CHILD CUSTODY AND CHILD SUPPORT ATTORNEY

PROTECTING YOU AND YOUR CHILDREN

Your children are your greatest gift. You were in a bad relationship, but out of it, God gave you your precious children. Now, it is your duty to protect them. Your relationship is over and your biggest fear is that the pain of the breakup will spill over to your children. You do not want to cause them any more hurt than they are already feeling. You also do not want the ending of your relationship to have long term emotional effects on your children.

When it comes to your children, you love them and want what is best for them. Whether you are experiencing a divorce with children, need to modify the current custody orders, or you were never married to the other parent, your children are your biggest investment. Only an experienced child custody attorney can guide you through the legal maze of child custody. If you live in Corona, Eastvale, Chino, Riverside, or San Bernardino, we encourage you to speak with our office as soon as possible to make sure your children’s rights are protected.

At Family Law Matters, we handle all aspects of child related issues. We handle legal issues surrounding children, including:

Legal Custody
Physical Custody
Joint Custody
Supervised Visitation
Child Visitation
Child Support
Domestic Violence
Modification of Custody
Modification of Child Support
Paternity
Divorce with Children
Guardianship
Adoption

Child Custody

Child custody orders are not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are different types of custody arrangements that match different needs and family dynamics. For example, some parents are able to work together to share the children equally. Some children come from a home where one parent is gone all the time and the other parent is primarily responsible for the childrearing. Sadly, some families struggle with addiction and abuse. Those children must be protected from their own parent by putting safety rules in place.

Child Custody Checklist

Your children are unique. Their specific needs and circumstances must be considered before any custody orders are made. They are also precious. Orders concerning them must be carefully crafted to protect their best interest. Afterall, you want the best outcome for your children so they can have the best possible upbringing.

Whether you reach an agreement with the other parent, or you must appear in court to obtain orders for your children, your children’s situation will be closely examined so their emotional needs are met. Some of the factors the courts look to determine child custody orders include:

The proximity of each parent from each other

The proximity of each parent from the children’s schools

The work schedule of each parent

The school schedule of the children

Any agreements made by the parents

The mental and physical health of the children

How much stability each parent can provide the children

Any history of violence by the parents

Any history of mental illness of the parents

Any history of substance abuse by the parents

Any criminal history of the parents

The relationship between the children and each parent

The home environment of each parent

The wishes of the children

Recommendations by any expert witness

Modifications of Child Custody

Sometimes, existing custody orders need to be changed. This can occur for a multitude of reasons. For instance, the children are older and want to live spend more time with one parent. Perhaps one parent has moved away or changed his or her work schedule. Sometimes, it is due to abuse, neglect or mental problems of one parent.

When child custody orders are made, they are meant to be flexible. Courts understand that as your children grow, their needs will change. California child custody laws give parents the flexibility to change custody orders when circumstances change.

If you have lost a child custody battle you can feel deep sorrow and have a real sense of loss. Giving up hope is not an option. These orders can be changed later on, and our office can help. It is especially important in these situations to hire the right child custody attorney who will fight to protect you you and your child,

Child Support

Children are expensive to raise. Child support will be a significant financial obligation, and will feel like too much money for the paying parent. For the parent receiving support, it will feel like too little. When children are involved, emotions run high for both parents. Adding money to the only serves to escalate an already heated situation.

Though you may be tempted to settle for less or walk away from conflict, it’s important to remember that any orders made in your court case will significantly affect you and your children for years to come. Paying too much in child support may mean that you are not able to provide an appropriate home to visit with your children, thus, depriving them of a meaningful relationship with you. Accepting too little in support may mean that your children go without braces or do not have money saved for college. Remember, child support is an obligation owed to your children. You have an obligation to your children to pay or receive a fair amount.

Generally speaking, the parents must provide their children with certain financial help. This includes monthly payments for support, health insurance benefits, medical care and child care.

Modification of Child Support

Children are expensive to raise. The amount of money you receive will never be enough to care for them in the manner they were accustomed to before the breakup. Children are entitled to receive a fair amount of money based upon California guidelines. When the child support amount ordered is too little, support can be increased.

On the contrary, if you are unable to meet your child support obligations due to a sudden job loss or other tragedy, child support can be reduced. When this is the situation, it is important to take steps quickly to protect you from devastating legal penalties.

If you have a child support problem in Riverside County or San Bernardino County, call our office for experienced and professional legal help. Do yourself a favor and take steps to protect you and your children now.

Child Custody & Child Support, Corona CA