Hon. Victoria Wood (Ret.)

Profile

Hon. Victoria Wood (Ret.) established her successful track record of settling highly disputed cases during her time as a Judge for the Superior Court of Napa County where she served her community with dedication for nearly two decades. Prior to her appointment to the bench in 2013, she gained extensive experience analyzing the law as a respected judicial attorney at both the trial and appellate court levels, which prepared her well for her role as a judge.

During her judicial tenure, Judge Wood presided over complex matters in a variety of assignments, including civil, probate and family law. Her responsibilities extended to overseeing complex jury trials, appeals, and high-conflict settlement conferences. She also held diverse and impactful roles in court leadership, including serving as the Presiding Judge of the Appellate Division, Assistant Presiding Judge of the Court, Lead Judge for the Civil, Juvenile, and Family Law Divisions, as well as Judicial Liaison to the Grand Jury.

Through her work in judicial settlement conferences, Judge Wood discovered her distinct passion and talent for dispute resolution, and made the decision to focus her career on alternative dispute resolution, bringing her nearly three decades of experience in the legal profession to the team of respected neutrals at ADR Services, Inc. She has quickly accumulated a successful track record of settlements in probate, family law, appeals and a variety of civil matters, including employment, business, insurance coverage, construction defect, contract and personal injury disputes. Clients regularly provide feedback that she puts in 100% effort and time to fully understand all of the issues in the case, that she is able to connect genuinely with even the most emotional parties, and that she has the tenacity to do what it takes to get her cases “to the finish line,” even when it requires diligent follow-up after the mediation.

Judge Wood also serves as an arbitrator, private judge and discovery referee. Her decades of experience as a judicial research attorney and judicial officer, performing the legal research and writing for tentative rulings, orders, and opinions for civil law and motion, probate, and appellate matters, make her highly qualified for and effective in these roles. With a dedication to serving the community, she also offers her services as a panel mediator for the 6th District Court of Appeal, the Alameda County Superior Court, the San Francisco Superior Court Probate Division and the Contra Costa County Superior Court.

Reflective of her passion for this work, Judge Wood also now serves as an adjunct professor teaching Alternative Dispute Resolution at UC Davis School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate degree in 1997. Her undergraduate degrees include a B.S. in Sociology and a B.A. in Spanish from Pacific Union College, where she graduated magna cum laude.

Representative Cases

Testimonials

“I have already been telling my colleagues at the firm about Judge Wood’s excellence in this case. She was kind, credible, and dedicated to get a deal done with very little time given to her. She gained the trust of people in both rooms, and frankly made [co-counsel] and I look good in front of a national client. Also 10 out of 10.”

“We were very happy with Judge Wood as was our client. She was very honest, and that is important for both parties. She took the time to prepare…and thus, she got it done in 2 hours! We will definitely be using her again (as will our client), 10 out of 10 here. And of course, I plan to recommend her to our attorneys in California.”

“She was great, compassionate and strong!”

“Judge Wood was excellent. She was very personal, professional, and knowledgeable. We appreciate her hard work in settling our matter. I would use her services again. I would recommend her to others.”

“I thought Judge Wood was excellent and effective. She really worked hard to help us reach a resolution. I plan on using her again and will recommend her to others.”

“Judge Wood is an EXCELLENT mediator. I have brought cases to mediation countless times over the past 30 years in my career. Judge Wood’s style and process is, in my opinion, among the very best. I intend to bring more cases to her in the future, without reservation. Judge Wood had a firm grasp of the law; was a quick study; took the time necessary to assess the relevant facts and dynamics before the mediation; encouraged the parties and their attorneys to explain the basis for their settlement proposals and the changes made to them throughout the negotiations – to really think through each offer before proposing it; maintained a poker face and professional demeanor throughout the negotiations; and was both tough and compassionate, as appropriate to the circumstances presented.”

“Judge Wood was fantastic! This was a particularly difficult case because Plaintiff had unrealistic expectations and we were fighting over insurance coverage on the defense side and she was able to help us get it resolved. I would definitely use her in the future!”

“Judge Wood did a great job!  I really didn’t think our case was going to settle.  I appreciated how she did not give up on it and gave all her efforts to get it done. I look forward to working with Judge Wood again in the future.”

“Judge Wood was nothing short of fabulous! She read the entirety of my 700+ page brief and did not give up until we reached a resolution. She was attentive and great with our client. This was an emotionally charged case for our client and Judge Wood went out of her way to make her feel comfortable and heard. It was an invaluable experience for my client and a catalyst for her healing. She is definitely a decided asset to ADR Services. I am happily looking forward to using her again.”

“Judge Wood was a wonderful mediator. She did a great job listening to both sides and getting all parties involved to a mutually agreeable resolution. Judge Wood also stayed late making sure that an agreeable settlement form was reached between the parties.”

“We had a terrific experience with Judge Wood. She did important groundwork ahead of the mediation to identify and facilitate issues that required more briefing. She was narrowing and moving issues towards resolution days before we arrived at the mediation. From the outset my clients liked and trusted her. She moved the negotiations along and as the gap for settlement narrowed, she used several helpful techniques that led to resolution. I will definitely recommend Judge Wood when proposing mediators in the future and look forward to working with her again.”

