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Arnold, Peterson & Criste Arnold, Peterson & Criste
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Divorce & Family Law Attorneys Guaranteed Dedication, Energy, & Determination

Serving Palm Springs, Palm Desert, La Quinta, & Rancho Mirage

We Are the Desert Cities Expert Divorce and Family Law Attorneys

The experience of physical separation and divorce is one of the most financially complicated and emotionally traumatic crises that a person may encounter. With the U.S. Census Bureau estimating that half of first marriages end in divorce, it is also one of the most common. Feelings of fear, helplessness and exhaustion are normal. Surviving the break-up of intimate relationships and understanding how to apply a solution's based approach to family law disputes seems daunting.

The divorce professionals at the Law Offices of Arnold, Peterson & Criste want to guide you through your relationship conflict in a holistic fashion, without sacrificing your needs and safety. To be effective resolution strategies must be honest, cost-effective, and tailored to your circumstance. We offer you exceptional allies to aid you through this transition. Whether negotiating a settlement or conducting litigation, we reliably inform your choices, and so ground the process.

We handle cases involving division of marital property, spousal support, child custody and many others. Even in complex and high-conflict circumstances like family relocation, non-parent custody rights, mental health considerations, or valuing and dividing professional practices and family businesses, we have solutions that will assure that you receive your just share of the community estate. You will obtain an appropriate amount of spousal support without regard to gender.

Importantly, and in addition, Mr. Arnold is now available to undertake consulting with family law attorneys and self-represented parties throughout the State of California, and to render Second Opinions, in order to assist you and them to evaluate your strategies with fresh eyes, and so to focus you upon winning in your CA dissolution proceedings!

Read Feedback From Actual Clients

  • “Not only is Mr. Peterson’s knowledge of the law beyond measure, he’s able to articulate it so it’s understandable.”
    If you are going through a divorce, The Law Offices of Arnold, Peterson & Criste is in my opinion the best option available. Mr. Peterson and his assistant Jordyn are top notch. Not only is Mr. Peterson’s knowledge of the law beyond measure, he’s able to articulate it so it’s understandable. He was able to navigate my emotions and help my uphill battle to receive proper visitation as a father. Jordyn never hesitated to reach out within the same business day if documents were needed or for any question I had about the process. Thanks to the team, we resolved the divorce healthfully. I couldn’t be more grateful.
    - Josh Arguijo
  • “I needed the best analysis and advice possible. I found Attorney Thurman Arnold III in Palm Springs.”
    I am a Veteran and Retired Deputy Sheriff. My divorce involved complicated property distribution and spousal support issues. I spent considerable time looking for the best Counsel I could find before I negotiated with my ex-wife and her Attorney. In fact, my case was in another county, but that didn't matter. I needed the best analysis and advice possible. I found Attorney Thurman Arnold III in Palm Springs. Attorney Arnold is a BAR Certified Family Law Specialist. In my humble opinion the best! His review of my case and how "Moore Marsden" property division applied was invaluable. His guidance saved me $30,000 dollars. Thank you, Thurman!
    - Jeff Jones
  • “Mike is adept at managing expectations and being very fair and measured.”
    Needed to modify a settlement and hired Mike Peterson. Mike is very, very knowledgeable and experienced. When you are going through a divorce or child custody issues, it is the most terrifying and stressful experience. Mike is adept at managing expectations and being very fair and measured. I wish I had hired him initially to get it all done straight the first time around. He is very responsive and communicative and understands the client well. Good luck going through this process - have a good guide like Mike without a doubt.
    - Donika McKelvie
  • “I would highly recommend him and the firm”
    Micheal Peterson is very knowledgeable of law and can help you make the best decisions for your family. He does is job with integrity. He helps with giving discounts when he can . I would highly recommend him and the firm . Very good staff .
    - Vincent Hall
  • “Very professional, honest, and handled everything without a hiccup.”
    Arnold, Peterson & Criste are a class act. Very professional, honest, and handled everything without a hiccup. When a year had passed, he and Jordyn contacted me to let me know I still had retainer on the books! I had forgot and they sent me the money anyway! For this I am very grateful and cannot recommend them enough. You won’t go wrong with Thurman Arnold. He is definitely the guy to have on your side.
    - Matt Feenstra
  • “Simply the Best of the Best!!!”
    I Highly Recommend Michael C. Peterson at the Law Office of Thurman W. Arnold!!! I hired Michael for my custody case and he is very knowledgeable and took the time to educate me on the process so we can put together a winning strategy. He fought for me and my children in court and successfully won our case. There are no words to describe how grateful and appreciative I am for Michaels service!!! If you are sitting on the fence on which Attorney to hire, do yourself a favor and hire Michael. I would not recommend anyone else!!! Simply the Best of the Best!!!
    - John and Lukes Tube
  • “Mike amazes me by his knowledge of my case, made me feel like I was his only client.”

