Ventura, CA Child Custody Lawyer

As a parent, you want nothing but the very best for your son or daughter. Part of that is spending time with your child, so that you can be there to provide love, support, guidance, and care. If you are filing for divorce, you probably have many questions and concerns about child custody and visitation in California. You may be worried that your children will be taken away, or have concerns about your spouse’s ability to be a responsible parent. Whatever your family’s situation may be, the Ventura custody attorneys of Bamieh & De Smeth can fight for you to get custody while protecting your legal rights as a father or mother.

Ventura Child Custody Attorneys for Fathers and Mothers

Bamieh & De Smeth represents moms, dads, grandparents, and legal guardians in custody matters in Southern California. With offices conveniently located in Ventura, our California child custody lawyers are proud to serve Ventura, CA and other communities in the Southern California region. Whether you are fighting for custody, need assistance terminating your ex-wife or ex-husband’s parental rights, have questions about what to do when your spouse is withholding visitation, or need help with a different matter, our legal team brings years of experience and a track record of accomplishment to every case we handle.

By taking an aggressive yet strategically pinpointed approach to your legal issue, the custody dispute lawyers of Bamieh & De Smeth can work to resolve your matter in an efficient, effective manner that protects your child and upholds your rights as a parent. We are well-versed in the nuances and technicalities of the complex California child custody laws, enabling our attorneys to present a compelling, comprehensive case as to why you should be granted custody. Matters we can assist with include:

• Asking for a Custody Order
• Changing a Custody Order / Child Custody Modification
• Child Custody and Domestic Violence
• Child Custody for Military Parents
• Child Custody Forms and Paperwork
• Custodial Interference
• Custody Mediation
• Custody Rights for Disabled Parents
• Emergency Custody Orders
• Grandparents’ Visitation Rights
• Parental Abduction / Parental Kidnapping
• Registering Out-of-State Custody Orders
• Supervised Visitation
• Terminating Parental Rights

Nothing is more precious than the time you spend with your child. If you are seeking custody, make sure you are represented by a tough and knowledgeable attorney who has a history of achieving results. For a free legal consultation concerning child custody in California, contact The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC at (805) 643-5555 today.

Types of Child Custody in California

As a parent who is seeking custody, one of the first and most important facts to understand is that there are four different kinds of child custody. Some affect where the child lives, while others impact each parent’s decision-making authority while the child is still a minor. Types of custody in California are explained briefly below.

• Physical Custody – Physical custody is where the child physically lives for most of his or her time.
  • Joint Physical Custody – Both parents share physical custody of the child.
  • Sole Physical Custody – The child lives with the custodial parent for most of the year, but also has visitation time with the non-custodial parent.

• Legal Custody – Legal custody is the authority to make decisions on the child’s behalf until he or she reaches the age of 18, at which point a teenager becomes a legal adult. Legal custody touches on many important aspects of development and child-rearing, including but not limited to medical care, religious activities, schooling and education, sports and extracurricular activities, summer camp, traveling and vacations, and other major parts of a child’s life.
  • Joint Legal Custody – Both parents share legal custody over the child.
  • Sole Physical Custody – Only one parent has the right to make legal decisions for the child.

How is Child Custody Determined in California?

This is one of the most crucial and urgent questions that parents want to know about when filing for divorce in Ventura, California. While California’s family courts consider many factors when making a child custody determination, the court will always give priority to one question above all others: What sort of custody arrangement would serve the child’s best interests? To answer this question, the courts look at variables such as:

• Each parent’s willingness and ability to provide care for the child, physically, financially, and emotionally.
• The child’s personal preferences, assuming he or she is old enough.
• The child’s relationship with each of his or her parents.
• The ways in which the child is connected to his or her current town, school, and other aspects of the community.
• Whether either parent has a history of domestic violence, child abuse, felony convictions, drug addiction, alcoholism, restraining order violations, or other factors that could potentially endanger the child or destabilize the child’s living environment.

Ultimately, a family court will not grant custody if doing so would be harmful or detrimental to the child’s welfare and overall quality of life. Protecting the child, and giving him or her the best platform for success, is what will drive all custody decisions in your divorce case.

You and your spouse will have the opportunity to work together and create a custody agreement that both of you find acceptable. However, if you cannot develop a mutually satisfactory custody plan, the courts will be forced to intervene and impose a decision. Alternately, it may be possible for you and your spouse to find a mutually acceptable arrangement with help from a professional mediator. This process is known as “custody mediation.” If custody mediation fails, the court may:

• Ask the mediator for a recommendation.
• Make a decision about your parenting plan.
• Order a court hearing or settlement conference.
• Request additional information before proceeding further.

Fighting for Custody? Get Legal Help

Filing for divorce is seldom an easy or simple matter. When a baby, toddler, or young child is involved, the legal process becomes even more complicated. It is common for heated disagreements to break out, which can lead to a frustrating situation where you feel stuck or trapped in a custody dispute that seemingly cannot be resolved. However, through a focused combination of skill and perseverance, a Ventura custody attorney from Bamieh & De Smeth can fight for a faster, more favorable outcome.

We encourage you to contact our law offices for immediate assistance if you have questions about how to obtain custody, how to maximize parenting time, how to handle an ex-wife or ex-husband who is withholding parenting time, how to get child custody with a criminal conviction, or any other aspects of child custody laws in California. For a free and confidential legal consultation, call The Law Offices of Bamieh & De Smeth, PLC at (805) 643-5555 today.