Healdsburg divorces at the high-asset end of the spectrum are among the most complex family law matters in Northern California—and among the most unsuited to the adversarial litigation process. A winery valuation fight litigated through Sonoma County Superior Court becomes a public spectacle in a community of twelve thousand, with competing experts, disclosed financial records, and a resolution that takes two to three years and costs both parties hundreds of thousands of dollars. Divorce mediation with Marla Keenan-Rivero produces the same legally binding result—a Marital Settlement Agreement submitted to the court—through a process that is entirely private, substantially faster, and driven by the parties' own analysis of their finances rather than a judge's decision under time pressure.

After 24 years handling the most complex family law cases in Sonoma County—including high-asset Healdsburg divorces involving winery interests, vineyard land, and estate-level financial complexity—Marla brought exactly that experience to her mediation practice. She knows how winery valuations are contested in court. She knows what QDRO drafting errors look like years later when they surface as pension disputes. She knows the California case law on winery goodwill, vineyard characterization, and trust asset treatment. That knowledge, applied in a private mediation setting with full financial disclosure and both parties at the table, produces outcomes that litigation cannot.

Healdsburg divorce mediation covers the complete dissolution of a marriage at the high-asset level: winery and vineyard valuation and disposition, estate property division, trust and entity characterization, retirement account division with precise QDRO language, spousal support including income characterization for winery owners, child custody arrangements appropriate for Healdsburg's seasonal and hospitality-driven economy, and any other matters arising from a high-asset separation. Most Healdsburg clients conduct sessions via secure video; in-person sessions at Marla's downtown Santa Rosa office are available for cases requiring extensive document review.

Call (707) 525-8800 or email Tidwell@perrylaw.net.