Child Custody Lawyers Orange County California

You and your spouse have decided to divorce.  You have minor children, under the age of 18 or 19 and still in high school.  What do you do about the children?  Do not hesitate to contact child custody lawyers.  Orange County, California family law attorneys all deal with child custody.  Get an attorney’s advice from the beginning of a divorce proceeding, because what you set as precedent may be difficult to change later.  In other words, what you set up for custody and visitation during the interim of a divorce may be what the Court deems is best for the children.  The Court may use the “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” theory and just leave the custody and visitation as it is.  It is in the best interest of the children that you and your spouse work together to keep them in a stable environment with the least amount of change as possible.  However, without legal guidance you may end up with a custody and visitation schedule that you do not want.

Another situation that comes up often is that a mother or father lets the minor children stay with the other parent and the other parent refuses to give the children back.  Again, immediately call some child custody lawyers.  Orange County, California has many lawyers who will give you a free consultation.  The first thing that any attorney will tell you is that without a Court order, law enforcement cannot do anything for you.  Unless, there is domestic violence involved where the children are in danger, law enforcement will tell you that it is a civil matter.  They cannot force the parent to return the child or children because there is no order telling them which party has legal or physical custody.  So, talk to some child custody lawyers.  Orange County, California attorneys can file an immediate hearing to get a Court order.

If there are reasons to suspect that the minor child or children are being physically harmed or if threat of physical harm is evident, the Court will hear the case in an Exparte hearing.  Which means little or no notice is required to the other party and the hearing can be put on the Court’s calendar the next day.  Also, if there is a threat that the minor child could be taken out of the state or country, your attorney can go in Exparte and ask the Judge to make immediate orders.  There are ways to protect your children.  Do not take any chances.  If you need a child custody lawyer in Orange County California, please give us a call and we would be happy to help you.