Peter M. Bochnewich, Esq., is the President and Owner of Bochnewich Law Offices, APC, located in Palm Desert, California. With decades of front-line legal experience, Peter is a highly respected trial attorney focusing primarily on high-stakes trust, estate, and probate litigation. He represents clients in a wide variety of serious disputes and frequently appears before probate judges throughout Southern California. Known for combining wise, patient counsel with zealous courtroom advocacy, Peter has built a strong reputation as a preferred referral attorney for many of the region’s finest estate planning professionals. He personally manages cases from their inception through the detailed phases of discovery, law and motion practice, mediation, trial, and appellate review.

Areas of Legal Expertise

Peter leverages his extensive litigation background to help clients address difficult disputes while also applying his courtroom insights to help clients proactively avoid ambiguities in their own estate planning. Handling the demands of California probate law requires a deeply focused and specialized background. To meet these demands, Peter has intentionally concentrated his career on the most critical aspects of wealth transfer and inheritance protection, which include:

• Trust & Estate Litigation: Handling will and trust contests, lack of capacity claims, undue influence allegations, breach of fiduciary duty, and estate accounting disputes.

• Probate Litigation & Administration: Managing uncontested probate matters, determination of heirship, property transfers, and advanced probate litigation.

• Estate Planning: Crafting trusts, wills, medical directives, durable powers of attorney, and conservatorships to protect family assets.

• Elder Law & Civil Litigation: Defending against financial elder abuse claims and litigating high-stakes breach of contract disputes.

By maintaining a narrow focus on these specific legal avenues, Peter provides his clients with highly relevant and up-to-date counsel. This targeted approach allows him to anticipate opposing strategies and build highly resilient cases for the individuals he represents.

Proven Track Record in Court

Experience is critical in estate litigation, and Peter has a documented history of securing highly favorable outcomes for his clients through both mediated settlements and complete trial victories. Over the course of his career, he has successfully protected millions of dollars in client assets. Notable case highlights include serving as chief counsel in the successful defense and full enforcement of a $45 million charitable trust following heavy pre-trial litigation.

Additionally, Peter achieved a complete trial victory and vindication for a surviving spouse trustee in a $13 million trust estate. He also successfully secured an early trial court dismissal of a $1.2 million will contest and won a complete defense in a $2.1 million trust estate litigation where his client faced allegations of fraud and financial elder abuse. Beyond the trial court level, Peter consistently prevails in the California Court of Appeal, recently having all favorable probate court rulings affirmed while successfully negotiating the recovery of approximately $200,000 in attorney’s fees for his client.

Professional Recognition & Leadership

Peter’s commitment to legal excellence and high ethical standards has earned him decades of recognition from his peers and the legal community. He holds a perfect 10/10 AVVO rating and was consistently selected as one of the "Top Lawyers" in the Coachella Valley by Palm Springs Life magazine from 2013 to 2022. A distinguished legal career is often reflected in the respect an attorney commands from their peers and local institutions. Peter remains highly active in the broader legal community, where his professional affiliations and leadership roles include:

• Desert Bar Association: Former President and Officer, and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award for his extensive contributions.

• Riverside County Superior Court: Approved Mediator.

• Desert Estate Planning Council: Past President (2012–2013) and former Board Member.

• Inland Empire Estate Planning Seminar (IEEPS): Board Member.

• State Bar of California: Active Member.

These prestigious roles highlight his ongoing commitment to advancing the standards of estate planning and legal mediation. By engaging regularly with these organizations, Peter stays at the forefront of emerging legal trends and best practices.