Child Custody/Visitation/Child Support

Los Angeles County and Orange County

Child Support • Child Custody • Visitation • Parenting Time

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The overriding philosophy of California’s child support and child custody laws is the promotion of the best interests of the child regardless of the marital situation of the parents. Understanding the court’s point of view helps prepare an experienced Los Angeles child support, child custody, or visitation lawyer to get the best results for our family law clients at the Law Offices of Laurence B. Donoghue.

Los Angeles child support, visitation, and custody lawyer Laurence B. Donoghue has over 30 years of experience as an attorney and welcomes you to contact us now for a free 30-minute consultation. Members of our staff speak Spanish, Tagalog, French, and English.

Child Custody and Child Support - The paramount concern is the best interests of the child. Courts often appoint attorneys to represent the minor(s), child custody evaluators, and other mental health, therapeutic, and educational experts to make recommendations.

Juvenile Law– In addition to criminal proceedings, the juvenile courts offer child protection in Children’s or Dependency Court, where minors are placed temporarily or permanently according to the child’s best interest. The options the Court has include a return to a parent, another family member, a foster parent, or a non-custodian group facility, or guardianship or adoption.

Termination of Parental Rights - A court may order the termination of parental rights of any parent upon a showing of clear and convincing evidence of: (1) child abandonment; (2) grossly neglectful or abusive treatment; (3) parental incapacity due to alcohol, controlled substance, or moral depravity; (4) a felony conviction, the nature of which shows parental unfitness; or (5) incapacity to control or support a child due to the parent’s mental disability. The Court must consider the wishes of the child and must act in the child’s best interest.

Visitation, Physical Custody, and Placement - California courts believe that minors have an improved chance of becoming fully mature and emotionally healthy adults if they have had the benefit of parent-child bonding, good friendship, and a positive relationship with each of his or her parents. Thus, joint legal custody and physical time with each parent is strongly preferred. Disharmony between the parents is quite secondary to consideration of the child’s best interests. Be prepared to persuade the court why it is in your child’s best interests to adopt the plan you are requesting.

To schedule a free 30-minute consultation with Los Angeles child support, visitation, and child custody lawyer Laurence B. Donoghue, contact our law firm now by phone or through this Web site.