Leading Child Custody Lawyers California
If you’re looking for a child custody attorney in California, you’ve come to the right place. Discover East County Family Law, where we have an experienced team of child custody lawyers that are experts in all aspects of family law, ensuring you receive the best advice and services possible.
At East County Family Law, we understand how complex child custody cases can be. That’s why with our expertise, we strive to make this process as smooth as possible for everyone involved. Child custody battles can be a delicate situation, and our goal is to make sure that every child receives the best child custody arrangement that supports their needs and future.
Selecting us means we will help guide you through the complexities of child custody arrangements and ensure you are aware of your legal rights as a mother or father.
Contact East County Family Law as your lawyer for child custody today!
Understanding Child Custody In California
When it comes to child custody laws, it can be overwhelming at first to navigate especially when you haven’t been through a custody battle before. The child custody laws in California are designed to prioritize the best interests of the child, ensuring that their health, safety and welfare are protected. In California there are two main types of custody, physical custody and legal custody. Understanding how these laws work is essential for any parent involved in a custody dispute.
Navigating child custody and support issues:
Legal custody is when a parent has the responsibility to make important decisions about the child’s life, such as education, healthcare and religious upbringing. This could either be as sole legal custody, where only one parent has the exclusive right to make decisions about the child’s welfare, or as joint legal custody, where both parents are both legally entitled to share these decisions.
In California, the court encourages both parents to work together to create a custody and visitation plan that supports the child’s well being. However, if parents can’t reach an agreement on their own, a judge will decide based on various factors, these can include:
- The child’s age
- The child’s health, safety and welfare
- Each parent’s ability to care for the child
- The emotional bond between the child and each parent
- The child’s ties to home, school and community
- Any history of domestic violence or substance abuse
- The parents ability to provide a stable environment, give the child attention and able to communicate with the other parent
- If the child is considered mature enough by the court; the child’s preference of custody.
The state of California also recognizes how important it is for both parents to maintain a relationship with the child when possible, that’s why joint custody arrangements are favored most of the time as long as it doesn’t interfere with the child’s best interests.
East County Family Law is here to guide you through the process. Whether you’re seeking joint custody, or you need to establish visitation rights, our experienced custody
lawyers
will ensure that your rights as a parent are protected while prioritizing what’s best for the child involved.
Physical custody
Physical custody, this determines where the child resides. If a parent is granted sole physical custody then the child will only live with them, however for the parent who doesn’t have physical custody the court can issue visitation orders. Sometimes both of the parents may share joint physical custody where the child splits time between both of them, although even in this case one parent may have the child for the majority of the time (a visitation schedule can be put in place to more clearly define the arrangement).
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Understanding Visitation Rights in California
One of the key aspects of child custody in California is visitation. When one parent is granted sole physical custody, the other parent is typically given visitation rights. The goal of this is to maintain a healthy and meaningful relationship between the child and both parents, even if one parent is not the primary custodian.
There are four common types of visitation orders in California, including:
1.
Visitation With a Schedule
Since children benefit from a routine, California courts typically grant visitation with a schedule for the parent who doesn’t have sole custody. This provides consistency for the child involved as well as clarity for the parents. This type of visitation plan is highly detailed and structured, outlining specific dates, times and holidays when the child will be with each parent. Both parents can work together with a child custody attorney to come to an agreement, once the courts approve, this plan will be enforced. Having a visitation schedule in place can benefit both the parents and children involved, as they know when they’ll get to see each other they can just focus on spending time together.
The visitation schedule should include when parents will see the child on:
- Weekdays and weekends
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Vacations
- Special occasions
2.
Supervised Visits
For supervised visitation, this may be appointed by the courts in situations where the child’s health, safety and well-being may be negatively affected by a parent or family member’s actions. If the child’s safety is at risk or the child does not have a preexisting relationship with the parent, then visitation can be allowed under the supervision of a third party. This could be a relative or a professional supervisor, to ensure that the child is protected while still allowing a relationship with the non-custodial parent. Typically supervised visitation is allocated by a judge under specific circumstances, and if these guidelines are not followed by the parents then this can result in no visitation. However, if these supervised visits are followed and have seen to have a positive impact, then this could result in granting a less strict schedule.
Supervised visitation requirements may address:
- The duration of each visit
- The frequency of the visits
- The location the visitations will take place
- If a third party provider must be present
- If a friend or relative can monitor visits
3.
Reasonable Visitation
A reasonable visitation is much more relaxed, allowing the non-custodial parent the right to see their child. This arrangement allows the parents to determine their own schedule based on what works best for both parties and the child. With this visitation can range from being highly detailed to being more relaxed. While it offers greater flexibility, it also requires a level of cooperation and communication between parents. Although this visitation type has its benefits, it can create a level of inconsistency for the children and parents. This arrangement can work well if the parents involved are able to get along and communicate effectively, however, if they disagree or have conflict then not having a set schedule in place can create more problems.
4.
No Visitation
If judges determine that the child’s safety is at risk, then they may order no visitation with the non-custodial parent even with supervision. This is to protect the best interests of the child and to protect their physical and emotional well-being. No visitation is usually in extreme cases where abuse, neglect or severe substance abuse issues are involved, leading to a judge denying any form of visitation. No visitation can be ordered in the first petition for custody, however it can also be implemented later if circumstances change, the parent will need to present evidence to court if they deem this necessary. If the child is believed to be in immediate danger, the parent can seek emergency custody and contact local law enforcement.
A California lawyer for child custody from East County Family Law can help secure the most appropriate visitation arrangement for the family's needs, so you can be confident you and your child receive the best support.
Contact the Best Divorce Attorneys in California
Our child custody attorneys at East County Family Law are dedicated to helping parents secure the most appropriate visitation arrangements for their family’s needs. Choosing a custody lawyer California offers means you will receive the right legal support, allowing you to make informed decisions that benefit both you and your child. Our child custody attorneys are well-versed in California’s custody laws and are here to guide you through the process. Whether you’re seeking joint custody, need to establish visitation rights or require custody modifications, a lawyer for child custody will ensure that your rights as a parent are protected while prioritizing what’s best for the child.
Are you looking for a custody attorney who will prioritize your child's best interests?
Contact East County Family Law today for a consultation with an experienced custody lawyer in California. Understanding the nuances of child custody in California can be complex, that’s why we’re ready to help you secure the best possible outcome for your family!
