Orange County Child Visitation Attorney
Resolving Child Custody & Visitation Matters in the OC Since 1981
Parents who are involved in a divorce will have to make difficult decisions regarding their children. Perhaps one of the most emotional aspects of any divorce will involve the custody and visitation of your children. Do not put your children, your parenting rights, your family's best interests at risk by trying to go through this process alone.
Our OC family law attorney, W. Douglas McKeague, has more than 35 years of trial experience and knows how to protect your rights to the fullest extent of the law.
He can help you and your former spouse come to a mutually beneficial agreement for establishing a working parenting schedule. Additionally, we can make certain that your visitation agreements are in accordance with the law and ready for court approval.
How Are Visitation Rights Determined?
Visitation plans will determine how parents will spend time with their children and how they will share that parenting time with a former spouse. The courts are always operating under the presumption of what will be in the best interests of the child involved.
With the right representation on your side, you can create a visitation agreement without court involvement and determine what plan best suits your family on your own terms. Visitation is typically granted to a parent who has the child or children for less than half of the time compared to the parent with primary physical custody.
What Types of Visitation Orders Are There?
Visitation can be ordered in the following ways:
- Visitation with a Parenting Schedule - It is generally believed that children benefit the most from a visitation schedule that provides routine. A parenting schedule can specifically state visitation rights for holidays, special occasions, and vacations.
- Reasonable Visitation - Some types of parenting schedules can be created as open-ended arrangements and allow the parents to work out a flexible plan that works for their specific schedules.
- Supervised Visitation - To ensure the well-being of the children, visitation may be allowed only in the presence of a third-party supervisor.
- No Visitation - In cases in which there is evidence of domestic violence or suspicion that the parent would be harmful to the children, the parent can be prohibited from contacting the children in any way.
When is Visitation Necessary?
Visitation is necessary when one parent is awarded sole physical custody as a means of granting the non-custodial parent specific periods of time to spend with the child.
Does the Court Have to Create Our Visitation Schedule?
No. Most courts encourage both parents to work together to create a mutually satisfactory visitation schedule. If parents are unable to do so, the court usually steps in to prepare a schedule that favors the child's best interests.
What Should Be Included In Our Visitation Schedule?
Your schedule should include specifics for weekdays and weekends, as well as holidays, school and family vacations, and birthdays. Some families benefit from a very detailed schedule that covers pickup and drop-off times and transportation duties.
What Is Reasonable Visitation?
Reasonable visitation is considered a more open-ended schedule and gives the parents flexibility to make changes as the need arises. The court typically encourages a schedule, as most children do well with a consistent routine.
How Do We Change Our Visitation Orders?
Fortunately, visitation orders are almost never set in stone. Courts understand the changing dynamics present within a family and are gracious when new orders are necessary. To do so, you simply have to submit a modification request explaining why the change is in the best interest of your child.
Do I Need A Lawyer When Creating My Visitation Schedule?
While some parents are able to create a schedule without any conflict, it doesn't always happen this way. An Orange County family lawyer can represent your rights and ensure that the schedule is agreeable and fair.
Obtain Peace of Mind. Call Our Orange County Attorney.
The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can begin assisting your family. It is our primary mission to offer effective, compassionate, and personal representation to every client, and it would be our pleasure to help your family during this time. We would be happy to sit down with you to personally get to know your unique needs, your family dynamic, and your legal objectives.
Contact our Orange County visitation attorney today and request a free, confidential case consultation to get started.