Child Custody Attorney in Sacramento

Guiding Families through Custody Matters in Sacramento & Surrounding Areas

Nothing is more important than your children’s stability and well-being. When a family’s structure changes, the primary focus must be on creating a consistent, supportive, and loving environment for them to thrive. 

At Kaslan & Pike, LLP, we understand that the legal process of determining child custody is not about winning or losing; it is about building a durable foundation for your children's future and establishing a positive co-parenting relationship.

Our entire team approaches every custody matter with this principle at the forefront. We are committed to providing you with the clear information and honest counsel you need to make sound decisions for your family. We listen to your story, learn about your children, and help you define your goals. From there, our collaborative team works together, combining our collective knowledge to map a clear path forward. You benefit from multiple legal minds committed to protecting what matters most: your children.

To begin building a stable future for your family with a child custody attorney in Sacramento, call our team at (916) 957-1302 or contact us online for a virtual consultation.

How California Courts Make Custody Decisions

When parents cannot reach an agreement, a judge must make the final decision about their children’s future. In California, every ruling on custody and visitation is guided by a single, overarching principle: the child's best interest. This legal standard directs the court to look beyond the parents’ desires and focus entirely on the circumstances that will best support a child’s health, safety, and overall well-being.

The court evaluates several specific factors to determine what is in a child’s best interest. These include the child’s age, health, and the emotional ties between the child and each parent. A judge will consider each parent's capacity to provide care, guidance, and a stable living environment. The court’s primary goal is to foster continuity in the child’s life and encourage frequent and continuing contact with both parents, provided it is safe. Any history of domestic violence, substance abuse, or neglect by a parent will be a significant factor in the court’s decision-making process.

Our work at Kaslan & Pike, LLP involves helping you tell your family's story in a way that clearly addresses these legal factors. We guide you in gathering the information needed to highlight the strengths of your relationship with your children and your ability to provide a consistent and supportive home. The objective is to provide the court with a clear, honest, and compelling picture demonstrating how your proposed parenting plan serves your children's needs and allows them to flourish.

Understanding Custody in California: Legal vs. Physical

The term "custody" is broken down into two distinct parts in California. Grasping the difference is the first step toward building a parenting plan that truly serves your children’s best interests. 

Our role at Kaslan & Pike, LLP is to demystify these legal concepts, translating them into practical terms so you can advocate effectively for your family’s needs:

• Legal custody. This refers to the right and responsibility to make important decisions about your children's lives. These decisions concern their health, education, and general welfare. Parents with joint legal custody must collaborate on schooling, medical care, and religious upbringing choices. It is the court's strong preference for parents to share joint legal custody unless there is a compelling reason otherwise, such as domestic violence or substance abuse.
• Physical custody. This determines where the children will live. One parent may have sole physical custody, meaning the children reside with them full-time. In contrast, the other has visitation (a "parenting time" schedule). Parents commonly share joint physical custody, where children spend significant time with both parents. This does not always mean a 50/50 split; it simply means both parents have periods where the children are physically in their care.

We will sit down with you to explain how these definitions apply to your unique situation and help you determine a course of action.