Private Judging

The Path to a Better Divorce

decorative line divider with leaves on the left

Newport Private Judging Attorneys

Using Private Judging to Help You Resolve Your Case

Unbeknownst to many, private judging can offer a fast, easy way to resolve a family law case. Unlike other alternatives to in-court litigation, however, you still retain access to a judge who can help make determinations about your case, making private judging a uniquely attractive option for many Californians.

To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or via phone at 949-368-2121.

How Does Private Judging Work?

Private judges are legal professionals, often retired judges and attorneys. Depending on the arrangement parties come to, a private judge can have the same legal authority as an official public judge – in other words, their decision could be just as legally binding.

To use a private judge for a family law case, both parties have to notify the court presiding over their case of that decision. Additionally, both parties must come to an agreement ahead of time concerning the details of the judging. For example, if you may still want to take your case into a public court, you can decide the private judge’s decision won’t necessarily be completely binding. Alternatively, if you want to “skip” the experience of attending public court, you could make the private judge’s decision final.

Additionally, spouses who use private judging can choose who to hire as a private judge for their case.

The Private Judging Process

To initiate private judging, we’ll meet with you and your spouse, and collect disclosures from both parties concerning the details of the private judging arrangement.

After, we’ll evaluate your case to determine its complexity and how difficult it could be for a private judge to reach a decision. We’ll take care of scheduling the private judging for you.

After preparing a case summary for the private judge, the judging will take place in our office. Once the judge makes their decision, they’ll draft a court order finalizing the case (if the parties agreed to give the judge power to do so) and submit it to the court, allowing the court to resolve the legal dispute.

Private judging is a great option for parties who don’t want to attend court, or prefer the flexibility that choosing a private judge for a case offers.

To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or via phone at 949-368-2121.

Meet Our Team

Experienced in Guiding You To a Resolution

decorative line divider with leaves on the centered
Headshot of Lani Baron, divorce mediator at Alternative Divorce Solutions

Lani Baron

Founder
& CEO

Headshot of Jeanann Khalife, attorney mediator at Alternative Divorce Solutions

Jeanann Khalife

Attorney-Mediator
& Managing Partner

Clients Share Their Stories

Stories Like These Inspire Us Every Day

decorative line divider with leaves on the centered

“Thank you for all your knowledge, conscientiousness, and kindness.”

– Beverly

“First and foremost, I found that I had a lot to learn about the divorce mediation process. I did not exactly know what the role of the mediator was or if we would still have to go to Court.”

– Donald B.

“I was so stressed out before I went to ADS. Once I got there Lani sat with me and my husband and explained the whole mediation process. After I left I knew exactly what to expect and ADS lived up to my expectations.”

– Giz S.

Request Your Free Consultation

The First Step Starts With You

decorative line divider with leaves on the centered
  • Hidden
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Top 10 Reasons
To Choose Mediation
decorative line divider with leaves on the left
  • You get to be in control of your divorce.
  • Tailored solutions based on your needs.
  • Focus on your emotional well-being.
  • Eliminates combative power struggles.
  • Less stressful for every family member.
  • Neutral help from a qualified mediator.
  • Completely private and confidential.
  • Can protect the interests of young children.
  • Saves time by preventing long litigation.
  • Less money spent on attorney and court filing fees.