Attorney Seeks Equitable Visitation Arrangements Between Parents and Children

Parenting plans that work for your family

The parenting plan is the schedule you and the other parent follow and gives each of you substantial quality time with your children. During your dissolution or child-custody hearing, the judge issues an order establishing the details of your arrangement. You have the option of presenting a negotiated settlement to the Court or letting the judge decide if you cannot reach an agreement with the other parent. “Visitation” is becoming a disfavored concept in California Family Court law and is now often referred to as “custodial time” or the parenting plan.

My 15 years of psychology experience gives you the support you need to make essential child- custody and visitation decisions.

The Court considers the children’s best interests

A parent’s gender is not a factor in the Court’s child-custody and visitation decisions. The principal focus of the Court is what is in the children’s best interests, while also considering the parents’ rights, regardless of gender. Each Family Court is different, so parenting plans are customized to fit each Family Court’s needs. California guidelines establish standards upon which the Court makes its decisions.

Visitation considerations

Your visitation plan should address these primary matters:

• Pick-up and drop-off times, and waiting period
• Weekend and weekday schedules during the school year
• Summer, winter and spring school breaks
• Federal and religious holidays
• Holidays important to each parent, such as birthdays, Mother’s Day or Father’s Day
• Special events, opportunities and travel
• Cancelations and delays
• Accommodating each other’s schedules
• Nontraditional schedules, such as nightshifts, rotating schedules or frequent travel
• Special needs of the children
• Children’s academic and special-interest schedules

Mediation and collaborative methods of developing a parenting plan

I have nearly 25 years of experience in child-visitation matters and in mediation and collaborative techniques for resolving disputes. Due to my extensive litigation background, I anticipate how the court will likely rule in your case; this insight influences my negotiation strategies. Except in certain circumstances, I encourage the parties to agree on a child-visitation schedule, rather than allowing the court to order an arrangement. Such a negotiated agreement gives you the opportunity to make your own decisions based on what is best for you, your children and the other parent. Once parents agree to a schedule, they should honor it, and refrain from any behavior that might discourage their children from participating in visitation, since the court could view such contrary behavior as parental estrangement or alienation.

Grandparent’s or grandparents’ visitation rights

California statutes specify situations whereby the court is authorized to grant grandparent(s) visitation. The main consideration is whether the existing relationship between the grandchildren and their grandparents that is in the children’s best interests should be preserved. In granting visitation, the Court seeks to balance the grandparents’ or grandparent’s rights with the parents’ roles as decision makers.

Learn more from our North County lawyers about establishing child visitation

To learn more about child-custody and visitation matters, call Silverman Family Law, APC, at 760-512-3251 or contact me online to schedule your free, initial phone consultation.

Silverman Family Law, APC, located in Carlsbad, California, serves clients in and around Carlsbad, San Diego, Vista, Escondido, Del Mar, Solana Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, Encinitas, La Jolla, Mira Mesa, Poway, Rancho Bernardo, San Marcos and all North County San Diego.