Manhattan Beach Child Custody and Visitation Attorneys

The end of a marriage does not mark the end of a parent’s right to raise their children. In most divorces, both parents would like to retain their ability to see their children on a regular basis, although this subject can be one of the most emotionally charged topics to work through. By retaining the services of an attorney that is experienced in family law matters and willing to be aggressive in the courtroom, a parent may be able to protect their rights or enforce an already established child custody or visitation arrangement.

If you or someone you love is in need of representation for a child custody or visitation issue, it is important that you seek the counsel and services of a committed advocate. The Manhattan Beach child custody and visitation attorneys of the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield have years of experience with family law matters and are prepared to help you with any questions you have about your circumstances. Contact us by calling (310) 546-5858.

Child Custody and Visitation Issues

At the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield, we work with clients to make child custody and visitation arrangements that suit the needs of each parent and work to protect the best interest of the child. Unfortunately, there are times when the existing agreement does not suit changed circumstances, or when one parent seeks to deny the other his or her rights. Our dedicated attorneys can help you with issues involving:

• Modifications to Visitation Agreements
• Enforcing Visitation Agreements
• Sole Custody
• Joint Custody

Frequently Asked Questions

The parent-child relationship is so critical to families and society that many laws are in place to protect it. California, for instance, states that the purpose of its family laws is “to assure that children have frequent and continuing contact with both parents” (see California Code Section 3020). Enforcing these laws can be difficult, however, for a number of reasons. The rights of parents have to be balanced with the rights of the minors. The state’s interest in protecting minors gives them a role in child custody issues when abuse may be involved. Another reason child custody issues are so thorny is that divorces often end in bitterness between the former spouses, and child custody issues are often where the worst of those feelings emerge. When one parent tries to thwart the other parent’s parental rights, or when other family members get involved and try to punish a parent through limiting child custody and visitation rights, it is vital to seek the counsel of an experienced child custody and visitation attorney. The sooner you act to protect your parental rights, the better your chances will be of having them restored. We are here to help in your time of need. Please contact a Manhattan Beach family law attorney for a complete review of your case. We have included some frequently asked questions and answers to provide you with more information.

What are common child custody issues?

• Visitation Schedule: The development and implementation of a visitation schedule is a common child custody issue that requires negotiation. State law offers guidelines for parent time schedules that work for many people, but in some cases, modifications are needed. If a parent has an unusual work schedule, is incarcerated, or is moving out-of-state, it can be difficult to create a visitation agreement that will work for all parties. The needs of children change according to their ages, as well, so their developmental and physical needs should be taken into account. Theories about the optimal type of schedule for child visitation between parents are constantly changing. Some experts advise a 50/50 split in time that a child spends with each parent, whereas other experts claim that it is best for children to spend the majority of their time at one home, with a 70/30 or 80/20 split. When you are going through the emotional and financial stress of a divorce, you don’t have the time and energy to understand the latest findings of visitation research. Allow an experienced visitation lawyer to help you figure out what recent research has to offer in your particular circumstance, and what you can do to strengthen your case in regards to visitation rights.
• Joint Custody v. Sole Custody: Deciding which type of child custody arrangement you and your spouse will have is one of the most significant decisions that you will make. Joint custody arrangements essentially mean that both parents share equal time and decision-making rights. Within the joint custody arrangement is the distinction between joint physical custody and joint legal custody. The difference between these two arrangements mostly comes down to how much time the children spend with each parent. To best determine which type of child custody is right for you and your children, you should enlist the service of child custody and visitation attorney. Each state has different child custody laws, and those laws are often changing, so it is best to have someone abreast of the current laws to help you navigate such an important decision.
• Best Interest of the Child: An important consideration to the courts in any family law issue is the best interest of the child. Factors such as the health and safety of the child, whether either parent has a history of abuse or addiction, whether there are current allegations of child neglect or abuse, and what kind of frequency of contact there has been between the child and parent need to be kept in mind when determining child custody issues.

Do I need an attorney?

If you or a loved one is struggling to maintain child custody or visitation rights, you need to act quickly. In the eyes of the courts, taking the initiative to hire an experienced family law attorney speaks volumes about your commitment as a parent. Waiting to seek representation for your parental rights, on the other hand, may lead to precedents of time spent away from your children that will be hard to overturn. It is imperative that you take action as soon as you can to find someone who will aggressively fight for your rights to child custody and visitation. Your role as a parent does not end with divorce, and you deserve the best family law attorney to protect your parental rights. If nothing matters more than your children, do all that you can to be part of their lives by hiring an experienced child custody and visitation lawyer today.

Why should I choose the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield?

Most people never imagine they will need a divorce attorney. The day you have to hire a divorce attorney is likely the worst day of your life, so you want to choose someone who is compassionate as well as competent. At the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield, we understand the difficulty and delicateness associated with divorce. For over 30 years, Baden Mansfield has helped clients deal with every conceivable issue that may arise in family law, from hidden assets and prenuptial agreements to child and spousal abuse.

As his clients’ testimonials indicate, Mansfield can tackle any problem facing his family law clients. He has a reputation for being a fierce advocate for his clients. His determination and experience have helped the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield achieve consistently successful results. Though Mansfield has litigation experience in a variety of legal fields, he finds family law to be the most satisfying because of how much is at stake for his clients. Mansfield knows that a parent’s relationship with their children is the most valuable right they have, and he does all he can to protect that for each of his clients. At the end of the day, knowing he helped a child and parent maintain their precious relationship is what motivates Mansfield and has helped shape him into a leading Manhattan Beach family law attorney.

Contact Us

If you or someone you love is going through a divorce or is struggling with custody and visitation issues in the wake of a divorce, it is important that you understand your rights. Contact the Manhattan Beach child custody and visitation arrangement lawyers at the Law Offices of Baden V. Mansfield at (310) 546-5858.