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Thurman Wesley Arnold III
also known as Thurman W. Arnold, III, CFLS, AAML
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About Thurman
Biography
A native of Palm Springs, Attorney Thurman W. Arnold has been providing family law services to the residents of his home city for 32 years. He began his post-secondary education at Reed College of Portland, OR, back in 1974, earning a Certificate of Excellence for his achievements there. He went on to attend UC Santa Barbara, where he earned his B.A. with honors. After receiving his J.D. from Lewis and Clark School, and serving as a member of its nationally recognized Environmental Law Review, he was admitted to the California bar in 1982.
He joined his father and began practicing civil law in Palm Springs, but soon recognized his passion and talent for helping people get through the emotional and financial strains of intra-family disputes. To better assist his clients in this pursuit, he became a Certified Family Law Specialist, which has given him extensive knowledge on the subject of family law. He is also a California Superlawyer and Martindale AV rated. He is honored to serve those with family law cases such as complex property division, spousal support, marital agreements, child support, parental rights, the division of family businesses, and related topics.
As a fifth generation attorney whose grandfather was appointed Assistant Attorney General of the United States by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Attorney Arnold strives to uphold the legacy that a long line of men before him had begun. He is dedicated to ethical and tough representation, yet he incorporates Zen mindfulness techniques in helping his clients to manage divorce reactivity. He believes that those who apsire to peacemaking or who hire peacemaking attorneys with huge experience end up with much better outcomes, and less financial and emotional burdens, even if portions or all of their cases must be litigated.
Mr. Arnold is an avid writer, providing much free legal assistance and helpful information on his website and The Enlightened Divorce Blog™. His goal is to help people make informed decisions about their family law matters, no matter if they are his clients or visitors to his Divorce Blog (which now receives almost 1 million page reads each year). To judge for yourself, visit his website or make an appointment with his firm to take advantage of a free initial consultation! We invite you Google his name and reputation, and to visit the Testimonials page of our website, !
Palm Springs and Palm Desert Divorce and all related Family Law matters. Hire the most qualified!
We can assist you in your family crisis with uncommon dedication and intelligence!
We have a unique family sciences background and know the laws affecting custody and parent move-away
A fair and appropriate child support award will affect your kid's quality of life for years to come.
Thurman Arnold is the co-founder of Desert Family Mediation Services. Please call us for information
Practice Areas
4
Practice Areas
Divorce and Separation
60%
44 years | 2,000 cases
Mediation
20%
19 years | 200 cases
Child Custody
10%
44 years | 300 cases
Child Support
10%
44 years | 300 cases
Fees and Rates
Cost
Hourly Rates
$ 375-450 per hour
Retainer
Always
Payment Methods
- Cash
- Check
- Credit Card
Awards
2013
Licenses
Licensed in California for 43 years
State: California
Acquired: 1982
No misconduct found
Location
ARNOLD AND PETERSON, LLP
(760) 320-0725
Fax
225 South Civic Drive, Suite 1-3, Palm Springs, CA, 92262
thurmanarnold.com/Desert Family Mediation Services
(760) 320-0725
Fax
225 S Civic Dr Ste 1-2, Palm Springs, CA, 92262-7227
thurmanarnold.com/Gallery
Online Presence
Other places you can find Thurman online.
Thurman Wesley Arnold III's Reviews
Avvo Review Score
30 Client Reviews
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Practice Areas
What Clients Mention
Showing 6 - 10 of 16 reviews | Practice Area Knowledge
Posted by Kelly | June 09, 2015 | Family
CALIFORNIA FAMILY LAW GURU!!
As a young and now an old family law attorney, Mr. Arnold is my go to on getting the concise and up to date "low down" on developing family law issues. I am so grateful for his generosity in reaching thousands of practitioners and lay people in his selfless efforts to simplify and streamline the pra...
Thurman Arnold
Replied last June 09, 2015Kelly - you are so gracious and kind to provide this feedback, which we both know is grossly exaggerated. I have to admit that feeling useful is a great motivator and reinforcer for more than a few hours of effort, and I thank you deeply for making me feel good about what I do in my legal writings. Now I want to write another blog! Please reach out to me by email so I know who you are!
Posted by Richard | September 19, 2014 | Divorce & Separation
Best LGBT Divorce Attorney in California
This is a long overdue review of Mr. Arnold and his team. Like a lot of same-sex couples looking to dissolve a long-term domestic partnership, I was shocked and overwhelmed by the vastly complicated and rapidly changing laws regarding California same-sex domestic partnerships/marriage laws. After mee...
