Couples in California who are going through a divorce usually have a wide range of major concerns and issues to address. But, for those with minor children, child custody can oftentimes be the top priority. Of course, if the couple is able to agree upon a child custody arrangement that works for all involved, a family law court will likely approve that plan, unless there are problems. However, sometimes it is seemingly impossible for the parties to work out a child custody arrangement on their own. As a result, this is an issue that can commonly result in courtroom hearings.
Other solutions?
When it seems like litigation in open court is the likely destination in your child custody dispute, it can be easy to forget about the potential of other solutions. Custody mediation, also known as custody counseling, may be an option to help the parties explore the arguments of both sides and, potentially, reach an agreement through hearing each other out and getting a recommendation from the mediator.
But, it is important to remember that you don’t necessarily need a mediator between you and your soon-to-be ex-spouse to explore solutions to your pending child custody dispute. It is oftentimes true that the more open to communication about the issue the sides are, the more likely that an out-of-court solution could be negotiated, which could spare all sides the anxiety and nerves they might experience in a courtroom, not to mention the extra costs.
At our law firm, we work with our clients to explore all potential options to resolve child custody disputes. These issues go straight to our clients’ hearts, and we understand that the ultimate resolution of the issue is usually the primary concern in their lives during a divorce case. For more information about how we attempt to help California residents with these issues, please visit the child custody overview section of our law firm’s website.