The children should be the primary focus when determining child custody. The children need to be placed in a safe, loving, and respectful environment. Taking a look at which parent can give the children the healthiest lifestyle is essential in determining which parent gets primary custody. A Westlake Village child custody attorney can fight for parents’ rights over their children.
California law requires one parent to open a family law case with their county’s superior court. The family law case must be opened when filing for child custody. When filing for custody, the parent identifies what kind of custody they want over their child; Is that going to be joint or sole legal custody, joint physical custody, or sole physical custody? Any relevant documents about custody will be submitted to the court.
Requesting sole physical custody over a child grants a parent the right for their child to live with him or her, but gives visitation rights to the other parent. If both parents want equal rights over their child, joint physical custody will be requested. The parents will then share custody of the child and split up parenting time between them. The court will determine what kind of schedule is best for their child if they cannot reach an agreement.
Both parents have the legal obligation to legally support their child.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau in the latest report on custodial mothers and fathers, 21.9 million children had a parent who had sole custody of them. Only one-half of the 12.9 million custodial parents had a child support agreement. Of the 6.4 million custodial parents who had a contract for child support, about 50% of the noncustodial parents had visitation rights.
Going through the motions of filing for child custody and child support can get messy if parents do not know the steps they need to take. But, with the help of a Westlake Village child custody attorney that has two decades worth of experience, they can ensure the child’s best interests are met.
If you or someone you love is in a custody battle, contact an attorney at the Law Offices of Stephanie L. Mahdavi by clicking here or calling us at 805-379-4550.
