Attorneys
John E. Johnson
Mr. Johnson’s primary field of practice is Family Law. He represents clients in all areas of family law, including custody, child support, spousal support, property value, characterization and division, business valuation, and litigation, among others.
Areas of Practice
Experience
Mr. Johnson has practiced law since 1984, first as a naval officer for the United States Navy Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG), then in the area of civil litigation, and now exclusively as a family law attorney. He is the 2014 honoree of the Rex Sater Award for Excellence in Family Law and a AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rated attorney*. Additionally, Mr. Johnson has been selected each year since 2004 as a Super Lawyer of Northern California Super Lawyer of Northern California (Super Lawyers magazine names attorneys in each state who received the highest point totals, as chosen by their peers and through their independent research.)
Mr. Johnson has unique and extensive experience in the field of litigation, having defended military service members in 12 jury and 50+ court trials as a defense counsel for the JAG Corps, 19 jury trials as a civil attorney and over 50 court trials as a family law attorney. Mr. Johnson has also taken over 1,000 depositions and mediated/arbitrated over 100 matters.
In addition to Mr. Johnson’s extensive litigation experience, he is and has been a moderator or panelist for several family law presentations over the past several years, including:
- Presenting Evidence at Trial – SCBA 2022
- Hearsay in custody evaluations –SCBA 2018
- Advanced Family Law Course – Part 2 of 3 Discovery and Evidence. Panel included retired appellate court justices Donald King and Dennis Cornell, 4 Northern California Family Law Judges, and a statewide panel of family law attorneys (SCBA 2016 – Moderator, Presenter)
- Advanced Family Law Course – Part 1 of 3 (SCBA 2015 – Moderator)
- Dealing with Difficult Opponents: Tactical and Practical Solutions (State Bar Of California, Family Law Section, 2015)
- Marital Standard of Living (SCBA 2014, with 5th District Appellate Court Justice Dennis Cornell)
- Contesting and Defending the Premarital Agreement (AAML 2013)
- Technology in Litigation (SCBA 2014)
- Technology in the Law Office (SCBA 2013)
- Children’s Voice in the Courtroom (SCBA 2012)
- Technology in the Law Office (SCBA 2012)
- Demystifying Financial Documents in Divorce (Sonoma County Bar Association; 2011)
- Deposing the Expert (Legal Aid of Sonoma County; 2006)
- Business Valuation Seminar (2 day course; moderated by retired appellate court justice Donald B. King; panelists included nationally recognized business valuation expert, Shannon Pratt, and Appellate Specialist Bernard Wolf; sponsored by The Rutter Group and California Family Law Reporter [CFLR]; 2006)
- Custody Evaluations ((Sonoma County Bar Association; 2005)
- Business Valuation Seminar (Moderated by retired appellate court justice Donald B. King 2004)
- Sonoma County Family Law Judges Presentation to family law bar (2003-2005)
- Stock Options (Sonoma County Bar Association; 2002)
- Trial Seminar (Sonoma County Bar Association; 2001)
Education and Memberships
- Mr. Johnson received his bachelor’s degree from California State University Sacramento, (Highest Honors) in 1981 and his Juris Doctorate from the University of Santa Clara in 1984.
- Mr. Johnson is a Family Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.,
- Sonoma County Bar Association, Board of Directors (2013-2015 )
- Sonoma County Bar Association Family Law Steering Committee. (2007-2009 and 2011-2013)
- Sonoma County Bar Association Family Law Education Committee 2011-present (chair 2011-2014)
- Sonoma County Bar Association Family Law Best Practices Committee (2011-2013)
- Sonoma County Bar Association Family Law Newsletter Editor (2010-2013)
Reported Cases
In re Marriage of Davenport (2011) 194 Cal.App.4th 1507
Publications
The Use of Technology in Family Law Litigation; Aspatore Books, a Thomson Reuters publication (2010).
In the News
- The Press Democrat - July 13, 2016, Santa Rosa cyclist pedals to extremes
- Ten Leaders of Matrimonial & Divorce Law, North Bay (Marin, Sonoma, Napa) California
- North Bay Business Journal - March 29, 2010, Spotlight: Litigation Attorneys and Mediators
Community Involvement
Mr. Johnson was a Member of the Board of Directors of the Sonoma County Bar Association and served on the Sonoma County Bar Association Education Committee. Mr. Johnson has been involved with Legal Aid of Sonoma County for many years, most recently as a member of its Board of Directors (2002-2008). In 2004 and 2005, he received the Legal Aid Service Award for most significant contributions to Legal Aid for those years.
