Child Custody (Legal and Physical Custody)
Child custody decisions focus on protecting a child’s well-being while balancing each parent’s rights and responsibilities. Legal custody determines who makes important decisions about education, healthcare, and upbringing, while physical custody defines where the child lives. Courts prioritize the child’s best interests above all else.
Important aspects of custody arrangements:
- Joint or sole legal and physical custody options
- Parenting plans designed to support stability and consistency
- Consideration of each parent’s ability to provide a safe, nurturing environment
- Mediation services to help parents reach cooperative agreements
- Modifications available if family circumstances change over time
Clear, fair custody arrangements help children thrive and maintain strong relationships with both parents whenever possible.
Child Visitation/Parenting Time
Creating a fair visitation schedule is essential to maintaining strong parent–child relationships after separation or divorce. Jeffrey Orr Law helps parents develop parenting time plans that support the child’s emotional and physical well-being while respecting each parent’s rights.
Key elements of visitation and parenting time:
- Establishing consistent schedules to provide stability for the child
- Supervised or unsupervised visitation options depending on circumstances
- Holiday, vacation, and special-event planning to balance parenting time
- Modifying existing visitation orders when family needs change
- Addressing disputes through mediation or court representation if necessary
Thoughtfully structured parenting time ensures children benefit from meaningful relationships with both parents in a stable, supportive environment.
Child Support and Modifications
Child support ensures that children receive the financial resources they need for healthy growth and development. Support orders are based on California guidelines that consider each parent’s income, custody arrangements, and the child’s needs. Over time, life changes may require modifications to keep support fair and accurate.
Key points about child support:
- Calculation based on state formulas, income, and parenting time
- Covers essential expenses such as housing, food, education, and healthcare
- Enforcement options available for missed or late payments
- Modifications allowed when income, custody, or living situations change
- Legal review ensures ongoing fairness and compliance with court orders
Consistent and fair child support arrangements help protect the child’s best interests while maintaining balance between both parents’ responsibilities.
Paternity/Parentage Actions
Establishing legal parentage is essential to defining the rights and responsibilities of both parents while ensuring the child’s emotional and financial well-being. A paternity action formally recognizes a parent–child relationship, allowing for proper custody, visitation, and support arrangements.
Why establishing parentage matters:
- Grants both parents legal rights in making decisions for the child
- Provides access to benefits such as health insurance, inheritance, and social security
- Clarifies financial obligations through child support orders
- Strengthens family identity and the child’s sense of belonging
Ways parentage can be established:
- Voluntary Declaration of Paternity signed by both parents
- Court-ordered DNA testing when paternity is in question
- Legal proceedings to determine and enforce parental rights and duties
- Updating the birth certificate once parentage is confirmed
Recognizing parentage helps protect the best interests of the child and ensures that both parents share in their care and future.
Contact us for more information and to schedule a consultation.