Child custody and child support disputes are among the most emotional and difficult legal issues families face. As parents, the thought of losing time with your children can be devastating — not only because we cherish these relationships, but because we want what is best for our children.
At Pines Law Group, we know first-
Addressing Particularlized Custody and Support Issues
It goes against the grain to require a parent to entrust children to the care of someone that parent has come to distrust. However, it has been well established that children function optimally when they maintain a relationship with both parents whenever possible. It is the job of the family law attorney to help clients understand and appreciate that often what is best for our children seems counter-intuitive. We strive to help our clients make sense of what seems senseless and to make the most of an unfortunate arrangement. Crafting custody and parenting plans that fit the details of our client’s needs are the challenge and we work tirelessly to match the orders we seek to the needs of the families we represent.
- Child custody disputes take time to resolve. Whether seeking emergency and/or temporary custody orders, pendente lite orders or modifications of such temporary orders or final custody orders, we see our clients through the challenging process of settlement negotiations, mediation, custody evaluations and even litigation through evidentiary hearings and trial.
- We will work to find the best physical custody and legal custody arrangements for the entire family. Although physical custody (parenting plan schedule) is often a clients’ priority, the legal custody (decision-
making authority), is also critically important — especially for parents of children with special needs. - We seek to help our clients understand California’s child support guidelines and the process of calculating support using the approved child-support software as well as the most current law in this area. We will accurately analyze the family’s financial situation, examining assets from self-
employment, union benefits, residuals, royalties and commissions. Often families with special needs children have complicated resource and funding issues that puzzle most family law attorneys and even some family law judges. These areas are readily familiar to our team and we are often sought out as consultants on the issues of how to calculate support without compromising the outside funding for such families from such resources as Regional Center, the school districts and even SSI and Medi-Cal. - If a payor parent refuses to cooperate with support orders, we represent and advocate our client’s interests in child custody and support enforcement proceedings.
- Even after orders are in place, because the lives of children are fluid and ever-changing, the bulk of our support and custody matters involve modification proceedings. The nature of family law actions are that lives are in flux. It is extremely common for such matters to include relocation issues (or “move-
away” challenges). These areas of dispute can be crucial issues in transitioning family dynamics and present difficult decisions for all involved. It is essential that a family law attorney is ready, willing and able to zealously protect the client’s interests and assist the client to weigh all of the consequences of such decisions. Our team is dedicated to finding solutions that address all aspects of such decisions and to pursue the orders that fit the best interest of the children they effect.
Cari has had over 20 years of family law experience. Whether establishing or modifying a parenting plan within a divorce or paternity/parentage matter, we provide compassionate, experienced guidance and legal counsel.
Create a Parenting Plan That Works for Your Family
Contact us to schedule a consultation with our experienced Los Angeles family law attorneys. We are highly skilled at balancing our clients’ interests with what is best for the children involved.