Are you a father in need of establishing legal paternity, so that you can obtain child custody rights to your children? Are you a mother who needs to prove legal paternity for your children, so that you can obtain the child support that you deserve?
When paternity needs to be legally established, you need to know your legal rights and obligations, so that you can fight your case to your best extent. Whatever reason for your case, you need an experienced legal paternity lawyer to represent you, so that you get the outcome that you deserve.
Common Legal Paternity Cases
Divorce in California is common, and single parents are often fighting for their rights to their children, which results in legal paternity cases. When a paternity case comes about, there are many reasons, including:
- Mothers establishing legal paternity for child support
- Men obtaining parental rights to their children, such as child custody and visitation rights
- Paternity is in question
Whether you are taking action or on the defense in your paternity case, it’s important to be working with an experienced paternity lawyer who can help you obtain the result you hope to achieve.
Summary: Paternity cases come in all shapes and sizes, and common cases include a mother proving paternity to obtain child support, a father obtaining parental rights to his children, and paternity being in question.
Why Take Action On Paternity Matters
Many times, a father desires to obtain more or full participation in the care of the children. Mothers carrying complete responsibility for the children is a thing of the past. Other times, a mother’s interest is to identify the father, so that he will fulfill his child support obligations. In addition, the identity of the father of the children may be in question.
Legal paternity cases in California can be filed by men and women, and once the case begins, all aspects of the relationship are at stake, including visitation, child support, and beyond. When action is taken on paternity matters, DNA testing resources are used to help establish or disprove paternity, so that proper rights and responsibilities can be put in place.
Summary: Both men and women take action on paternity matters to establish or disprove paternity, so that proper rights and responsibilities are put in place, regarding custody, visitation, support, and beyond.
Custody & Visitation Orders In California
When it comes to custody rights and visitation orders in California, there’s a lot that you need to know. In your paternity case, both custody rights and visitation orders will be discussed and defined, so it’s important to be familiar with the laws in California.
Custody is defined in two ways: legal custody and physical custody. Legal custody can be joint, where it is shared, or sole, which is only obtained by one parent. Parents with legal custody are able to make decisions about a child’s:
- Schooling and child care
- Religious activities and institutions
- Mental health counseling
- Health professionals
- Extracurricular activities
- Travel
- Residence
When parents share legal custody, they don’t have to agree on every decision and can make decisions alone, but they may end up back in court if a major decision is disagreed upon.
Physical custody can also be joint, where the children live with both parents, or sole/primary, where children live with one parent most of the time and visit the other parent. During joint physical custody, the children may not spend exactly half the time with each parent, depending on work and schedules.
Visitation is the plan for how parents share time with the children. If one parent has the children less than half of the time, they are granted a visitation order, such as:
- Visitation according to a schedule
- Reasonable visitation
- Supervised visitation
- No visitation
Summary: In your legal paternity case, legal custody, physical custody, and visitation orders will be discussed and decided upon. It’s best to work with an experienced lawyer who knows the in’s and out’s of this, in order to achieve the custody and visitation that you are wanting in your paternity case.
Child Support In California
When it comes to child support in California, it’s important to be familiar with the laws and regulations that are associated with it. By basic definition, child support is an amount of money that the court orders one or both parents to pay monthly, in order to help pay for the support of the child and the child’s living expenses.
Child support is usually paid until the children turn 18. If parents can’t agree on child support, a judge will calculate the support, based on circumstances, such as:
- Earnings
- Number of children
- Time each parent has with the children
- Tax filing statuses
- Support from other relationships
- Expenses
- Union dues
- Retirement contributions
- Traveling for visitation
- Educational needs
- Special needs
As income or time-share changes, child support often changes. In addition, if either parent falls behind on child support payments, interest is owed. Along with child support, an order for medical support is included, and the court will order either or both parents to provide health insurance for the child.
Summary: Child support is calculated based on a number of circumstances, such as earnings, time with each parent, the number of children, and beyond, and it is paid until children turn 18. Since there are many details to child support laws in California, it’s important to work with an experienced lawyer who will make sure that you are getting the rights you deserve.
How To Take Action In Your Paternity Case
Whether you are the one filing the paternity case or on the defense against action that has been taken against you, it’s important to know the in’s and out’s of your paternity case, so that you can be sure to get the result you are looking for. While this can be a stressful endeavor, it’s best to put your case in the hands of an experienced paternity lawyer, who can help you navigate the route that you need to take.
Bruce A. Mandel is an experienced paternity lawyer who has assisted men and women in paternity cases of all shapes and sizes. We’ll help you with everything from filling out to gathering documents and assisting you with questions throughout the process. We’ll be your guide and help you to know and understand the events that will take place, so that you can be prepared and ready at all times.
Summary: When it comes to taking action in a paternity case, it’s best to put your case in the hands of an experienced paternity lawyer. From documents to timeline of events, questions, and beyond, we’ll help you get the outcome you desire in your case, as soon as we hear from you.
Get Your Legal Paternity Case Started Now
When you’re in need of support in your paternity case, there is no better time than now to get in touch with the Law Office of Bruce A. Mandel. Once you get in contact with us, we’ll be able to get your case in the right hands, so that you can be certain that you will get the outcome you deserve.
Contact us now by phone at (424) 250-9130 or through our website’s contact form to talk to one of our friendly professionals about your case today!
2790 Skypark Drive
Suite #100
Torrance, CA 90505