Child Custody, Child Support & Visitation

Child Visitation Guidelines

Child custody and visitation are complicated topics that parents must confront when going through a divorce or separation. Regardless of your readiness to talk about it, knowing the basics is essential before going to court.

Understanding Child Custody

Deciding child custody is often one of the more difficult and emotional parts of a divorce. Prepare yourself by learning more about the ins and outs of child custody.

Child Support Payment FAQ

Child support can be one of the most contentious issues in a divorce or custody case. So you should familiarize yourself with commonly asked questions about this topic.

Child Support and Taxes

Many divorced or separated parents have questions about child support and taxes, including whether child support must be included on their tax returns. Continue reading to learn more.

Paternity Issues and Child Support

Before the court can begin the child support evaluation process, it first must identify the legal parents to the child. But, determining the answer to the seemingly simple question "who is the father?" may be more complicated than you think.

Grandparent and Caretaker Visitation Rights

It's no surprise that a grandparent is a vital part of a child's life. Whether a family is going through a divorce, separation, or death of a parent, if a parent is restricting your right to see your grandchild, you may have options.

Parenting Agreements

If you're going through a divorce with children, there's no doubt that creating a parenting plan with your ex is critical. Continue reading to learn more about what to include in your custody agreement.

Temporary Orders in Family Court: Quick Decisions on Support and Custody

Learn about the types of temporary orders you can get in family court.

Divorce and Children: Helping Kids Deal With the Effects

How to ease the pain of divorce for your children -- young and old.

Birthdays, Holidays, and More: How Divorced Parents Can Avoid Visitation Fights

Learn some tips on how to prevent post-divorce conflicts over visitation with your kids, especially on birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions.

How Can I Change a Child Support Order?

A child support order isn’t etched in stone. But if you want to change it, you’d better have a good reason.

The Different Types of Child Custody

Learn about the differences between legal and physical custody, how sole custody and joint or shared custody works, and what goes into parenting plans.

Do I have to force my child to visit his mother if he doesn't want to?

What will a judge do when a child refuses to go with a parent during a scheduled custody visit? Find out more about each parent’s role in visitation.

When it comes to custody, how fit is fit?

Is there a law that says I cannot have visitation and custody without a guardian ad litem or a psychological evaluation to determine fitness?

We have moved since the divorce. Which state's law controls?

We are having custody, visitation and support issues. Do we follow California laws?

How do I get custody of my kids now that I'm out of jail?

Now I would like to regain custody of the children and can't afford a lawyer. What should I do?

How to Transfer Child Custody Without a Lawyer

Transferring custody and changing child support are not simple tasks for parents, especially if there is an existing custody order.

Can You Get Child Custody If You Have a Criminal Record?

Custody disputes are often emotionally taxing and stressful. When one parent has a felony conviction, it may raise additional concern and complexity. Continue reading to learn more about how a felony conviction might affect a custody plan.

What are the first steps to getting sole custody when we weren't married?

I'm scared to let the father spend unsupervised time with our son. Can you help?

Travel expenses spring up in visitation

He is remarried and their combined income is probably at least four to five times more than mine.

Should I allow my ex to take my child out of the country?

For example, should I notify the court? My son is four years old.

Will my ex's lies prevent my getting visitation rights?

The kids are both under age 4 and getting coached by my ex. My lawyer is just twiddling his thumbs.

What Are Child Support Arrears?

Learn what happens when parents don't pay child support, how to get help collecting unpaid support from your child's other parent, and what you can do if you owe child support arrears but can't pay.