If you had a crystal ball, what would you hope to see in your future? It’s not a question you may have considered before seeking the assistance of a family law attorney. But perhaps it should be.
Knowing where you want to be. What you want your next chapter to look like. And thinking about who will be standing by your side, can help you navigate even the most challenging divorce, child custody dispute, or break-up of your family business.
Attorney Bob Matteucci is better prepared than most to help you figure out what the future holds and how to build a foundation to get you to that point. He’s not only an experienced Albuquerque divorce lawyer, but also a former business owner and divorcee himself. With an MBA, a business background, and years of experience handling family law disputes for couples who are ready to move forward with their lives. Bob is ready to help you make smart, forward-looking decisions that protect your family and financial legacy.
Choosing the Right Divorce Process for Your Situation
Divorce in New Mexico does not have to mean a bitter courtroom battle. Our state’s no-fault divorce law gives you the flexibility to choose a process that fits your family and financial situation.
Attorney Bob Matteucci can help you weigh the pros and cons of different types of divorce, and find one that fits your family’s needs. This is an especially important decision if you have young children, or you and your former partner share significant assets or own a business.
Self-Help Divorce
If you have only been married a short amount of time, you don’t have any children or significant assets or debts, and you agree with your soon-to-be-former partner on all aspects of your separation, you can use the New Mexico court system’s self-help forms to divorce without the assistance of an attorney.
Uncontested Divorce
This is for couples who agree on the terms of their divorce, but don’t feel comfortable filling out the forms and filing them with the court themselves. Attorney Bob Matteucci can counsel you as you make decisions about your split, and draft and file all of the documents required by the state to formalize your agreement.
Traditional Divorce
The majority of divorces filed by people in the Albuquerque area are traditional divorces. One party files for divorce, and serves the other with divorce papers, and each spouse hires an attorney to represent their interests. The attorneys will negotiate the terms of the divorce, and draft all the documents that need to be filed with the court — like a marital settlement agreement, parenting plan, and petition for dissolution. Sometimes it is also necessary to hire a third party settlement facilitator to smooth the negotiation process. The vast majority of couples reach an agreement that avoids the need to litigate their divorce in open court.
Mediated Divorce
Mediation is the preferred choice of couples who generally agree on the terms of their divorce but need assistance resolving a few high-stakes conflicts or fairly dividing complex assets. The mediator, a neutral third party, works towards steering both sides to a mutually acceptable resolution, and drafts all the paperwork necessary to formalize the divorce.
Attorney Bob Matteucci is frequently called up to mediate disputes for couples who have complex finances — like business owners, professionals, artists, and entrepreneurs. He puts his MBA degree and business background to work to help the parties reach a fair and balanced resolution.
Collaborative Divorce
Couples in the Albuquerque area who still trust and respect one another, but no longer want to be married to each other, are increasingly opting for collaborative divorces. Attorney Bob Matteucci is one of a handful of lawyers in New Mexico who are certified to guide couples through this process, which brings financial planners, accountants, and family counselors to the negotiating table.
Military Divorce
Like many aspects of life when one or both partners is serving in the military, divorce is not as straightforward as it is for civilian couples. Whether you are stationed at Cannon, Holloman, Kirtland, White Sands, Los Alamos, or have some other link to New Mexico, Attorney Matteucci is ready to help guide you through the divorce process.
Same-Sex Divorce
Same sex couples who are splitting up face many of the same issues upon divorce that heterosexuals do. However, there are some additional hoops that some same sex partners must jump through if they want to ensure they enjoy the same rights and protections as heterosexuals post-divorce.
Alternatives to Divorce
If divorce isn’t an option for financial or personal reasons, Attorney Matteucci may still be able to assist you.
- Legal Separation — Couples who wish to remain legally married, but no longer want to be a couple, can legally separate. This is a formal process that involves more than just living apart.
- Annulment — This term no longer appears in New Mexico state law, but Bob is often asked about it. He’s not able to assist with religious annulments, but can help you void a relationship under certain circumstances.
This list of options is not here to overwhelm you. It’s here to let you know that Attorney Matteucci isn’t going to push a cookie-cutter divorce on you. He’s going to work with you to find a way forward that truly fits you and your family’s unique needs.
Child Custody & Support: Co-Parenting That Fits Your Family’s Unique Needs
Every parent wants what’s best for their children. That’s why negotiating a custody agreement — or modifying an existing one — is one of the most sensitive and critical parts of any family law case.
Bob helps Albuquerque parents negotiate child custody agreements and craft custom co-parenting plans that:
- Balance time fairly without relying on rigid formulas, no matter who is awarded primary physical custody
- Recognize that the parents will likely share legal custody of the children and need to collaborate when making major decisions about their child’s education, health care, religion, holidays, and other important matters
- Give families the flexibility they need to support their children’s needs as they grow
- Respect demanding professional or business schedules
- Support children with special needs
Once custody is settled, New Mexico law uses a formula to calculate child support. However, there’s still a little room to negotiate based on the parents’ preferences and lifestyle.
