Children with Special Needs

Navigating the Intersection of Family Law and Children with Special Needs.

Family law courtrooms spend countless hours struggling to make the correct orders for the custody and support of “typical” children.  The court’s struggle takes on an entirely new level of complexity and significance when they must consider such orders for children who have special needs.  Although not routine or specifically addressed in traditional family law matters, orders that must consider the particularized needs of a child with special needs and the resulting needs of that child’s family are not impossible but require an attorney who can educate the court about the various areas of need and how they impact the orders for any given family.  Such accommodations must be enforceable as well as reasonable.

At Pines Law Group, we know first-hand the issues faced by parents who have children with special needs in family law matters.  We are astutely attuned to the impact of treatment regimen and routine, process and providers, funding and finances and the language and abbreviations that fill the lives of the families whose lives are touched by such challenges. Although most compelling to the disputes that parties have concerning child custody, the impact of special needs issues arise in almost every area of the family law landscape including child custody, child support and even the division of property in dissolution actions.  In addition to our over 20 years of legal experience, the attorneys atPines Law Group intimately understand and speak the language of clients facing the challenges of raising a child with special needs.  Our specialized experience and personal understanding allows us to offer a level of care and service not “typical” of any other family law firm in Los Angeles.  We find ourselves constantly repeating our mantra, “we GET it.”

Personal Experience. Compassionate Representation.

Co-parenting always comes with challenges for the parties involved.  This is particularly true when you have a child with special needs.

• Will the child be medicated? And with which medications?
• Will the child receive special education services? To what extent?
• Who gets to make final decisions in the event the parents disagree?

When your child has special needs, these questions and many more must be dealt with on an almost daily basis.

We know, first hand, how difficult it can be to co-parent children with special needs.  We have compassionately represented many, many parents dealing with these very emotional issues.  We take pride in our ability to assist our clients in reaching solutions that work for their families.  We understand the medical, emotional, educational and developmental needs of children with special needs.  We will make sure you consider all of the day-to-day issues your child will face in the break up of the family.

Parenting Plan Coordinators and Special Masters

The California legislature has not clearly addressed many of the issues affecting children with special needs, so we are in a unique position to offer practical counsel to parents in these challenging circumstances.  In fact, we often find ourselves educating other legal professionals about these issues.

One of the services we offer is acting as “Parenting Plan Coordinators” or “Special Masters.”  This means we are able to help parents reach agreements about parenting plans and custody.  If you are unable to reach an agreement through mediation (ADR), and do not wish to formerly litigate custody issues, we would have the power to make final decisions in your legal matters as Parenting Plan Coordinators.  In this way, you need not go through the emotionally and financially taxing litigation process.

Rely on Our Dedicated Legal Experience

We have access to many resources available to parents of children with special needs, and we can help you learn how to effectively co-parent your child. Contact us to schedule a consultation with an experienced family law attorney.