John R. Castellano

After recently moving to Oxnard, I needed to hire an attorney. Being new to the area, I didn't know anyone, so I just picked one. The fates were shining down upon me that day and I feel that I could not have chosen a better lawyer. Mr. Castellano was very professional, knowledgeable, realistic, an...d kind. At a time that was very troubling for me, he had a way of answering all my questions and explaining everything very clearly, and that made things easier to get through my divorce. He listened to what I was trying to say and responded with the best answers. He was fair and honest. I would definitely recommend him to family and friends. He is the very best. If I had to do this over again, I would choose him again in a heartbeat.

I was in a highly contested, bitter divorce battle that luckily did not involve children under the age of 18, but two young adult kids (19 & 23), one in college. At first we were going to do this amicably but then she decided that I needed to pay dearly for not wanting to stay married to an out-of-c...ontrol alcoholic and gambling addict, not to mention a mean, angry person. She lawyered up, and I went through a horrible experience called an alimony hearing. My initial lawyer was a nice guy, but he was unprepared and not very knowledgeable. I got screwed, and I lost all confidence in my legal representation - he was a friend of a friend. So I went attorney shopping. It's amazing how many horrible attorneys there are out there. John Castellano's reviews were excellent, so I gave him a call. It was night and day. First of all, John's knowledge of the law and issues with divorce cases is unmatched. I knew right from the interview that this was going to be a great choice. I had been separated for 18 months and had filed 12 months prior to hiring John, and was nowhere near getting the divorce finalized. John took over and 5 months later, I am divorced and have a settlement that I can live with. And it wasn't easy. As John puts it, my divorce was like an egg balancing on a wire in the middle of an earthquake. Yet somehow he kept that egg from falling and breaking. Some of the best things about John is his advice along the way. He is totally focused on the prize, and helped guide me to stay focused on the endgame too. In these emotional disasters, John helps you keep your head and make smart decisions. He is not a money grubber as he helps you save money along the way and makes sure you don't waste any resources. And a few times along the way I did not follow his advice, and things got very messy. But much to John's credit, he didn't get angry at me (he might have been angry at me when I wasn't present), and he helped get the messes clean up and kept the case on track. It could have easily gotten derailed, but his expertise prevented that from happening. I got to trusting John so much that I asked his advice on other family matters outside of this divorce case. John prepares, communicates with you regularly, and his office staff are also amazing (Charis, Valerie, Dolores all helped out and were always friendly). John is proactive and even-keeled. He has seen a lot, and even when the parties are out of control with emotion, John steadies the boat and keeps it on course. If you are looking for professional representation, John is your attorney and I highly recommend him.

John Castellano helped me navigate through a very emotional and long divorce. I'm not certain there is any other lawyer out there that has as much patience, knowledge, and understanding as Mr. Castellano. He always respected my opinions and was sure to explain my rights when I was clearly making ...poor decisions. He never "strong armed" me, and always respected my final decision. I would, and already have, recommend his service to anyone needing help.

I contacted the Law Offices of Carla Hartley and had a consultation with John Castellano regarding a child custody matter I was involved in. After speaking with John, and hearing what I wanted for my daughter and I, he reassured me it seemed very reasonable and we should be able to obtain that order ...through the courts. Upon going through the mediation and custody hearing, through John, I was able to obtain 50% custody as I was looking for and the tax credit every other year. I was very satisfied with this as the mother of my child only wanted me to have my daughter every other weekend and one night per week. I would highly recommend John or anyone else associated in there office to work with you on your family law matter.

I would highly recommend John Castellano for any Family Law issue. John's experience in the field enabled him to guide me in making informed decisions about very emotional issues concerning my child. John's 18 years practicing in Ventura county was an asset to our case when opposing counsel change...d midstream. John was able to tailor our plan of action for each new lawyer/judge/court appointed therapist we worked with. John was straight forward, honest, level-headed, extremely sensitive to the needs of my daughter, and always made me feel my case was his highest priority. John was very cognizant of keeping his fees at a manageable level and did his very best to proceed in a timely manner so as not to incur unnecessary costs to me. Overall I was very happy with the outcome of the case due to John's expertise and professionalism. I would definitely seek John's help again concerning any legal matters.