Child Custody

Children of California parents who have just gotten a divorce tend to need extra love and attention to get through such a potentially traumatic event. While most children and parents eventually get through the transition relatively unscathed, it is important for...

According to California Rule 5.250, children's participation in family court is determined on a case-by-case basis. Children are not required to participate in family court; however, they are not prohibited from participating either. If a child wants to participate,...

California women who have legally divorced may want to change their name back to a maiden one afterwards. The process can vary but can be quite easy to request in court during the divorce proceeding. After the divorce process is completed and a court order is issued...

The separation or divorce of a couple with children requires planning to accommodate the needs of the children going forward. In California, parenting plans create legal agreements that specify custody and visitation. These plans vary in length and detail but...

A parenting plan is expected to help a family in California after a divorce occurs, and this custody and visitation agreement is intended to prevent conflict and give children and parents stability. The parenting plan lists each parent's decision-making abilities and...

In many California divorce cases, one or both parents receive custody of a child or children. A parent who is not granted custody may still be entitled to visitation rights. A parent can ask for supervised visitation when uncomfortable with the other parent having...

The Hague Convention is a global agreement to protect intercountry adoptions. This means that people in California may adopt children in other countries that signed the Convention. Fully titled The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in...

When parents are going through a divorce, judges give special importance to the best interests of children when making decisions. This can influence matters like property division, child custody and parenting plans in California. When determining what will be best for...

California law holds the best interests of the child or children to be paramount in any decisions involving custody or divorce. Although that may seem to be a subjective standard, there are certain well-tested guidelines and indicators that the court may use to...

When parents in California file for divorce, there is no presumption that one parent is automatically entitled to sole child custody. Instead, the court will consider the best interests of a child in awarding custody. Parents may have a difficult time going through a...