What is child custody?

Child custody deals with who has custody of the children after a divorce or separation.  Custody and visitation issues can arise when parents are divorced or separated, when the parents have never been married, or when some type of reproductive technology, such as surrogate motherhood or sperm and egg donation cases, complicates the issues even further.  There are two components to the right of custody: legal custody and physical custody.  Legal custody refers to the right to make the decisions relating to the health, education, and welfare of the child, whereas physical custody determines the party with home the child resides.  California courts apply a "best interests of the child" standard when determining to whom custody should be awarded.  Although parental agreements as to the custody of the parties’ children are not binding on the courts, such agreements are generally approved by courts so long as they are in the best interests of the children. 

The Law Office of Daniel Jensen, P.C. handles child custody disputes throughout the Silicon Valley. Call our child custody attorneys today at 1-888-877-2905 to arrange an appointment to discuss your case.