Petaluma is two towns in one, and it has been that way long enough that nobody mentions it anymore. There's the Petaluma of the Turning Basin and the Victorian houses and the agricultural history that gave this valley its identity long before Sonoma County had a wine industry. And there's the newer Petaluma of the SMART train platform and the morning commute to Marin and the professionals and remote workers who wanted an actual community instead of a suburb.

Both Petalumas produce families navigating the same kinds of family law challenges—property, custody, support, businesses that don't fit neatly into categories. Marla Keenan-Rivero has served North Bay families for 24 years, first as one of the region's most experienced family law litigators and now as a mediator who brings that same legal depth to every session.

A confidential, comprehensive process for all family law issues—property division, business interests, support, and custody. Particularly effective for Petaluma families whose financial situations don't fit the formulas courts apply: Bay Area dual incomes, appreciation-heavy real estate, agricultural land holdings. Learn more

Divorce mediation that accounts for Petaluma's economic complexity—Victorian homes with significant appreciation, agricultural parcels, retirement accounts from long public-sector careers, and Bay Area commuter income structures. Learn More

Parenting plans tailored to Petaluma families—your children's schools, your commute schedules, the geography of both households. Built to actually work in practice, not just satisfy a court's checklist. Learn More

Support agreements built for Bay Area compensation structures—RSUs, bonuses, deferred comp. The standard guideline formula was not designed for variable high-income situations. Mediation gets the number right. Learn More

For Petaluma's characteristic pattern: one spouse commuting to the Bay Area at high compensation, the other managing locally. The income disparity, the career sacrifice, and the realistic path forward—all addressed honestly in mediation. Learn More

For Petaluma divorces involving Bay Area equity compensation alongside local real estate, agricultural land, multiple retirement accounts, or business interests. Marla's 24-year family law background addresses every asset class. Learn More

The SMART train didn't just change Petaluma's commute—it changed who lives here. A significant portion of Petaluma households now include one spouse earning Bay Area income while the family lives Sonoma County life. That income dynamic creates complexity that guideline-based court orders handle badly: RSUs vesting on Bay Area timelines, bonus structures that vary year to year.

Mediation handles this better because it handles it honestly. Both parties fully disclose their financial picture. The resulting support and property agreements reflect the actual economics of the marriage, not a formula applied to last year's W-2.

There's also the Petaluma that pre-dates the SMART train: families with deep roots, farm properties that have been in the family for generations, small businesses along the waterfront that are as much identity as income.

Marla's office is in downtown Santa Rosa, about 20 minutes north of Petaluma on US-101. Many Petaluma clients choose to work entirely via secure video. The first consultation is free and can happen by phone or video before anyone goes anywhere.

1.    Free consultation — phone, video, or in person at her Santa Rosa office

2.    Structured session(s) — half-day or full-day, at her office or via secure video

3.    Memorandum of Understanding — prepared after each session, documenting all agreements

4.    Independent counsel review — each party's attorney reviews before signing

5.    Filed with Sonoma County court — your agreement becomes a binding court order

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