“Overall, we are very pleased with Judge Wood. She was well-prepared and had a detailed understanding of the issues by the pre-mediation meeting. Most impressive is her ability to speak to the heart of the matter with the clients, and quickly break through the barriers that stood in the way of resolution. She did not leave my office until midnight, after the MSA was signed. Having worked with Judge Wood during her time on the bench, I am not surprised by this experience and think it is only a matter of time that her reputation solidifies with the family law community.”

“I was impressed by Judge Wood as a mediator, but that didn’t surprise me. I’ve appeared in front of her before when she was on the bench and she displayed similar skills. She’s patient, communicates sincerely with the principals, knows when to go to an attorneys-only conference, and guides the process, at least in this most recent case, in a skillful, and ultimately successful manner.”

“Judge Wood recently mediated a real property case where I represented the estate of a decedent who had signed a promissory note to settle a palimony case 35 years ago. We contended that the debt had either long since been paid or forgiven, but the defendant was adamant that she had never received payment and was entitled to 35 years of interest in addition to the unpaid principal. I found Judge Wood to have an exceptional grasp of not only the facts and applicable law of the case but also the emotional dynamics of the case that were impeding the ability to settle the matter. We were ultimately successful in resolving the case thanks in large part to the ability of Judge Wood to tactfully navigate the emotions of both parties (the defendant and the family of the decedent). I would highly recommend her as a mediator and intend to use her again.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Judge Wood in a very high conflict custody case. The case was on its way to a lengthy and painful trial and I am confident it would not have settled had Judge Wood not stepped in. Judge Wood gave us two days of her (already heavily impacted) time, read and absorbed everything that was submitted to her, was thoughtful and commonsensical in her approach, directive when useful, skillful at explaining the various outcomes awaiting the parties without being heavy-handed, and always compassionate. Tempers frequently flared in chambers – Judge Wood was a cool and steady presence, the consummate “adult in the room.” She took great care to assure that everyone felt heard and never took her eyes off the ultimate issue – what was best for the parties’ children. ADR Services, Inc. is fortunate to add Judge Wood to their list of family law neutrals.”

“I had the pleasure of working with Judge Wood in a very high conflict custody case. The case was on its way to a lengthy and painful trial and I am confident it would not have settled had Judge Wood not stepped in. Judge Wood gave us two days of her (already heavily impacted) time, read and absorbed everything that was submitted to her, was thoughtful and commonsensical in her approach, directive when useful, skillful at explaining the various outcomes awaiting the parties without being heavy-handed, and always compassionate. Tempers frequently flared in chambers—Judge Wood was a cool and steady presence, the consummate “adult in the room.”  She took great care to assure that everyone felt heard and never took her eyes off the ultimate issue—what was best for the parties’ children.  ADR is fortunate to add Judge Wood to their list of family law neutrals.”

“My first experience with Judge Wood was such a positive one. I appeared in her Napa County courtroom prepared to proceed with a trial involving domestic violence, child custody, visitation, and support, for what were highly contested issues. With Judge Wood’s expertise, as well as her compassionate and empathetic approach to both my client and my opposing party, the case settled before the end of the morning. I would highly recommend Judge Wood for any ADR dispute resolution. My office will be keeping her in our arsenal and resources that my office can tap into in order to reach the best outcome available for my clients.”

“Judge Wood came onto a case that I thought would never settle.  The parties were very far apart and had been fighting for years.  One of the parties was self-represented.  She was patient with the parties.  Walking them through their distrust to reach a resolution and move on with their lives.  It took time, but Judge Wood held in there with her patience that made all the difference.  I wouldn’t hesitate to use her expertise to help on any case, but especially one with high conflict and deep distrust between the parties.”

“Judge Wood’s numerous qualities that make her so successful in mediating and settling high conflict family law cases include her ability to analyze complex legal issues, her keen knowledge of the law, her range of experience in various capacities as a judge, her caring nature for the involved parties, and her concern for the well-being of minors.  Judge Wood specializes in finding solutions to difficult problems and has the intelligence, level-headedness, and demeanor to carry the most challenging cases through to a resolution that heals and restores equanimity in families.”

“Judge Wood approaches every matter with fairness, kindness and sharp legal acuity. She leaves litigants feeling respected and understanding of the compromises that were necessary to resolve the issue.  Judge Wood is sure to be an asset to the ADR community.”

“Judge Wood has a knack for proposing creative solutions in the midst of a pressure-filled family law dynamic where emotions are wound tight. She is both compassionate and realistic; this mindset resonates with clients and inspires trust and a willingness to compromise.”

“Judge Wood is an excellent mediator. Her understanding and compassion towards complex legal and emotional matters results in positive outcomes, even with the most skeptical of litigants. She offers unique solutions to resolve matters while keeping parties focused on compromise and resolution. I have utilized her in several matters, and highly recommend her for dispute resolution.”