    I reached out to this law firm 2 years ago when my life was falling apart. My case was assigned to attorney Michael Peterson. I didn't know much about him except few reviews on google but I'm glad I hit the jackpot. Mike amazes me by his knowledge of my case, made me feel like I was his only client. He's very responsive, respectful and and goes above and…

    - Damaris M.
  • “He and Michael Peterson are truly masters of their craft.”
    When my clients have family law issues, I routinely refer them to Thurman Arnold. He and Michael Peterson are truly masters of their craft. Family law can be an unwieldy beast, but they handle it with precision and finesse.
    - Edward Cross

Contact Attorneys Arnold, Peterson & Criste

Together Arnold, Peterson & Criste enjoy bringing order to complicated property, support, and custody disputes! We invite you to peruse our "Testimonials" pages to inspect what hundreds of legal consumers like you have said about our firm. Our Enlightened Divorce Blog™ gives insights into our divorce and family law philosophies, but also provides a ton of free information. You may find it of educational value.

Our team of divorce professionals includes Michael C. Peterson, who also is a Certified Family Law Specialist and rated "Superb" by AVVO. He recently was recognized by Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers™ as a "Rising Star."

Why Hire Arnold, Peterson & Criste?

Thurman W. Arnold is a Certified Family Law Specialist, which means that he has earned the right from the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, to hold himself out as a family law expert. Not only do such specialists take a second Bar Examination that tests their comprehension of complex family law matters, they must pass an exhaustive review of their courtroom trial experience and professional ethics - including evaluations by local judges.

Thurman has received an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell® Registry of Preeminent Lawyers™; the "AV" rating signifies that he has achieved the highest level of professional excellence as a family law attorney

Similarly, he is rated as "Superb" by Avvo, both in terms of professional accomplishments and client satisfaction.

He has been named by Palm Springs Life Magazine as one of the top Coachella Valley-based lawyers for the past 15 years in a row.

He was named a California divorce Superlawyer™ in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and now for 2022.

He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers™ ("AAML"), the cream of the cream. There are only two AAML attorneys in Riverside County amongst the scores of family law attorneys.

Contact Our Firm

Call (760) 320-7915 or Fill Out This Form
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Cutting-Edge Expertise

We offer consults at the discounted rate of $375/hour for Mr. Peterson, and $435/hour for Mr. Arnold for your initial case analysis. Even if you cannot retain us or we do not accept your case, you will be way better informed for this meeting and you will know how to work with your chosen attorney!

If you are looking to have a fresh conversation about your case but live far, far away we are available for discreet Second Opinions and consults for California family law litigants, on an hourly fee basis that you control because you only get what you need! Might you benefit from a fresh and reliable set of eyes?

Google 'Thurman Arnold Second Opinions' to assess this question in terms of independent feedback that we do not write or control!

As to this website, need help locating a divorce or family topic to your situation for free? Try our search engine at the bottom of the page or our FAQ page for FREE insights!

We serve divorce and family law clients within the desert cities of Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, Joshua Tree, Twenty-Nine Palms, Blythe, Yucca Valley, and Riverside.

We provide Second Opinions throughout the state of California!