Hon. Vanessa A. Zecher (Ret.) has over 20 years of experience, both as an attorney and as a judge, overseeing the litigation of hundreds of family law cases. Judge Zecher has managed myriad family law cases, including high-asset property characterization and division, financial support and child custody. She has conducted countless judicially supervised settlement conferences, where she assisted families in resolving their disputes to let them move forward without the financial and emotional burdens of the court process. Judge Zecher strongly supports the ADR process and provides the judicial guidance and direction necessary to allow a family to take charge of its own resolution.

Judge Zecher is also a strong advocate of the arbitration process as a streamlined alternative to litigation in the judicial system. She brought her civil background to criminal court to assist in complex discovery (including e-discovery) and calendar management. By presiding over multiple, complex jury trials, including two capital cases, and supervising the criminal division, Judge Zecher has developed the skills to manage the arbitration process in the manner intended by the parties.

Prior to joining the bench, Judge Zecher founded her own law firm, primarily focused on family law matters, where she managed 15 employees. She continued service as a court-appointed civil arbitrator and early neutral evaluator in general civil matters. She also litigated employment matters in federal and state court representing plaintiffs and defendants. Prior to becoming a judge, she was recognized for her outstanding contributions to the Santa Clara County Family Court and as a pro bono attorney of the year in Federal court (Northern District).  Judge Zecher also served as a discovery referee and private attorney mediator in family law matters. 

Representative Matters

Business/Commercial matters as a judge

Business Characterization, Division, Valuation Trials

• Five-day trial to determine characterization of a partnership interest in a business acquired prior to marriage where an IPO occurred during the marriage, including testimony from compensation and forensic accountant experts (high-asset case)
• Four-week trial to determine character of multiple businesses started during marriage with alleged separate property funds, including forensic accounting testimony (high-asset case)
• Multiple-day trial regarding valuation of a gas station, including testimony from gas station appraisers and forensic accountant
• Multiple-day trial regarding claim of breach of fiduciary duty relating to the sale of a portion of the community interest in a business entity to third party

Real Estate/Real Property matters as a judge

Property Division

• Conducted trials or settled issues related to the valuation and characterization of real property, set-aside of real property deeds, Moore/Marsden calculations, business valuations and 2640 claims with respect to purchase and improvement of real property
• Multiple-day trial regarding the valuation of a family residence with complex valuation issues related to improvements done to the property without permits
• Multiple-day trial regarding characterization and division of estate, 2640 claims related to purchase and improvement of multiple real properties, tracing issues, transmutation issues related to signing of trust documents and interpretation of trust documents, Watts/Epstein and fair rental value claims, division of brokerage and bank accounts, valuation of vehicles, and permanent spousal support, including earning capacity issues and adult child support

Employment matters as an attorney   

• As an attorney, tried a sexual harassment case involving an employee claim against the Postal Service under Title VII, alleging sexual harassment by employee
• As an attorney, tried an American Disabilities Act case where an employee claimed he was dismissed from an assignment by his employer due to epilepsy condition
• As a Deputy County Counsel handled Skelly hearings and advised public entity clients on employment related issues

Sexual Abuse/Misconduct matters as a judge 

• Former Supervising Judge of Criminal Division.  Presided over jury trials and settled multiple cases with sex crimes involving adults and children.
• As a Family Court judge, presided over cases involving allegations of child molest, child abuse and adult sexual abuse

Date of Separation/Attorney Fees and Costs matters as a judge 

• Conducted trials or settled issues related to the characterization and division of RSUs, stock grants, employment benefits, business interests, partnership interests, separate property tracing issues, division of debt and breach of fiduciary duty claims (note: move to another section?) 
• Trial regarding 17-year difference in each party’s alleged date of separation (affirmed on appeal)
• Decided and/or resolved multiple attorneys’ fees disputes, including 2030, 2031 and 6344 attorneys’ fees requests

Premarital Agreement matters as a judge 

Determination of Income matters as judge 

• Presided over and/or settled many temporary child and spousal support issues, including stream of income available for support; Ostler/Smith calculations; earning capacity issues, including vocational assessments; imputation of income; and reasonable rate of return issues, as well as permanent spousal support determinations, including analysis of 4320 factors

Custody and Visitation matters as judge 

• Conducted trials and/ or hearings and/or resolved legal and physical custody designations, relocation requests, timeshare, education decisions, resist/refuse dynamics, extreme parental conflict, parent medical and mental health, minor child medical and mental health challenges and substance abuse challenges
• Multiple-day trial regarding minor’s counsel request for an international change in custody from one parent to the other
• Multiple trials regarding request to relocate with minor child to another country or another state
• Multiple-day trial with refuse/resist allegations, including testimony from forensic psychologists with expertise in child custody and refuse/resist dynamics.
• Multiple-day trial involving a relocation request and refuse/resist dynamics involving separation of siblings

Domestic Violence matters as a judge 

• Heard and decided all issues related to allegations of domestic violence, cross-allegations of domestic violence, determination of primary aggressor, 3044 presumption and rebuttal issues
• Multiple-day domestic violence trial involving allegations of murder for hire
• Multiple-day domestic violence trial involving allegations of coercive control with no allegations of physical violence
• Presided over domestic violence criminal jury trials

Honors, Memberships, and Professional Activities

Memberships and Affiliations

• California Judges Association
  • Elections Committee, 2016–2024
  • Ethics Committee, 2017–2024
    • Vice Chair, 2021–2022
    • Chair, 2022–2023
  • Judicial Fairness Coalition, 2017–2024

Selected Presentations and Teaching

• Faculty, California Judicial Education and Research (CJER) Family Law Institute, 2024
  • Complex Real Property Issues
  • Ethical Issues in Settlement of Custody Matters
• Planning Workgroup and Faculty, Supervising Judge Institute, 2023–2024
• Faculty, CJER Primary Assignment Orientation (Family Law), 2022, 2023, 2024
  • Permanent Spousal Support
  • Attorney Fees and Costs
  • Requests for Orders
  • Statement of Decision
• Panelist, International Custody, The Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act, Hague Convention, 2023
• The Skill of Ethical Lawyering, Santa Clara University School of Law, 2021
• Member, Judicial Council Family Law Curriculum Committee, 2021–2024
• Member, Judicial Council Criminal Law Curriculum Committee, 2021–2023
• Teacher, Temporary Judge Bench Conduct and Demeanor, 2015–2024

Background and Education

• Judge, Santa Clara County Superior Court, 2011–2024
  • All-Purpose Judge, Family Law Division, 2021–2024
  • Supervising Judge, Criminal Division and Felony Trials, 2018–2020
  • Assistant Supervising Judge, Criminal Division, 2017
• Owner and Founder, Law Offices of Vanessa A. Zecher, 1994–2010
• Partner, Ravel & Zecher, 1991–1994
• Deputy County Counsel, Santa Clara County Counsel’s Office, 1987–1991
• J.D., Santa Clara University, 1987
• B.A., Santa Clara University, 1984