Certified Family Law Specialist in San Diego

A Certified Family Law Specialist is a California attorney who has been certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, after passing a specialist examination, demonstrating substantial hands-on experience in family law, completing additional education in the specialty, and being evaluated by judges and other attorneys who know the lawyer's work. It is not a marketing title and it cannot be bought. Only a small fraction of California family law attorneys hold it.

Dimitry F. Erudaitius, Esq., the founding attorney of Erudaitius Law, PC, is a Certified Family Law Specialist (California State Bar No. 326010, admitted June 4, 2019). He leads every matter at the firm personally: the specialist who takes your consultation is the attorney who appears at your hearing.

Short answer

If your divorce or custody case involves contested custody, complex finances, a business, a move-away request, or an opposing party who will not settle, a Certified Family Law Specialist is the credential that confirms your lawyer has been tested and vetted specifically in family law. If your case is simple and agreed, you may not need one. If it will be fought, the credential is the simplest way to verify, before you pay a retainer, that your lawyer does this work at a specialist level. You can confirm any attorney's certification on the State Bar of California website.

What certification actually requires

To be certified in family law by the State Bar of California, an attorney must:

• Pass a written examination covering the full range of California family law

• Demonstrate substantial involvement in family law practice, including contested hearings and trials, judgments, and negotiated settlements across the major issue areas (custody, support, property division, and related matters)

• Complete additional continuing education specifically in family law beyond the standard requirement

• Be evaluated through references from judges and fellow attorneys familiar with the attorney's work

• Maintain the certification through ongoing education and periodic recertification

An attorney who is not certified is not permitted to advertise as a family law specialist. That rule exists so the title means something a client can rely on.

Specialist vs. a general family law attorney

Many capable attorneys practice family law. Certification answers a different question: has this lawyer's family law work been examined, measured, and approved at a specialist standard by the State Bar itself? The difference tends to show up in the parts of a case clients cannot easily evaluate on their own:

• Procedure. Contested family law runs on deadlines, local rules, and evidentiary requirements. A specialist works inside San Diego County's family courts on these issues daily.

• The full issue set. Custody, guideline and above-guideline support, business and property valuation issues, restraining orders, and post-judgment modifications interact. Certification requires demonstrated experience across that range, not just one slice of it.

• Judgment about settlement vs. trial. A specialist's certification record includes both negotiated resolutions and litigated outcomes, which matters when the advice you are paying for is which path your case should take.

When the credential matters most

• Custody is contested, especially with allegations, evaluations, or a minor's counsel appointment

• A business, professional practice, or complex compensation (bonuses, equity, military benefits) must be valued or divided

• Support will be fought over income, earning capacity, or self-employment records

• A parent wants to relocate with the children, or stop a relocation

• The case is headed to a Mandatory Settlement Conference or trial and the other side is represented

Confirm it before you hire anyone

Ask any attorney you interview, including us: Are you a Certified Family Law Specialist? Who will actually handle my case? What will the consultation and retainer cost? At Erudaitius Law, consultations are $250, credited toward your initial retainer if you hire the firm within 30 days, and our fee ranges are published on this website before you ever call. In a market where most firms quote fees only after an intake process, we would rather you compare with the numbers in front of you.

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Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM PT. The office is closed Fridays and weekends.

Erudaitius Law, PC — San Diego • Escondido. Dimitry F. Erudaitius, Esq., Certified Family Law Specialist.

This page is general information about California family law, not legal advice about your specific case.