Whenever possible, Bob helps parents reach child custody and support agreements outside of court. Judges usually approve reasonable, well-drafted plans, saving everyone time, stress, and money — and sending a powerful message to your children that they are not the reason you’re fighting.
Figuring Out if Spousal Support or Alimony is Appropriate in Your Case
Spousal support, or alimony, is often a key issue in divorces involving business owners, professionals, and high-asset couples. It can provide stability for one spouse or be used as a bargaining chip in situations where a couple’s assets cannot be evenly split without destroying the value or utility of the assets in question.
Bob helps clients evaluate when spousal support is appropriate, negotiate terms, and consider creative solutions such as:
- Trading reduced support for greater asset division
- Lump-sum buyouts to avoid long-term ties
- Structuring payments around fluctuating business income
Spousal support is not paid in every divorce, but it is something that all divorcing couples must consider. Attorney Bob Matteucci has helped many couples in the Albuquerque area negotiate spousal support agreements that are fair and equitable in their specific circumstances.
Protecting Your Family From Domestic Abuse or False Allegations of Abuse
Domestic violence and abuse impact thousands of New Mexico families, regardless of the age, sex, marital status, or income of the people involved. In fact, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men have been abused by an intimate partner.
Attorney Bob Matteucci is ready to help if you need to take civil legal action to legally distance yourself or your children from an abusive family member by seeking an Order of Protection (aka restraining order). Any contact you make with Bob will be held in the strictest confidence. Bob handles these cases quietly and confidentially to protect your privacy and keep you safe.
At the same time, Bob understands that not all allegations are made in good faith. In highly contentious divorces, false or exaggerated claims of abuse may arise. That’s why Bob listens carefully to each client’s story and ensures that your voice is heard, whether you’re seeking protection or defending against a wrongful accusation.
Navigating New Mexico’s Asset Division Law
While the personal side of family law gets top billing, the financial and business impact a divorce or other dispute can have on your life is just as profound.
- Any asset acquired during the marriage (think real estate, retirement accounts, art, antiques, investments, and whole businesses)
- Or that increases in value during the marriage
- And assets that were owned before the marriage but were then mixed with or improved by marital funds
At divorce, the value of all this community property must be divided equally between the spouses. This can get messy quickly since illiquid and unique assets cannot simply be chopped in half. Thanks to his past business experience and financial acumen, Attorney Matteucci can step in to help couples hammer out an agreement. The alternative is selling everything off and splitting the pot 50/50, which gives everyone an incentive to work things out.
Protecting Family-Owned Businesses During Divorce
Going through the divorce process as a business owner is what inspired Attorney Matteucii to head back to school and become a lawyer. Before earning his J.D. with a concentration in Business Law from the University of New Mexico, Bob graduated from Tulane University with an MBA and was the fourth-generation owner of a profitable shoe store chain. He then established and grew his own business that in 13 years generated more than $5.5 million in annual sales.
Bob’s past experiences mean he knows exactly how difficult it can be when family and business disputes become intertwined. He works closely with clients to:
- Avoid forced sales or operational disruptions
- Develop solutions that protect future income streams and family involvement
- Identify ownership interests across generations
- Evaluate business valuations fairly
- Protect intellectual property and goodwill
- Structure buyouts or long-term agreements that preserve the business while settling the divorce fairly
Whether your business is a local retail shop, a multi-generational farm, or a professional practice, Bob can provide thoughtful legal guidance that keeps the business intact and the future in focus.
Protecting Your Family’s Privacy During This Difficult Time
Privacy is an increasingly valuable commodity in this day and age. Whether you want to protect your family or business from the scrutiny and judgment of others, or fear bad actors will try to take advantage of you or your family — or heaven forbid try to harm one of you — during this difficult time, Attorney Bob Matteucci is here to help.
There are steps you and Bob can take to shield your family’s legal issues from prying eyes. One of the most effective is settling disputes outside of court through negotiation, mediation, or collaborative divorce. These processes allow you to resolve your issues privately, without the filings and hearings that become part of the public record.
It may also be a good idea to put some carefully crafted confidentiality agreements in place, ensuring that all parties, experts, and advisors involved in the case understand the importance of discretion.
Serving Families with Dignity & Compassion
When your family and finances are on the line, you need more than just legal advice—you need a trusted advisor who truly understands what’s at stake and is ready to help you plan for the future.
Attorney Bob Matteucci uses his legal knowledge, business insight, and a deep understanding of New Mexico family law to guide clients through complex divorces, custody disputes, and financial separations with strategy and dignity. Contact him today to schedule a consultation and start moving forward.