Category Archives: Child Custody
How California Courts Determine the “Best Interests of the Child”
When parents cannot agree about child custody or visitation, California courts make decisions based on one central legal standard: the best interests of the child. This standard applies to decisions about both legal custody, which concerns a parent’s authority to make important decisions for a child, and physical custody, which concerns where a child… Read More »
Can a Child Refuse Visitation in California?
Child custody and visitation disputes are emotionally difficult for parents and children alike. One issue that commonly arises after divorce or separation is whether a child can refuse to visit one of their parents. In California, the answer is not always straightforward. While older children may have opinions that courts consider, children generally do… Read More »
Modifying Custody After a Parent Remarries or Has a New Partner
Life rarely stands still after a divorce. It is common for one or both parents to remarry or enter into a new romantic relationship, and these changes can raise important questions about existing custody arrangements. In California, a parent’s remarriage or new partner does not automatically justify a change in custody. However, under the… Read More »
When a Child Turns 18: What Happens to Custody and Support Obligations in California?
For many parents, a child’s 18th birthday feels like a legal milestone as well as a personal one. In California family law, turning 18 often changes the legal landscape for custody and child support. However, those changes are not always automatic, and they do not necessarily mean that all parental responsibilities come to an… Read More »