Dr. Joaquin Arambula, a Fresno Democrat, is a state assemblymember representing the 31st Assembly District.
A Fresno lawmaker vying for a City Council seat checked himself into a rehabilitation program to cope with job stress and prevent alcohol and drug abuse, court records say.
Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno, said in a signed Feb. 13 declaration to the court that he entered the voluntary inpatient program Jan. 7 designed to provide him skills to cope with stress. He wrote in court filings that he completed the program Feb. 6.
“I just felt I needed some help to adjust and to make sure that I did not become dependent on alcohol or marijuana,” he said in the declaration.
His wife, Elizabeth Arambula, filed for divorce on Jan. 26. The Bee obtained court filings related to the divorce from the Fresno County Superior Court.
Arambula noted he has no criminal or psychiatric history, and chose to join on his own without an intervention.
But his wife said in divorce-related court filings that he had a history of “substance abuse and gaming addiction.”
In a statement shared after this story’s publication, Arambula elaborated on his decision to enter rehab.
“I voluntarily entered into and successfully completed a 30-day rehab because I recognized I had a problem, and I chose to improve my life and be a better father for our children,” he said. “This is a very trying time for me and my family, and I ask for the public’s understanding.”
Arambula, 48, is currently serving in his fifth term in the California State Assembly, representing a district within Fresno County — including a big portion of the city of Fresno and parts of Clovis, Selma, Fowler, Parlier, Sanger and Orange Cove. He has held the seat since 2016.
He said in a statement provided by his office that he is “fully engaged in the work of representing the 31st Assembly District,” meeting with constituents, attending legislative meetings and advocating for bills he’s authored this legislative session.
“I have never wavered in my dedication and commitment to serve the people of the 31st Assembly District,” he said. “It has been the honor of my lifetime to be their representative.”
Arambula’s office emphasized his work championing access to health care, expanding workforce development programs and providing support to the vulnerable during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Arambula is one of several candidates running to represent District 3 on Fresno City Council, which includes downtown, Chinatown, the Tower District, and neighborhoods like Edison and Lowell. It also includes most of the city’s industrial parks in south Fresno.
In a statement provided by his campaign team, Arambula said he is committed to his campaign.
“I am fully immersed in my campaign for Fresno City Council District 3. I officially filed and will be on the ballot in June. I have been participating in endorsement interviews, engaging with voters, and fundraising. I am more committed than ever to this community and trust the voters of this district,” Arambula said.
Divorce and treatment
Joaquin and Elizabeth Arambula were married on Jan. 22, 2011. They separated on Dec. 30 after nearly 15 years of marriage, according to court records. They have three daughters under age 15, the records show.
In court filings, Elizabeth Arambula said she had to cover for her husband’s struggles with alcohol, marijuana and gaming “for years.”
“His dependency issues have worsened over time,” she said in a court filing.
She said she used to drive him to work because of his sobriety issues, and that government drivers would bring him home.
“He rarely drove our daughters anywhere for the same reason,” she said in a court filing.
After this story’s publication, Elizabeth Arambula’s lawyer, Zeppy Attashian, said her client “is deeply disappointed a private family matter required court involvement.”
”After multiple attempts to reach an agreement with Dr. Arambula, she was left with no choice but to seek the court’s assistance,” Attashian said. “At this time, her focus remains on her children and protecting their well-being. She respectfully asks that her family’s privacy be honored during what is a very difficult time for them.”
Elizabeth Arambula requested the filing be sealed, pointing to Joaquin Arambula’s role as an elected official and noting the family has before been in the public eye under another separate, stressful incident. Arambula was arrested in December 2018 on a misdemeanor child abuse charge after police were called out to his 7-year-old daughter’s elementary school. He was found not guilty in March 2019 after a nine-day trial.
Arambula, who described his decision to pursue treatment as a way to learn healthy stress coping skills, said the inpatient program was “extremely beneficial.” His wife visited him in rehab but asked for divorce before he was done with it, moving out of their home. She has refused to allow him to see their children, he wrote.
He said in court filings that he has volunteered to undergo drug testing, use an alcohol monitoring device called Soberlink and attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings to assure the court he can provide a safe environment for his children.
“I have trust in our court system to reach a fair and impartial resolution based on the facts and not on unreasonable demands, unwarranted fears, and false accusations,” Arambula said. “I am prepared to demonstrate my continued sobriety to the court and my willingness to support my family.”
Recreational and medical use of marijuana is legal in California. About a third of people who use cannabis can develop cannabis abuse disorder, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In her own filings with the court, Elizabeth Arambula described herself as a stay-at-home mom for past 15 years. She asked the court to intercede over the financial standings of the couple, saying he controlled all of their savings, checking and credit cards.
This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 3:13 PM.
The Fresno Bee
Melissa Montalvo is The Fresno Bee’s accountability reporter. Prior to this role, she covered Latino communities for The Fresno Bee as the part of the Central Valley News Collaborative. She also reported on labor, economy and poverty through newsroom partnerships between The Fresno Bee, Fresnoland and CalMatters as a Report for America Corps member.
Merced Sun-Star
Reporter Thaddeus Miller has covered cities in the central San Joaquin Valley since 2010, writing about everything from breaking news to government and police accountability. A native of Fresno, he joined The Fresno Bee in 2019 after time in Merced and Los Banos.