voting)
  • Robin Estes, Mental Health Committee Liaison (non-voting)
  • Shuree McVay, Clerk's Office (non-voting)
  • Kwesi Williams, Family Court Services (non-voting)
  • Carly Roden, Family Law Facilitator (non-voting)
  • Peggy Roth, Department of Child Support Services (non-voting)

The Family Law Steering Committee (“FLSC”) is a sub-committee of the Sonoma County Bar Association's (“SCBA”) Family Law Section. The committee is made up of representatives from the groups of professionals, agencies, and organizations that work with family law litigants in Sonoma County.

The purpose of the committee is to provide a monthly forum for these family law mediators and court-involved professionals to keep each other informed of news, issues, projects, and trainings that relate to the practice of family law in Sonoma County.

This Committee meets to discuss significant issues and news in the Court pertaining to the practice of Family Law in Sonoma County. Minutes of all FLSC meetings are distributed to all Family Law Section members after the minutes have been approved, about one to two months after the meeting.


Family Law Education Committee

  • Michael Fish, Chair
  • Laura Dunst, Vice-Chair

FL Mental Health Liaison Committee (MHLC)

  • Tom Gallahan, Chair 
  • Robin Estes, Liaison to the FLSC

The MHLC facilitates trainings, works to improve communications between professionals that work with families in crisis, by bringing together the family law judicial officers, court-involved therapists, and family law attorneys.


FL Title IV Liaison Committee

  • Carla Hernandez Castillo, Liaison to the FLSC

Minors Counsel Committee

  • Beki Berrey, Chair 

Lawyer Referral Service

SCBA can help you find the right lawyer to assist you with your legal issues.
Contact Win Rogers by email or call her at (707) 546-5297 for a referral.