Child Custody

As a parent involved in a divorce or considering divorce, it is very likely you have pressing concerns regarding the care of your children. At this time, it is wise to choose an attorney who will attend to your legal needs with great care and understanding, as well as with a sense of vigor. I provide compassionate legal help to parents who are going through divorce. I balance the emotional nature of child custody and child visitation decisions with the aggressiveness that may be necessary to secure the best possible outcome.

Above all else, I advocate for the best interests of the children. Talk to me about your parenting time goals. Call my firm at 510-495-5898 to arrange a consultation.

Child support is another issue that will directly affect your children.

Child Custody and Visitation

There are many types of parenting plan agreements that can be reached during the divorce process. Generally, child custody will involve physical custody and legal custody. Physical custody refers to where the children live, and legal custody refers to decisions made about the children's education, health care, religion and other issues. A common agreement results in one parent obtaining physical custody of the children, with the non-custodial parent obtaining visitation time. Legal custody is often awarded as joint custody, with both parents having input into important decisions. Of course, custody and visitation varies with each family. As your attorney, I devise the best course of action for you and the best interests of your children.

Can Child Custody and Visitation Be Changed?

While my law firm certainly makes every effort to reach enduring custody agreements, the fact is that life can change. People move. Situations change. And sometimes it may be necessary to request a modification to the existing court order. Whether you are involved in a parental relocation, child relocation or want to contest a proposed modification, I am your partner in family law.

Child Support

California child support is based on guidelines determined by the Family Code. The majority of law firms and the Court used a program called Dissomaster to calculate child support. The California Department of Child Support Services also has their own calculator that is required to be used for all cases within their office.  I have extensive experience in the field of child support.

Although parties are free to reach agreements about child support that vary from the guidelines, a guideline child support calculation must be attached to all child support orders, and if there is a deviation from the calculation, the order must contain the reasons for the variance.

Several factors are programmed into the calculator:

• Gross monthly incomes of both parties
• Visitation
• Number of children
• Any spousal support paid to one party by the other party
• Children from other relationships for whom either party is responsible

I will take care to work out the best solution for child support in your family law case.