Children are sometimes the last ones to find out that their parents are divorcing or separating. Unfortunately, they stand to be the most affected in these situations. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, our dedicated team is here to help if you need a Westlake Village joint custody attorney. It is crucial that you and your partner properly handle custody issues when divorcing or separating. Our team prioritizes helping families navigate this challenging part of the process by helping ensure that you reach an adequate custody agreement that minimizes disruptions for your child.
Understanding joint custody in Westlake Village
The California court system requires both parents to support their children after a divorce or separation. However, it does not necessarily require that both parents remain involved as far as custody is concerned. In general, though, it is preferred that both parents remain a part of their child’s life to develop healthy relationships and minimize disruptions that the child may go through during this challenging transition period.
Joint custody in Westlake Village allows parents to remain active in the child’s life, but this process can become complicated. In these situations, both parents must be able to communicate with one another to ensure that the final custody arrangements work correctly.
When discussing joint custody, we need to clarify that there are two types of custody in these situations: legal and physical.
- Joint physical custody refers to parents sharing the responsibility of where their child lives. When parents have joint physical custody, the child will reside with both parents based on an agreed-upon timesharing schedule.
- Joint legal custody refers to parents sharing responsibility for making decisions about the child’s life, including decisions regarding schooling and education needs, health care decisions, religious upbringing, whether or not the child can go on trips, and more.
When making custody arrangements, it is essential to note that both parents do not have to share physical AND legal custody. It could be the case that both parents have joint legal custody while only one parent has physical custody. It could also be the case that parents both have physical custody of their child while only one parent has legal custody. The complexities of custody arrangements must be worked out before a divorce is finalized.
You can modify custody arrangements in Westlake Village
After a divorce or separation is complete, parents need to understand that custody arrangements do not have to remain permanent. There are various reasons why custody arrangements may need to be modified down the road. This could include one parent moving away, a parent losing a job, criminal activity, a parent becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol, and more.
Modifications to child custody are possible, but parents cannot take it upon themselves to change the court-ordered child custody arrangements. The California family court system must request and grant all modifications before they take effect.
Call our Westlake Village joint custody lawyer today
If you are going through a divorce or separation and there are minor children involved, you must take custody arrangements seriously. At the Law Offices of Ronald K. Stitch, we understand that child custody matters can be complicated and emotionally fraught, and we do not want you to go through this alone. We are ready to step up and help ensure all custody issues are handled correctly and within the California family court system. When you need a Westlake Village joint custody attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling 818-707-0202.