Posted by Thomas | October 16, 2013 | Divorce & Separation
Thorough and Compassionate
Thurman and his great team were there for me when I really needed someone on my side. I was being bullied by my wife's attorney and was completely overwhelmed. Thurman and his team stepped in and took over immediately. Everyone from Thurman on down were professional, thorough, compassionate, and a...
Posted by Ron | March 01, 2013 | Family
Tough Family Law Case winning one step at a time
Since July 2009 in which a had hired another attorney that lasted only 6 months. I hired Thurman to take over this tough family law case with ex. Which my ex has lie in court repeatedly, hidden large a mount of money and now after losing to Thurman in Family Law court trial has filed BK to try and s...
Posted by anonymous | February 22, 2013 | Divorce & Separation
Very Knowledgable, Direct, Compassionate Attorney/Mediator
I am a Mental Health Professional and Collaborative Divorce Coach in Palm Springs, and have had the opportunity to work closely with Mr. Arnold on several divorce cases. He is intense, hardworking and has the ability to combine knowledge/experience/advocacy and compassion to the particular needs eac...
Thurman Wesley Arnold III's Lawyer Endorsements
"I have had Mr. Arnold appear in my Courtroom over the years and now that I am retired , I have had the pleasure of collaborating with him on numerous projects and cases.He is dedicated and hardworking and has at the heart of his practice the clients needs and best interests foremost. He is able to litlgate a complicated matter with great skill as well as to resolve through mediation and settlement those cases that are amenable to alternate dispute resolution.A really great lawyer and leader in forward thinking Family Law issues."
"I have been an attorney for 37 years and am a Certified Family Law Specialist. Mr Arnold and I have opposed each other in trial. He is very competent and an experienced attorney. Despite a partial trial, we were able to successfully resolve many issues without a lengthy trial. He has passed the written exam for family certification. Upon completion of the certification process, he will be a very fine addition to the list of certified family law specialists."
"Mr. Arnold is one of the toughest and most experienced attorneys in the desert area. His skills are exceptional and he is one of the very best litigators in the family law arena."
"I would highly recommend Mr. Arnold to any potential client seeking his services. He has accumulated seemingly endless experience and Sage wisdom which he shares freely and uses to guide his clients to successful results. He has retained his passion for helping others and his genuine concern for people can't help but change anyone's negative view about attorneys. He is also a dragon in Court and will reduce the opposing counsel to cinders, if necessary, but is responsible enough with all of that fire power, to wield it wisely."
"Mr. Arnold authors a blog on his website that is an excellent tool for any family law practitioner. As a family law attorney, I regularly rely on the information that he provides on his website. I would recommend his website to any attorney or self-representing party. When I was faced with a complex property issue in my case, Mr. Arnold provided invaluable feedback during a consultation. He represents all that is good in the legal community. Thank you Mr. Arnold for being a passionate and knowledgeable attorney who is actually making a difference!"
"Thurman has one of the most helpful websites I have found. The wealth of knowledge is a testament to his experience. I appreciate his willingness to help with tough questions of law."
"I endorse this lawyer."
"A fellow Avvo attorney referred me to an article on Mr. Arnold's web site. It was truly well written, informative and in plain English and conveyed the qualities that every client would look for when hiring an attorney."
"I endorse this lawyer. He is very knowledgeable on family law issues."
"Thurman's website is the most content-rich family law website in Southern California. I often refer client's to his site. He truly is an honor to our profession, especially in these days. I recommend clients to him without hesitation."
"Thurman Arnold is extremely knowledgeable in family law. He shares his knowledge freely with the public with his family law blogs. Thurman is very professional, has high ethics, and has a genuine passion for family law. Thurman, respects other lawyers, be it young ones or experienced ones like himself and in my book is what a family law attorney should be, caring, compassionate, honest and well versed in the family law."
"I endorse this lawyer. Wes is very highly regarded by his peers and, to the best of my knowledge, clients. He is very active in the community and promotes peaceful resolutions to family law disputes. Wes is a trained mediator as well as being an exceptional lawyer. I endorse him without reservation."
"I endorse this lawyer. Thurman is not only a good family law attorney but he shares an interest in family law, its evolution and direction. He is well written on the subject and I respect his passion for the practice."
"I endorse this lawyer. I have been a trial lawyer for over 35 years and recently searched for a family law SEO specialist to help me create a website. After discussing my project with all of the big players, I discovered, and selected, Thurman Arnold. His website is the best I have seen, sensitive, informative, and clearly written. His sites all ranked at the top of Google for his area. My personal contact with him confirmed his knowledge of family law, and his expertise in SEO. He is easy and energetic to work with. Selecting Thurman Arnold as my SEO specialist is one of the best decisions I have made."
