About Thomas S.
Thomas S. Stinson builds his practice on steady, straightforward work. He earned a J.D. from Santa Clara University School of Law in 2011 after completing undergraduate studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he received a B.A. in Business Management Economics in 2005. Those academic years set the stage for a career that blends courtroom work and client counseling.
He began practicing law in 2012. Since then he has handled matters in family law, probate and estate issues, and general civil litigation. Early on he gravitated toward cases that require both negotiation and litigation skills. That mix shows in how he approaches custody disputes, divisions of property, and contested estate matters. He does courtroom hearings. He also prepares settlement proposals and estate documents.
Membership in local legal groups has been part of his professional life. He has been a member of the Santa Cruz County Bar Association since 2012 and belongs to Advocates, where he has also held membership since 2012. Those affiliations have kept him connected to local judges, mediators, and fellow practitioners. They also give him a steady sense of the calendar and procedure in county courtrooms.
His office is Stinson Family Law, P.C. The firm handles family law matters and related estate planning needs. Cases range from straightforward divorces and support arrangements to more complex property and probate disputes. He represents clients in negotiations and in court, depending on what a case requires.
Clients describe him as practical and direct. He tends to lay out options clearly and to set expectations about time and likely outcomes. That approach matters in family law, where emotions can run high and procedural steps matter a great deal. In estate matters he drafts wills and trusts, and handles contested petitions when they arise.
He is licensed to practice law in California and maintains an active practice. He has worked on both litigated and transactional matters, and he manages a caseload that reflects the overlap between family law and estate planning. He continues to accept new clients and to represent individuals in family law, wills and trusts, and general civil litigation matters.
He currently focuses his practice on family law, wills and trusts, and general civil litigation matters.
