Divorce Lawyers in Los Angeles - Custody Issues

Finding yourself heading towards a divorce is very unpleasant and upsetting. Knowing that a custody battle is soon to ensue, only adds to your woes. Dealing with issues of custody and visitation can be really vexing for any parent. However, if you live in Los Angeles, the process of filing for custory and establishing a custody arrangement is rather straightforward, as most divorce lawyers in Los Angeles will tell you. Here are some things you should know about child custody issues in California.

The Basics

The primary custodian of a child is responsible for the care and support of the child. Legal custody in California, entitles the custodial parent to take all major decisions regarding the child's upbringing. The Los Angeles Superior Court is where applications for custody are made. There are 45 of such courts in LA, of which 19 deal with Family Law. Though you can file your custody petition in any one of these 19 courts, parents typically approach the court which is nearest to their place of residence.

Family Law Facilitators

If you have not yet hired any one of the divorce lawyers in Los Angeles, you have the option of getting in touch with a Family Law Facilitator. This is a paralegal or an attorney who specializes in family law issues and can assist you. They are well versed in child custody, support and visitation issues. In addition to assisting you with your petition, these facilitators also oversee any mediation ordered by the court. They assist people only with appointment and are available duing the business hours of the courts. Parents may visit a facilitator directly in the nearby court and take an appointment for a consultation.

Preparing for Custody

If you want to file for custody, you should have a parenting plan. This is a custody and visitation plan which is reached by both parents through mutual consent. If you have such a plan, you do not have to file a custody petition. You can simply dile this plan with a order of custory or child visitation, and submit it to the court clerk, along with other divorce documents. Once the judge goes through the plan, approves it and signs it, it becomes your official custody order and no further petitions or court dates are required for it. If you do not have an open case, you can submit the parenting plan after opening one. If the parenting plan wasn't a part of your original divorce or custody hearings, the court would usually order a few rounds of mediation before setting a date for custody hearing, or reviewing the parenting plan. The procedure for filing for custody and support plans for minor children are usually slightly complicated, and any divorce lawyer in Los Angeles should be able to help you with it. If you cannot afford to hire a lawyer for filing of your papers, you can approach a family law facilitator to advise and help you with it.

Website : http://www.dreamlawca.com/