Child Custody Lawyers in Westlake Village & Los Angeles

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 attorneys and 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.

Father and Son Fist Bump - Child Custody Lawyer in Westlake Village Graphic

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.

Legal Child Custody vs. Physical Child Custody

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.

  • Legal custody refers to the rights and responsibilities of parents to make decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of their children.
  • Physical custody refers to the amount of time the children spend with each parent, where the children live, and how their day-to-day needs will be met.

Both parents may have joint legal custody or one parent may have sole legal custody.

  • Joint legal custody means that both parents share in the right and responsibility to make decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of the children.
  • Sole legal custody means that one parent has the right and responsibility to make decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of the children.

Similarly, both parents may have joint physical custody or one parent may have sole physical custody of the children.

  • Joint physical custody means that the children spend a significant amount of time with each parent, but the time does not have to be equal.
  • Sole physical custody means that the children live primarily with one parent while the other has visitation rights. Visitation is the designated time for the children to spend with the non-custodial parent.

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.

Court Orders for Child Custody and Visitation

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.

What is a Parenting Plan?

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.

Can parents agree on a parenting plan?

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.

What happens if parents cannot agree on a parenting plan?

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.

Other options to help parents reach an agreement on a parenting plan for child custody include:

  • Face-to-face negotiations between the parents and their child custody attorneys.
  • Hiring a private mediator.
  • Working with child custody attorneys and a child specialist in a collaborative divorce process.
    If these options are unsuccessful, the judge will decide what your parenting plan will be after a trial.

Contact a Knowledgeable Child Custody Attorney

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 is deeply committed to helping clients resolve custody and other conflicts that arise in the course of the divorce.