Family Law

• Divorce
  Deciding to end your marriage can be devastating. Luckily, there are options out there that can help ease the stress of getting divorced. California offers separating couples the opportunity to file for uncontested divorces. This allows them to avoid the contentious aspects of litigation and come to agreements outside of court. If you wish to file for an uncontested divorce in Santa Rosa, it is imperative that you hire an experienced family lawyer who can help you do so.
• Child Support
  Divorce in Santa Rosa usually requires both spouses to confront several issues, from determining custody of their children and settling child support terms to dividing their marital property. Your upcoming divorce is likely to influence your financial support in many ways, likely for years to come. It’s common for people who are divorcing to disagree on the financial elements of their divorces, and it’s understandable for anyone to desire to preserve their individual financial interests in a divorce.
• Child Custody and Visitation
  One of the most difficult experiences any parent can face is a child custody determination. If you are an unmarried parent and you and your co-parent have decided to end your relationship and raise your child as separate single parents, or if you and your spouse have children and you intend to divorce, you must brace for a very difficult custody determination.
• Adoption
• Guardianship
  When a parent becomes unable to care for a child for any reason, legal custody of the child may be transferred to a different guardian. Guardianships can be used either as short-term or long-term solutions in the event of death or incapacity, although they are less permanent than adoptions. Our knowledgeable attorney can assist you in the process of nominating a guardian. We also assist relatives in obtaining guardianships of children whose parents are unable to properly care for their children, and we defend parents if someone is attempting to take guardianship of your children against your will. Contact us today if you have questions about establishing or ending a guardianship, or even have questions about visitation if the children are in a guardianship
• Spousal Support
  Whatever your situation may entail, the right attorney can make a tremendous difference in how your upcoming family court case comes out. A Santa Rosa spousal support attorney is the ideal resource to consult if there is a significant difference between your financial situation and your spouse’s. For example, when one spouse earns more income than the other and/or the lower-earning spouse depends entirely on the higher-earning spouse financially, spousal support could come into play as an element of their divorce.
• Child Abuse
  When a petition alleging child abuse or neglect is filed against you, you have options. The Carroll Law Office helps you decide which approach is right for your situation and keeps you informed of the deadlines you will need to meet.

Criminal Law

• Restraining Order
  At the Carroll Law Office, we take domestic violence cases very seriously. We provide a safe space for survivors to visit us and discuss their concerns, whether they are seeking divorce or a restraining order or both. As a civil court order, signed by a judge, a restraining order provides legal protection to victims of stalking, harassment, and abuse. When it comes to obtaining and defending restraining orders for domestic violence survivors, our attorney has extensive experience inside and outside of the courtroom.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  An estate plan is an excellent recipe for financial peace of mind. When an estate plan is designed correctly, it gives legal significance to your future wishes and protects your loved ones after you are gone. The Carroll Law Office is here to guide you through every stage of the estate planning process. We can tell you all about the strategies you can take to prepare for a brighter future.
• Probate

Finance Law

• Tax Law
  Before becoming an attorney, Jim served as a Sergeant in the US Army’s 82nd Airborne Division and as a Drill Sergeant in the Army Reserves. Because he has also owned and operated small businesses, he now practices law with an understanding of the challenges faced by business people. He has experience with tax preparation and bookkeeping and was an accounting major at Sonoma State University, all of which helps him to understand and solve complex financial matters in family law.