Custody decisions focus on your children
California courts decide custody based on the best interest of the child. Judges look at each child's health, safety and welfare, any history of abuse, and the nature of the child's relationship with each parent.
There are two kinds of custody: legal custody, the right to make decisions about health care, education and welfare, and physical custody, where the child lives. Either can be shared or held by one parent, with a parenting-time schedule for the other.
How we help
- Requesting custody and parenting-time orders, or responding to a request
- Preparing for the meeting with Family Court Services that usually comes before a custody hearing
- Child support, calculated under California's statewide guideline
- Changing existing custody or support orders when circumstances change
- Move-away requests and disputes between parents
Child support in California
Child support is set using a statewide guideline formula based mainly on each parent's income and how much time the children spend with each parent. Orders can be changed later if there is a significant change, such as a job loss or a new parenting schedule.
Common questions
Will I have to go to mediation?
In contested custody cases, the court generally requires parents to meet with a Family Court Services counselor before a judge decides. Preparing well for that meeting matters, and we help you do it.
Can a custody order be changed?
Yes. Custody and support orders can be modified when circumstances change. The court looks at what is in the child's best interest now.
Does the child get to choose?
A child's wishes can be considered when the child is old enough and mature enough to express a reasoned preference, but the judge makes the final decision based on the child's best interest.
