Murrieta Child Custody Lawyers

Decades of Skilled & Focused Legal Advocacy

When your future with your children is on the line, it is important to have an attorney who listens, understands, and fights aggressively when necessary. Facing difficult custody decisions can take an emotional toll on all those involved. With over 34 years of experience, our qualified Murrieta divorce lawyers at Penna Coker A Family Law Firm APLC can help guide you through all matters related to child custody cases and provide you with the legal support you need to protect the best interests of your family.

How Is Child Custody Determined?

Taking an issue to family court can present different potential outcomes. Depending on each family’s situation, there are various ways to divide up the time a child will spend with their parents. These can include sole custody or joint custody.

A judge's primary concern during a child custody hearing is the child's best interests. When determining the best interests of the child, the judge should consider several factors that impact the child's well-being.

These factors may include:

• The child’s age
• The child’s health
• The relationship of the child with each parent
• The ability of each parent to care for the child
• A parent's history of substance abuse
• A history of family violence
• The child’s connection to his or her community
• The child's preference
• The parent's ability or willingness to foster the child's relationship with the other parent

Either parent can have sole custody of the child or parents may be able to work out an agreement to divide custody and responsibility. It will be up to the judge to decide the best possible outcome for the custody arrangement, based on the factors above; however, the decision is made based on the parenting plan that both parents have agreed upon.

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Here is the distinction between the two types of custody orders:

• Legal custody: This refers to a parent who has authority to make decisions on the child's medical care, religion, education, extracurricular activities, travel, and any other basic needs the child may require.
• Physical custody: This refers to the parent with whom the child will be living.

There are two distinctions in physical custody as well:

• Joint physical custody: The child is living with both parents.
• Sole physical custody: The child lives with one parent the majority of the time and will have designated time to visit the other parent.

Note that in some cases, the courts may grant "joint legal custody," which allows both parents to important decisions on behalf of the child, while the child still lies with one parent.

How Is Primary Custody Determined?

In your divorce petition, you must provide solid reasons that having primary custody would be in the best interests. Your plea to the courts must be convincing and based on facts. The courts will examine your relationship with your child closely, in addition to the relationship you share with siblings and any other adults that are living with you.

Over 34 Years of Experience. Call Today!

You want the best for your children, and you want to be treated fairly. Get the legal help you need to protect your rights and options from a firm dedicated to compassion and integrity. At Penna Coker A Family Law Firm APLC, our family lawyers offer the help you need for your child custody case. We also offer mediation services for those who wish to reach an amicable resolution without involving the court. Our focus on family law makes us exceptionally qualified to assist you in matters of child custody.