Michael Christian Peterson

Michael C. Peterson became a Certified Family Law Specialist by the California State Bar in July, 2015. He has served as the chairperson of the Family Law Section of the Desert Bar Association from 2016 to present.

Mr. Peterson attended the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon from 1998 to 2002. There he earned a bachelor's degree in economics, graduating cum laude, and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa and Golden Key national honors societies. 
 
Mr. Peterson then attended the University of Oregon School of Law in Eugene, Oregon from 2003 to 2006, completing a rigorous legal education with a curriculum that balanced basic intellectual and analytic skills for the practice of law, an introduction to advanced and frontier areas of law, knowledge of the persistent values of law and the legal system, and opportunities to develop hands-on legal skills. While he earned his doctorate of jurisprudence, he also participated heavily with the Oregon Student Trial Lawyers Association and Oregon Student Moot Court.
 
Mr. Peterson was admitted into the Washington State Bar Association in January of 2007, and practiced there for a short time before leaving the rains of the northwest for the sunny Coachella Valley!
 
Mr. Peterson was admitted into the State Bar of California in December of 2009. He was an associate attorney for a local civil and criminal litigation practitioner until joining the Law Firm of Thurman W. Arnold III in December of 2010. 
 
Mr. Peterson has successfully litigated in a broad range of legal areas in his ten years as a California attorney, including family, business, and personal injury actions. He has a proven track record of skillful negotiation, law and motion practice, and oral argument. Mr. Peterson has conducted and won a growing number of trials, including actions involving high-conflich child custody disputes, spousal support establishment, modification, and termiation (and preventing termination), complex property division, date of separation, attorney fees, and multiple restraining orders.
 
Mr. Peterson, in joining forces with Thurman W. Arnold III, aspires to become an outstanding member of the Coachella Valley family law community and is available for mediation, litigation and Second Opinions!