Child custody is a topic that can come up during a paternity dispute, divorce, or guardianship issue. The well-being of the child is the most important consideration during a custody dispute, but you want to make sure that your rights are respected. If you’re currently going through a divorce, separation or other custody dispute, it’s important to understand the varying degrees of custody in California.
There are two types of custody orders—physical and legal custody. Legal custody means who has the right to make legal decisions for a child, including what school to enroll in or medical procedures. This type of custody is typically shared between both parents. Physical custody, on the other hand, is the right to have a child living with you. This can vary from sole custody to joint custody or no custody. Even if someone is not awarded physical custody, they still have the right to see and spend time with their child. This is called visitation rights.
Keep reading to learn a bit more about the type of visitation rights that exist:
- Reasonable Visitation
- Visitation According to Schedule
- Supervised Visitation
- No Visitation
Reasonable visitation is defined as being open-ended. It is typically utilized when parents have a good relationship and can work out the details of visitation between themselves. This seems great in theory, but reasonable visitation agreements can often turn volatile, in which case, you might need to hire an attorney to settle the dispute and work out a fair agreement.
In many instances, parents do not have a good relationship and cannot work out visitation schedules on their own. In this case, visitation according to schedule is often granted. This means that a schedule is drafted to determine who has visitation rights and when. It can include holidays, weekends, and even agreements for vacations.
Supervised visitation grants parents access to their children in cases where they are not responsible or trustworthy enough to be alone with a child. This means that someone needs to supervise the visitation to ensure that everything runs smoothly. This type of visitation is put in place to protect the wellbeing of the child.
In some instances, parents are barred from seeing their children entirely. This is typically only granted in extreme cases, such as if a parent suffers from addiction, psychological problems, or is suspected to be a danger to the child.
Hire a tough, but fair California custody attorney today by calling Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP!
If you are working out a custody agreement with your child’s other parent, it is important to get an experienced custody attorney involved. Whether you’re establishing a new custody agreement or challenging an existing custody agreement, Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, LLP can help! We’ve been working family law cases for over 30 years and will work tirelessly to ensure that a fair custody agreement is established. Contact us today at 909-482-1422 to schedule a consultation.
