Custody

Shielding Your Children From the Damage of Divorce

Child custody disputes can be heart-wrenching, emotionally exhausting ordeals that cost a great deal of money and leave everyone unhappy at the same time. To prevent ugly custody battles, California family courts require all custody disputes to go through the mediation process before parents can proceed to court. During mediation, the courts expect divorcing parents to focus on one critical factor:

What is truly in your child's best interests?

At the Family Law Offices of Wil R. Mullins, we handle child custody issues and disputes for people throughout Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Our attorneys are experienced. They listen to your needs. They help you face the tough decisions and they effectively prepare you for the mediation process that lies ahead.

California Child Custody Terms

Generally, there are two types of custody: legal and physical. Legal custody involves taking responsibility for major decisions that affect the children's lives, such as education, religious upbringing and medical care. Physical custody determines where the children live and what visitation rights may be awarded.

Common terms such as primary or secondary child custody," "50/50 custody" or joint legal custody may also be used to describe child custody agreements. In addition, final custody and visitation arrangements may affect child support obligations as well.

Whether the issue is if a parent should have an overnight visit, have 50/50 custody, or there are issues warranting supervised visitation like domestic violence or substance abuse, our experienced attorneys can help.

Because it is far more expensive and difficult (if not impossible) to fix a bad divorce or child custody result — handling these issues on your own is a huge risk. Our lawyers offer fair, effective, and aggressive representation designed to protect your rights, serve the best interests your children and steer you clear of the pitfalls associated with a do-it-yourself divorce.