Whether you are trying to establish your initial custody and visitation orders or trying to modify the current timeshare arrangement, this is one of the most personal and stressful issues facing parents. We can assist you with filing your paperwork, prepping you for mediation, and/or advocating on your behalf in the courtroom. It is understandably difficult to express your wants and desires for your children, and the ability to present your thoughts in a clear, concise manner is priceless. In California, custody and visitation arrangements are based on the best interests of the children, and we can help you accomplish that goal.

There are two types of custody, legal and physical. Legal custody is essentially the right to make decisions pertaining to the health, education, and religious education of your children, among other such matters. Physical custody is the right to physically have the children in your care. In all cases, there is either joint or sole custody, although there are occasions where one parent will be designated the “primary custodial parent,” meaning that the children primarily reside with that parent.

Visitation is the actual schedule where the children spend a specific amount of time at each parent’s residence, and it is used for purposes of calculating support. Regardless of whether or not you wish to have an equal timeshare or with one parent to have limited visitation rights, it is very important to establish a set schedule that both you and your children can rely on.

Common custody and visitation issues include:

• Move-aways: The reality is that people need or want to move for various reasons, and typically speaking, this impacts the visitation schedule. There are creative and flexible solutions for this problem that allow for both parents to continue enjoying a similar timeshare. The goal in move-aways is to allow your children to maintain the same relationship with both parents. This can frequently be accomplished by carefully looking at your specific situation and keeping your children’s best interests in mind.
• Military: Active military personnel generally do not have a choice when they are deployed or reassigned. Custody and visitation orders in these situations can be quite different based on the children’s needs.
• Modifications: Change is a part of life, and with that includes changes in your children’s needs and wants. While one parent may be reluctant to alter a schedule that has been in effect for many years, sometimes this is required based on your children’s development. Other times, both parents acknowledge and agree that the current schedule is no longer working. Either way, the goal should be to create a schedule that reflects what is best for your children.
• Initial orders: Suddenly you are forced to think of schedules and dividing up holidays. Learning this new thought process can be terribly difficult and stressful.

No matter what your specific custody or visitation issue is, you can always benefit from the assistance of an attorney who is experienced in these matters and who can guide you through this overwhelming process.

We invite you to contact our firm to discuss your issues so we can work together to accomplish your goal of reaching a custody and visitation arrangement in your children’s best interests.