# Family Law Attorney in San Mateo When Your Family Needs Answers, San Mateo Turns To Us Divorce, custody battles, and protective orders rarely wait for a convenient moment. San Mateo County families turn to Hopper Hopper & Strebe when custody, support, or protection from an abusive partner needs immediate attention. Our family law attorneys build every case with a plan for trial, even when the goal is a fair settlement. [Free Consultation](https://westcoastdivorce.com/contact-us) ## A San Mateo County Family Lawyer Ready for a Fight No two family law cases move at the same pace. Some can resolve in a few months if both sides agree on the basics. Other cases can be more challenging and stretch on for a year or more when the issues are complicated, such as when a business needs a valuation, custody is contested, or a spouse withholds records. Hopper Hopper & Strebe treats every filing as if it could end up in front of a judge, so the groundwork is already in place once a case turns contested. We spend real time on discovery before a strategy gets set. Bank records, tax returns, and business ledgers often tell a different story than what a spouse initially presents, and missing that detail early can cost a client leverage later on. Clients come to a family lawyer in San Mateo County wanting more than sympathy or a lawyer spouting unrealistic goals just to get them to sign up. They want someone who reads the file closely, tells them the truth about their odds, and pushes toward a resolution that actually holds up once the paperwork is signed. [About Us](https://westcoastdivorce.com/about-us) ## Family Law Cases We Take On in San Mateo County Family law disputes in San Mateo County rarely involve just one issue. Our San Mateo County family law attorneys handle each matter below with a strategy built around the specific facts of the case. ### [Divorce](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-divorce-attorney) Some marriages end with a signature and a brief court appearance. Others require months of negotiation over a house, a business, retirement accounts, or parenting time. As San Mateo County family lawyers, we prepare every divorce case as if it were going to trial, giving clients real leverage during settlement talks. ### [Child Custody](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-child-custody-attorney) Custody disputes often center on school choice, holiday schedules, relocation requests, and each parent's daily involvement in a child's life. We pursue parenting plans that hold up over time and protect the bond between parent and child, not just an arrangement that resolves the immediate conflict. ### [Domestic Violence](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-domestic-violence-attorney) Accusations involving physical harm, threats, or coercive control change the direction of a family law case immediately. These matters affect custody, housing, and financial security all at once, and we handle them with the seriousness and discretion they require as San Mateo County family lawyers. ### [Restraining Orders](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-restraining-orders-attorney) A protective order filing moves fast and often arrives during an already volatile moment in a family dispute. Once granted, a restraining order can reshape contact, housing, communication, and custody arrangements within days. We prepare filings and responses on a tight timeline when a case demands it. ### Property Division and Support A business, real estate that has appreciated significantly, or stock compensation can turn a simple asset split into a drawn-out negotiation. Support disputes often follow the same pattern when income is irregular or when one spouse disputes their earnings. We bring in financial professionals when a case calls for outside expertise. ### [LGBTQIA+ Family Law](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-lgbtqia-family-law-attorney) Family law issues affecting LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples carry their own legal nuances, from parentage recognition to adoption and custody planning. Our experienced family law attorneys specialize in representing clients through these matters with respect for the relationships and family structures involved. ## Get Legal Footing Before Your Court Date Arrives Family court deadlines move quickly, and the choices made early in a case often shape what happens later. Talk with our family lawyers in San Mateo about your options before your next filing is due. [Schedule a Free Consultation](https://westcoastdivorce.com/contact-us) Or Call Us Now! (916) 518-9718 > “I highly, highly recommend Hopper Hopper & Strebe! I was served by my ex spouse and their atty for a divorce. My ex had an atty who absolutely wasn’t doing anything for an entire year. I hired Hopper Hopper & Strebe and Jessica and her staff got my divorce done fast!! Her and…” Ann Puig ## Why San Mateo County Families Choose Hopper Hopper & Strebe Credentials matter less than how a case actually gets handled once it's underway. Families searching for a family law attorney in San Mateo County choose our team for courtroom experience paired with a level head, even when a case