Expert Child Custody Lawyers in Los Altos, CA
Child custody and parental visitation disputes are among the most sensitive and crucial aspects of family law cases. The decisions made in this process—and the process itself—will have a profound and lasting effect on your children’s lives and your ongoing role as a parent. Securing the support of a highly skilled and experienced Los Altos child custody lawyer is essential to achieving a favorable outcome and safeguarding your family’s well-being throughout a difficult transition.
California courts must always prioritize the “best interests of the child” when addressing child custody and visitation matters. The court will evaluate a wide range of factors that impact your child’s health, safety, security, stability, and emotional wellness. Custody issues are deeply personal, highly charged, and can quickly become contentious between separated parents.
The experienced team at Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. understands the logistical and emotional complexity of custody disputes. We provide the knowledgeable, compassionate, and responsive legal representation needed to navigate these delicate matters.
Resolving Complex Custody Disputes with Unwavering Expertise and Strategic Advocacy
Our seasoned child custody attorneys in Los Altos understand the intricacies of custody and visitation matters. We handle cases arising from divorces, partnership dissolutions, legal separations, annulments, abuse prevention, and parentage actions with meticulous attention to detail.
We are skilled negotiators who excel at finding creative solutions to difficult problems. We make every effort to resolve your dispute smoothly and amicably without going to trial. When necessary, we are fierce litigators and will fight for your parental rights in court while protecting your child from conflict and preserving their best interests. We have a successful track record of both settling and litigating legally complex, high-conflict matters, including these issues:
- Custody evaluations: Ensuring thorough and objective assessments to inform the court’s decisions.
- Supervised visitation: Implementing structured and monitored visitation arrangements when warranted to protect the child’s safety and well-being.
- Paternity actions and DNA testing: Establishing legal parentage with accuracy and efficiency.
- Child abduction, including Hague Convention cases: Navigating international legal frameworks to secure the return of abducted children.
- Parent relocation requests: Addressing the complexities of parental relocation while prioritizing the child’s best interests.
- Parental alienation remedies: Counteracting harmful attempts to undermine the child’s relationship with a parent.
- Child support determinations: Ensuring fair and accurate child support calculations that reflect the child’s needs.
- IRS dependency exemptions: Addressing tax-related aspects of child custody to optimize tax treatment.
Our unwavering commitment is to securing positive and sustainable outcomes for our clients, while consistently placing your children’s emotional, physical, and developmental well-being at the forefront of our strategic approach.
A Deeper Understanding of California Child Custody Law and Its Nuances
California law distinguishes between two types of custody: “physical custody” and “legal custody”. “Sole physical custody” indicates that the child resides primarily with one parent, while “joint physical custody” means the child lives with each parent for a substantial (if not equal) portion of the time.
“Legal custody” refers to decision-making power. “Sole legal custody” grants one parent exclusive authority to make critical decisions regarding the child’s health, education, and welfare. “Joint legal custody” gives the parents shared decision-making responsibilities.
It is essential to have the guidance of a knowledgeable family attorney when devising a parenting plan.
California recognizes the diversity of family dynamics and allows for various custody arrangements, tailored to each family’s unique circumstances and needs. While the state does not presumptively favor any specific arrangement, it unequivocally emphasizes the paramount importance of the child’s best interests.
If divorcing parents can collaborate to create a mutually agreeable custody plan, they can ask the court for approval. When parents cannot reach an agreement, the court will order mediation.
In California, mediation processes vary from county to county. Some counties utilize “confidential mediation” to facilitate the parties’ efforts to reach an agreement; other counties use a process called “recommending mediation,” in which mediators provide a written recommendation to the court for consideration.
If mediation does not produce an agreement, the judge will make custody and visitation decisions. Parents have the right to a trial if a satisfactory resolution cannot be achieved through alternative means.
Dedicated Counsel and Effective Advocacy: A Commitment to Your Family’s Well-Being
With over 35 years of experience and an exclusive focus on family law, Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., provides expert and compassionate counsel, building relationships based on trust and open communication. We empower parents to collaborate on custody agreements that work for the whole family, resolving issues outside of court whenever possible. In contested cases, we offer robust trial representation, ensuring that your parental rights are vigorously protected and your children’s immediate and long-term best interests are at the forefront of every decision.
Our firm handles a comprehensive range of custody and visitation matters, including negotiating parenting plans, visitation rights enforcement, custody order modifications, complex “move-away” cases, and interstate and international custody disputes. Our exclusive focus on family law in the San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and greater Bay Area, combined with our extensive experience, deep understanding of local court procedures, and commitment to client service, ensures superior representation.
Connect with our Los Altos Child Custody Attorneys: Secure Your Family’s Future Today
For personalized guidance and expert legal representation on divorce, domestic partnership dissolution, child custody, or related family law issues, contact Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. by completing the form below or call us at 866.944.7126.
