Child Custody Attorneys Marina

Child Custody Attorneys Marina

Child custody is an important concern in any divorce that involves children, but child custody modifications and child custody orders outside of marriage and divorce are also common legal matters. In California, child custody determinations are always based on the involved children’s best interests. If you are facing a child custody issue, a child custody attorney in Marina is standing by to help.

Legal Custody

In California, child custody breaks down into both legal custody – or primary decision-making power – and parenting time. The kinds of decisions addressed by legal custody are those that guide the children’s upbringing, including matters like the following:

• Your children’s schooling and daycare
• Where your children make their primary residence
• Your children’s healthcare
• Your children’s religious education
• Your children’s participation in extracurricular activities and travel

Legal custody can be either sole or joint. When shared, any of the following approaches can be adopted:

• The parents make the decisions together through consensus.
• The parents make the decisions by consensus, but one parent has the authority to break a tie if needed.
• The parents divide the decisions between them according to the category of decision that needs to be made.

Day-to-day decisions that pop up around the clock are the responsibility of the parent whom the children are with at the time.

Parenting Time

Parenting time determines how the parents will divide their time with the children. California courts seek to maximize each spouse’s parenting time schedule, which means that – typically – either one parent will take on the primary custodial role while the other has visitation, or the parents will split their time with the kids more equally. Only when there is a significant reason for restricting a parent’s time with the kids will the court take measures to do so.

Your Children’s Best Interests

California courts begin with the belief that it is in the best interest of children to maximize the amount of visitation they have with each parent – barring any reasons for ruling otherwise. Best interest factors as they relate to child custody orders include all the following:

• Each parent’s preference regarding parenting time and legal custody
• The amount of involvement each parent has had in raising the children to date
• The closeness of the relationship between each parent and each child
• Each parent’s ability and commitment to continue supporting the other parent’s close relationship with the children
• Each child’s physical and emotional needs, including any special needs, and each parent’s ability to address these needs
• Whether or not there are any concerns related to domestic violence, child abuse, or neglect
• Anything else the court deems relevant to the case at hand

Turn to an Experienced Child Custody Attorney in Marina for the Help You Need

The compassionate family law attorneys at Miranda, Magden & Miranda, LLP, in Marina have an impressive range of experience fiercely protecting the parental rights of clients like you, and we are on your side. Your child custody terms are fundamental, so please do not wait to reach out for more information about how we can help by contacting us today.