Salinas Child Custody Attorneys

Salinas Child Custody Attorneys

If you are facing a divorce that involves shared children or you are no longer going to be living with your children’s other parent, the issue of child custody is primary. While there is a very strong emotional component to this matter, which will directly affect your parental rights, it is also a complex legal issue, and working closely with an experienced Salinas child custody attorney is always in your best interest. 

Legal Custody

In California, child custody breaks down into both legal and physical custody, and legal custody takes on the matter of who will be making those important parenting decisions that guide your children’s lives going forward. The kinds of decisions involved include those related to all the following:

• The health care your children receive
• The extracurricular activities and travel your children participate in
• The schools your children attend
• The religious upbringing your children receive

While legal custody can be sole, which means that only one of you is assigned this decision-making authority, it can also be joint and addressed in any of the following ways:

• You and your ex hammer out these decisions between yourselves.
• You and your ex hammer out these decisions between yourselves, but one of you retains the power to break a tie if it becomes absolutely necessary to do so. 
• You and your ex divide these decisions between you according to the topic at hand. 

Physical Custody

Physical custody refers to parenting time, which determines when your children will be with you under your roof and when they will be with their other parent under theirs. California courts make every child custody ruling with the best interests of the involved children as their guide, and while there is a wide range of best-interest factors, California courts generally find that the well-being of children is best served when they are able to maximize the time they spend with both parents. As such, it’s very rare for one parent to be completely cut out of the equation. 

California’s Best Interest Factors

The kinds of factors California courts take into consideration when evaluating children’s best interests include matters like the following:

• The ongoing stability of care for the children
• Each parent’s degree of involvement in raising the children
• Each child’s needs, including any special needs that require special attention
• Each parent’s ability and desire to provide for the children’s physical and emotional well-being
• Each parent’s level of commitment to supporting an ongoing relationship between the other parent and the children 
• Each parent’s relationship with each of the children
• Each parent’s ability and commitment to facilitate effective co-parenting
• Any concerns regarding domestic violence, child abuse, or child neglect
• Any additional concerns deemed relevant by the court

An Experienced Salinas Child Custody Attorney Is Standing by to Help

The accomplished Salinas child custody attorneys at Miranda, Magden & Miranda, LLP, understand how important your child custody arrangements are to you and are well prepared to zealously advocate for terms that not only protect your rights but also work for you and your kids. Learn more by reaching out and contacting us today.