"I endorse this lawyer's work."
"I endorse this lawyer's work."
"I endorse this lawyer's work because I trust his ethics and honesty above all else. Wes, as he is known to his clients and fellow attorneys, has the decades of experience a client and a fellow attorney looks for and the down to earth friendliness a client, especially a divorce client, needs when their marriage has fallen apart. I wholeheartedly recommend this attorney to anyone in need of a family lawyer in the Palm Springs and Palm Desert area."
"Thurman Arnold is bright and well-versed in family law. In the words of pundit Ben Stein, he is a worthy adversary. He has softened (in a good way) in recent years and now realizes that divorce clients are best served by collaboration and cooperation between the lawyers, and that the aggressive, "see you in court" approach should be a last resort rather than standard operating procedure (viewpoints which I share)."
"I highly endorse Thurman Arnold, having known him since the early 1990's and we worked together on a case several years ago. He cares for his clients and is very knowledgeable, particularly in the area of Family Law, in which he is a certified specialist. He has also handled many trials, over the course of his three decades as an attorney."
"I endorse this lawyer's work. If I have a family law matter, he is the guy that I send it to. Experienced, hard working and reliable."
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Experience
Honors
2025
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2024
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2023
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2022
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2021
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2020
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2019
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2018
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2017
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2016
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
Top Lawyers, Palm Springs Life Magazine
2015
Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers
2015
California Divorce Superlawyer, Super Lawyers Magazine
2014
2014 Top Lawyers, Palm Springs Life Magazine
2013
Certificate of Appreciation, Desert Bar Association
2013
Top Lawyer, Palm Springs Life Magazine
2013
AV Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
2012
Top Lawyer, Palm Springs Life Magazine
2011
Top Lawyer, Palm Springs Life Magazine
2010
Certified Specialist - Family Law, State Bar of California
1981
Member, Environmental Law Journal (Law Review), Lewis and Clark Law School
1979
Degree With Honors, UCSB
1975
Certificate of Academic Excellence, Reed College
Work Experience
2009 - Present
Mediator, Desert Family Mediation Services
1982 - Present
Founding Owner, Law Firm of Thurman W. Arnold, III, C.F.L.S.
Associations
2016 - Present
American Academy of Matrimonial LawyersFellow
2010 - Present
Los Angeles County Bar Association Barristers
2010 - Present
Los Angeles County Bar AssociationMember
2010 - Present
Association of Certified Family Law SpecialistsMember
2010 - Present
Mediators Beyond BordersMember
2009 - Present
American Bar AssociationMember
2009 - Present
Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law AssociationMember
2008 - Present
Association of Family and Conciliation CourtsMember
2001 - Present
Family Law Section, California State BarMember
1982 - Present
Riverside County Bar AssociationMember
1982 - Present
Desert Bar AssociationMember
International Association of Collaborative Professionals
Member
International Association of Holistic Lawyers
Member
2011 - 2013
Family Law Section, Desert Bar AssociationChair
2001 - 2003
American Inns of CourtMember, Warren Slaughter Chapter
Education
1982
Lewis & Clark Coll Northwestern SOL
Juris Doctorate
1979
Univ of California Santa Barbara
BA - Bachelor of Arts
N/A
Loma Linda University
N/A
Reed College
Speaking Engagements
2013
FLS Workshop
"Advocacy Perspectives"
2013
Evidentiary Challenges in Divorce Cases
Family Law Evidence
2012
Quarterly Conference
"The Economic and Emotional Divorce"
2010
Smart Talk Radio WITF
Divorce and Parenting
2010
Blog Talk Radio
Co-Parenting with an Ex
Publications
2012
Inside the Minds (Aspatore Books)
The Growing Role of Mediation and Collaborative Law in Family Law Cases
2010
CuttingEdgeLaw.com
Consider Choosing a Peacemaking Lawyer
2010
CuttingEdgeLaw.com
In These Economic Times Consider Mindful Divorce
2010
CuttingEdgeLaw.com
The Power of Forgiveness in Divorce
2010
TransitionalFamilyResources.com
The Pursuit of Whose Happiness? Men?
2010
Martindale-Hubbell publication
Lawyers as Front Line Crisis Responders
Languages
English
Activity
Legal Answers
Legal Guides
Legal Answers
Q&A
When seeking a monetary sanction on a party how much $ is asked typically. this is a osc to mod. child support court in june.
24 May 2010
Q&A
If I divorce my illegal immigrant husband does he have rights to properties that I have purchased?
23 May 2010
Q&A
Notice of entry of judgment- date marital status terminates 05/21/10 ..does this mean i am divorce
23 May 2010