Simi Valley Child Custody & Support Lawyers 

What to Know About Child Custody in California 

California parents can have legal and/or physical custody. If you have legal custody, you can make decisions about your child’s education, healthcare, and general welfare. Should you have physical custody, your child will live with you the majority of the time. 

Shared vs. Joint Custody

Generally, the state’s courts prefer to assign joint custody, meaning parents share decision-making powers and get to have significant time with a child. However, courts will award sole custody if they have evidence that one parent has neglected or abused a child or is otherwise unfit to provide care. 

What Is a Parenting Plan?

At the completion of a custody dispute, you must create a parenting plan that includes details about your custody arrangement and visitation. The latter should describe when you and your co-parent will spend time with your child and for how long. 

Other items your parenting plan must include are as follows:

• How to communicate about the child
• Who will make decisions for the child in an emergency
• Where the child will go to school
• Who will be the child’s doctor and dentist
• Whether the child will be raised in a certain faith

Can You Modify a Child Custody Arrangement?

You can modify a child custody arrangement at any time. However, just because you want to alter it does not mean a court will grant the change. You must present compelling evidence suggesting the modification is in the child’s best interests. Often, this is the case if one parent is not fulfilling their duties or poses a danger to the child.