San Jose Lawyer: Child Support and Custody
While parents always have their child's best interests in mind when deciding the issue of custody in a divorce settlement, a prolonged custody battle often does more harm than good for the child's well-being. The stress and uncertainty, not to mention the regular court appearances and investigations by experts, can instill feelings of resentment. Worse still, having the terms of your relationship with your child dictated to you by a third party can set the stage for further legal battles years after the initial divorce settlement.
At our firm, the welfare of your child is our highest priority, and we will do everything within the law to help you achieve the best outcome. In California, the court generally believes that it is best for the children to have as much time as possible with both parents and will typically arrange for joint custody when disputes arise. If you feel joint custody would be harmful for your child, we can employ third-party experts to help determine the best situation for your child. It is important to remember that you can keep your parenting plan within your control by settling your custody issue through mediation rather than litigation. To learn more about what we can do for your custody case, contact attorney Evelyn Rodriguez for a free consultation.
Kids need financial support also. We can work to ensure you receive all the support possible for your children. If you will be paying support, we can work to have reasonable payments set. Support payments are set by the court according to a complex formula determined by State law. It takes into account both parents' income, and the amount of time the child will be living with each, among other factors. An experienced attorney can convey this information to the court in the most favorable way.
Circumstances do change and, if appropriate, the order for support can be modified. Finally, if your ex-spouse is not paying according to the court's order we can enforce child support.
We help our clients with child support and custody issues such as:
- Joint custody arrangements
- Child support modification
- Child custody mediation
- Parental rights
- Child support enforcement
- Visitation agreements
Free consultation about your child support or custody issue
Whether you want help in negotiating an equitable parenting plan through mediation or like to seek a different custody arrangement, we can help you reach a positive outcome for you and your child. Contact our firm for a free consultation about your case.
Evelyn Rodriguez
1635 The Alameda, Suite 300
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 298-4500