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Few issues are more important in life than having a good relationship with your children. As parents, we will do anything for our children.
Child custody disputes, especially involving the custody of young children, are one of the most stressful and emotional aspects of divorce. Custody battles can also be lengthy, financially overwhelming, and difficult on family relationships.
The child custody lawyers and the team at Zonder Family Law Group understand the gravity of custody issues. Our founder, Lisa Zonder, has taken interdisciplinary training with mental health professionals and works “hand in glove” with experts to strategize about your custody matters.
Lisa is a Certified Family Law Specialist (certified by the State Bar of CA, Board of Legal Specialization) and, with our team, works diligently on your behalf to preserve parent-child relationships. Our goal is to keep your family as intact as possible during this difficult time.
By engaging the resources of custody experts and mental health professionals who specialize in child and adolescent matters, we quarterback your legal path forward using our customized, team approach to best serve the interests of your family both during and after the divorce.
When you are deciding how to file for custody, one of the most important aspects is understanding the type of custody you are filing for; legal child custody and/or physical child custody.
Our child custody lawyers work closely with custody and mental health experts to bring you the best possible outcome for your children and your family.
If the parents are married, the child custody attorneys at Zonder Family Law Group will first file an action for a dissolution of marriage or domestic partnership, legal separation, or nullity. If the parents are not married, our team will file an action to establish the parental relationship, which is more commonly known as a paternity case.
A parenting plan is a document that describes how parents will divide the responsibilities of caring for their children.
The typical parenting plan will set forth the legal and physical custody arrangements and will include a schedule of when the children will spend time with each parent, including weekends, holidays, birthdays, and vacations.
Some parents prefer a brief plan that gives them the flexibility to deal with issues as they arise. Other parents need a more specific plan that spells out the children’s schedules and the parents’ responsibilities in great detail.
Parents can agree on a parenting plan. Agreeing on a parenting plan has many benefits. The parents can avoid a contested custody case and all the expense, delay, anger, and stress to the children that often goes along with it. The parents can tailor the plan so that it fits their schedules and the needs of their children, rather than having a judge who doesn’t know the family decides what the plan will be.
The plan will need to be approved by the judge, but the judge will usually approve a plan that both parents agree to. After the judge approves the plan, it is signed by both parents and the judge and filed with the court. It then becomes a court order.
If parents are unable on their own to agree on a parenting plan, a number of options are available.
Family Court Services (FCS) provides free mediation to help parents who are separating or divorcing to reach an agreement. Mediation is provided by a court counselor in a private conference.
Family Court Services assists families in the settlement of domestic controversies involving the welfare of children when an action is pending in Family Court. The FCS mediator will encourage both parents to cooperate and share the rights and responsibilities of parenting and try to help the parents develop a plan in which the children have frequent and continuing contact with both parents.
A Certified Divorce Coach® can be an invaluable resource in custody cases and can assist their clients in developing a co-parenting plan that is centered on the well-being of the children. As custody issues are often one of the most contentious issues in a divorce case, working with a divorce coach can help you to improve your communication skills and deescalate conflict with your co-parent. For example, your coach can guide you as you communicate with your co-parent through a court-approved app in a manner which will help you, rather than hurt you, should the judge see the communications.
It’s important to have a developmentally appropriate parenting plan based on the ages of the children. The parenting plan should be in the best interest of the children and be written with an eye toward avoiding obstacles that may be encountered with the co-parent. Before you dig in, it’s best to know your options, widen your lens, and use your coach as a sounding board and thinking partner. A divorce coach can also guide you in creating, establishing, and upholding your boundaries, thereby empowering you to move forward with purpose and power.
This information is provided for general educational purposes only. It is not intended as specific legal advice for any particular case.
For more specific information on how a Child Custody Lawyer can help, please call Zonder Family Law Group at 818-877-0001 for a consultation. ZFLG’s lawyers are deeply committed to helping clients in Los Angeles resolve custody and other conflicts that arise in the course of the divorce.