What About the Children?
Establishing a child custody and visitation agreement is one of the most important, and often the most contentious, of all divorce issues. The attorneys of Hanson, Hales, Gorian & Bradford help clients establish a parenting plan that works. In the many cases, we are able to negotiate an agreement without taking the battle over the children to court.
Putting the Children First
Fathers often feel that they are not treated fairly by the court when it comes to custody and visitation arrangements. It is important to realize that the court puts the highest priority on the best interests of the children — not fairness to the parents.
Both parents typically share legal custody of their children. This allows them to fully participate in important decisions about their children's education, medical care and religious upbringing. One parent typically receives primary physical custody while the other parent has visitation rights.
The court favors child custody and visitation plans that keep the children's lives as stable as possible. It looks to the family's history of the caregiving for guidance.
In many families, the mother is still the primary caregiver. If that has been the case in your family, the mother will most likely be given primary physical custody of the children not because the court favors the mother, but because the goal is to avoid disrupting the lives of the children as much as possible. In those cases where the father is the primary caregiver, or when parents have shared duties on a more equal basis, court orders will likely be consistent with those arrangements.
Modification of Child Custody
When your life changes, your child custody and visitation arrangements may need to change, too. A change in your job or relocation to another state may require a modification to your parenting plan.
Don't rely on an informal agreement between you and the children's other parent. It is important to legally change a parenting plan by having a lawyer petition the court for a modification.
To discuss your specific needs, please contact the family law attorneys of Hanson, Hales, Gorian & Bradford in Riverside, California.
