Monterey Legal Services: Child Custody and Child Support
No area of divorce is more wrenching than child custody disputes. Too often couples approach the child custody disputes with fear, as a "win-lose" situation in which one parent wins custody and the other parent loses their close relationship with their child. That is not how the courts view child custody, however.
California family court judges focus on the best interests of the child, and California law encourages close and supportive relationships with both parents. The art of crafting a solid, workable child custody agreement, therefore, is to help parents understand their options and to document enough of the day-to-day specifics of living arrangements to minimize conflict and promote good parenting.
At the Law Office of Barbara J. May, our goal is to help you achieve a child custody agreement that works for you and your child; one that protects your relationship and ensures adequate financial support to allow your child to thrive.
Whether you are seeking a child custody agreement as part of a divorce, as part of a determination of paternity, or a modification to a current support order, we can help. Contact our Monterey office to schedule an initial consultation.
Types of Child Custody
Child custody attorneys at the Law Office of Barbara J. May will evaluate your circumstances and advise you on the advantages and disadvantages of different types of custody arrangements. Ultimately you will decide which form of custody you wish to pursue and we will help you with negotiation, mediation, or in family court, to build a case for custody and visitation.
There are two areas of custody: physical and legal. Physical custody determines where the child lives. Legal custody determines who makes legal decisions on behalf of the child. In each of these areas parents can have joint or sole custody. Your options are these:
- Joint physical custody (50-50 custody) and joint legal custody
- Sole physical custody with the other parent (the non-custodial parent) having visitation rights for less than 50% of the time — and joint legal custody
- Sole physical custody (with or without visitation) and sole legal custody
Child Support
The court considers the child custody agreement and how much time each parent spends with the child when awarding child support. The amount you will be asked to pay in support will be determined according to state child support guidelines, calculated by a computer program. The Department of Child Support Services offers a child support guideline calculator on line that you may use to get a rough calculation for support at www.childsup.ca.gov/Resources/CalculateChildSupport. When you meet with our attorneys, we can explain how the child support guidelines will apply in your case and we can work with you in the family court or in cases involving the Department of Child Support Services.
At the Law Office of Barbara J. May, we look forward to helping you — and your child — find a custody arrangement that works for you. Contact us to schedule a consultation with an experienced family lawyer. We accept Visa and MasterCard.
