Page Updated May 2025
When you are deciding child custody, it is helpful to have a legal team who can protect your interests and those of your children.
Key takeaways:
- There are different levels of custody in California, including physical custody, legal custody, and possession-and-access.
- The court will make decisions based on what they determine is or is not in the best interests of your child.
- Our Murrieta custody lawyers can help you make your case for your preferred custody arrangement.
When you and your spouse get a divorce, deciding on custody quickly becomes one of the main focal points if you share children. Since the well-being of your children is the most important part of this legal process, it’s important to keep their best interests at the forefront of your decision-making during times like this.
The Murrieta custody lawyers at The Grey Legal Group are experienced in handling all sorts of familial situations and can help you navigate yours. Reach out today to schedule a complimentary consultation with a member of our team and learn more about your next steps.
What Does Custody in California Entail?
Like many other states, child custody in California includes determining how parents will share responsibility for their children, through physical and legal custody. Physical custody determines which parent a child will live with and when exchanges will occur. The parent with whom the child lives at any given time is understood to have physical custody.
On the other hand, legal custody designates which parent will make important decisions on behalf of the child when it comes to things like school, religion, healthcare, and more. There is also the issue of possession-and-access, also known as visitation, which dictates when a parent without physical or legal custody is entitled to see the child.
When deciding child custody, the court focuses on the best interests of the child. Research suggests that it is best for the development of the child to have access to both parents, so a judge is likely to order shared custody or, at the very least, visitation. However, there are cases in which it is not advisable for a parent to be given custody of a child, such as in situations that involve abuse or addiction. If you are concerned about these issues during your custody battle, it is imperative that you bring it up with your legal team to formulate an effective strategy that will keep your child safe.
How Our Murrieta Custody Lawyers Can Help You
At The Grey Legal Group, advocating for an outcome that protects your parental rights and keeps your children safe and happy is our goal. We have over 75 years of experience helping people safeguard the best interests of their children, and we want to use this experience to help you through the details of child custody, which might include:
- Fighting for Your Parental Rights: We want to make sure that you continue to play a key role in your child’s life, which is why we will fight for primary or joint custody depending on your circumstances.
- Creating Parenting Plans: In the best case scenario, you and your spouse collaborate on a parenting plan that outlines aspects such as how time will be divided and how decision making is broken down. We can help you prepare this plan and submit it to the court for approval.
- Child Support and Custody:Child support is typically a contentious issue between divorcing couples–we will help you pursue the settlement you think is fair and complies with California guidelines.
- Modifications and Enforcement: There are circumstances in which your custody arrangement should be modified, such as if you are moving or got a new job. We can help you change your custody arrangement or enforce it if your co-parent is not cooperating with existing court orders.
We know that matters like this are difficult enough so we want to help you avoid a stressful trial if possible. Our experienced Murrieta custody lawyers will ensure you’re aware of your parental rights, responsibilities, and options in addition to filing required paperwork, and gather necessary documentation. Divorce is hard enough, let us help you through this next chapter so that you and your children can start a brand new one.
The Grey Legal Group Fights for the Best Interests of Your Child
Reach out to The Grey Legal Group today to schedule a complimentary consultation with a member of our team and learn about your options. We will work with you and support you as if your children were our own.
