Child Custody Lawyers In Bakersfield CA

Attorneys Protecting You & Your Child’s Rights

How Does Custody Work in CA?

• Physical custody, which governs a parent’s ability to house a child; and

• Legal custody, which governs a parent’s ability to make decisions concerning their child’s rights such as the education they receive, the healthcare they get, the extracurricular activities they participate in, etc.

• Joint custody. In a joint custody arrangement, both parents have physical and/or legal custody of their child.

• Sole custody. In a sole custody arrangement, only one parent has physical and/or legal custody of their child.

How Can I Get Custody of My Child?

• Draft a custody agreement. If the parents agree on how to distribute custody between themselves, they can draft a joint parenting plan detailing that agreement. If a judge determines the parenting plan is equitable, they can sign it, finalizing the custody order.

• Litigate custody in court. If the parents disagree on how to share custody, they can instead each draft a parenting plan and attend a court hearing. During the hearing, each parent presents their case to the court. The court then uses the information the parents provide to determine and finalize an equitable custody order.

• The age and health of the parents;
• The age and health of the child;
• Each parent’s relationship with the child;
• Each parent’s current living situation and ability to care for the child;
• How a potential custody arrangement would impact the child’s life and personal relationships;
• Whether another factor, such as domestic violence or substance abuse, plays a role in the case.

What Are The Type Of Visitation Orders?

1. Scheduled visitation. When parents use a scheduled visitation order, they trade off physical custody on specific days according to a schedule they agree on (or one developed by the court).
2. Reasonable visitation. When parents use a reasonable visitation order, they can flexibly trade off physical custody as needed.
3. Supervised visitation. If a party obtains a supervised visitation order, they can only visit their child while supervised by another individual.
4. No visitation. In some circumstances, if a parent is deemed unfit by the court, they may not be allowed to spend time with their child at all. Engaging in behavior such as family violence or substance abuse could make a parent unfit in the eyes of the court.

How Can Hiring A Child Custody Lawyer In Bakersfield Help Me?

At Alternative Divorce Solutions, our Bakersfield child custody attorneys help Californians identify and pursue custody arrangements that benefit their children and safeguard their parental rights. Contact our firm today to schedule a free consultation with our child custody attorneys in Bakersfield, CA.