turns adversarial. ### Custody Plans Built to Hold Up as Kids Grow A custody order is not the finish line. We think about how an arrangement holds up years down the road, not just whether it resolves today's disagreement. We keep that longer view in focus. ### Ready for High-Conflict and Contested Divorces Some firms steer clear of anything that can't be settled in a single mediation session. Our team specializes in high-conflict divorces, disputed asset cases, and contested custody matters without losing sight of what our clients are going through. ### Forensic-Level Attention to Business and Hidden Assets When a spouse controls the finances or a business complicates the numbers, we subpoena records and trace accounts most people would never think to check. We bring in forensic accountants when a San Mateo County case calls for that level of scrutiny. ### Straight Talk on Your Case, Backed by the Facts Clients deserve a realistic read on their case, not a guarantee no attorney can back up. Our family law firm explains what the facts support, where the risks sit, and what a reasonable outcome looks like. ## Family Law Questions from San Mateo County Clients Here is what residents most often ask before their first consultation. **How does the court decide child custody in San Mateo County?** California courts apply the best interest of the child standard under Family Code Section 3011, weighing the child's safety, stability, and relationship with each parent. Judges at the San Mateo County Superior Court use these same factors whenever parents cannot agree on their own. **How long does a divorce take once it is filed in San Mateo County?** California requires a mandatory six-month waiting period before any divorce becomes final, no matter how quickly both spouses agree. Filing also requires six months of California residency and three months of residency in the county where the case is filed. **How long does a restraining order last in San Mateo County?** A judge can issue a long-term order after a full hearing, and it can remain in effect for up to five years. Violating any restraining order is a criminal offense in California, which is part of why an immediate, well-prepared response matters. **Can a custody arrangement be modified after the court finalizes it?** **Yes.** Either parent can request a modification when circumstances change significantly, such as a relocation or a shift in a child's needs. The court applies the same best interest standard used in the original decision. ## Representing Peninsula Families from San Francisco to Sacramento From our San Francisco and Sacramento offices, we represent Peninsula families from San Mateo to Redwood City in divorce, custody, and domestic violence matters. **Sacramento County** - [Sacramento](https://westcoastdivorce.com/sacramento-family-law-attorney) - [Elk Grove](https://westcoastdivorce.com/elk-grove-family-law-attorney) - [Folsom](https://westcoastdivorce.com/folsom-family-law-attorney) by appointment only [555 Capitol Mall, Suite 785, Sacramento CA 95814](https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=Hopper%20Hopper%20%26%20Strebe&query_place_id=ChIJdSzHwNnRmoARWyH4xOxLcm0) **Placer County** - [Roseville](https://westcoastdivorce.com/roseville-family-law-attorney) - [Rocklin](https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/rocklin-family-law-attorney) - [Granite Bay](https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/granite-bay-family-law-attorney) - [Auburn](https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/auburn-divorce-lawyer) by appointment only [916 Highland Pointe Drive, Suite 250, Roseville CA 95678](https://maps.app.goo.gl/otDdQoUC54PJC4PNA) **El Dorado County** - [El Dorado Hills](https://westcoastdivorce.com/el-dorado-hills-family-law-attorney) - Placerville by appointment only [5170 Golden Foothill Pkwy, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762](https://maps.app.goo.gl/y6ohXgvTBtM4kQiu7) **Yolo County** - [Woodland](https://westcoastdivorce.com/woodland-family-law-attorney) **San Mateo County** - [San Mateo](https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/san-mateo-family-law-attorney) **San Francisco County** - [San Francisco](https://westcoastdivorce.com/san-francisco-family-lawyer) by appointment only [100 Pine Street, Suite 1250, San Francisco, CA 94111](https://maps.app.goo.gl/18ceTvTJUAHKpizz6) **Contra Costa County** - [Walnut Creek](https://westcoastdivorce.com/walnut-creek-family-law-attorney) [Marin County](https://westcoastdivorce.com/marin-county-family-law-attorney) **Amador County** - [Jackson](https://westcoastdivorce.com/jackson-family-attorney) ## Put a Skilled San Mateo Family Law Attorney in Your Corner A family law matter rarely waits for a convenient moment to start. If a divorce, custody disagreement, support dispute, or restraining order has brought you to this page, you're in the right place. As family lawyers, we're ready to look at the specifics of your situation and map out what happens next. --- Hopper Hopper & Strebe LLP — [https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/san-mateo-family-law-attorney](https://westcoastdivorce.com/locations/san-mateo-family-law-attorney)