Determining who should have custody of the kids when you and your spouse are getting a divorce in California can be among the most emotionally-draining aspects of the experience. That doesn’t mean it has to be as overwhelming as you might expect. With help from an experienced Glendale child custody and visitation attorney at the Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers, you can ensure a qualified professional is looking out for you and your kids.
Glendale Child Custody And Cases: Important Information
Child custody and visitation arrangements can be among the most contentious topics that must be addressed before two spouses may finalize a divorce. In California, custody comes in two general forms:
- Physical custody, which refers to who a child lives with
- Legal custody, which refers to the rights of a parent to make critical decisions about how a child is raised
Courts may grant sole or joint legal custody. If a parent has sole legal custody, they are the only parent with the right to make decisions about a child’s education, religion, healthcare, etc. If parents are awarded joint custody, both have the right to make these decisions.
While one parent may have physical custody of a child, meaning their child will reside with them, the other parent may have visitation rights. Types of visitation available in California include:
- Supervised visitation, which may be necessary if there are questions regarding a child’s safety when visiting with a parent
- Reasonable visitation
- Scheduled visitation
There are some instances when a parent may not have visitation rights at all. This could happen if there is strong reason to believe a parent may compromise their child’s safety.
Child Custody in Glendale, CA: Factors Courts Account For
The goal of a judge when making decisions regarding child custody is to ensure the final arrangement serves a child’s best interests. To this end, courts account for such factors as the following when addressing these matters:
- The health of each parent, as both their mental and physical health can impact a parent’s ability to care for a child
- The degree to which a child has already bonded with each parent
- The degree to which each parent is already actively involved in raising the child
- The routine to which a child has grown accustomed
- The potential impact a certain custody and/or visitation arrangement will have on a child’s well being
Again, these are complex issues. The best way to get answers to any questions you may have about them is to discuss your concerns with an expert. Your Glendale child custody and visitation lawyer will gladly answer your questions throughout the divorce process.
Contact a Glendale Child Custody And Visitation Attorney
If you and your spouse believe you can productively work together to address custody and visitation issues before finalizing your divorce, a lawyer can facilitate civil discussions about these topics. On the other hand, if you can’t agree about these matters, a Glendale child custody and visitation attorney can provide the representation you deserve to maximize the odds of the court making proper and fair decisions that serve you and your children appropriately. Learn more about what we at the Law Offices of Teresa A. Beyers can do for you and your child by contacting us online or calling us at 213-236-4400.