Child Custody and Parenting Plans in North County San Diego:

Protecting the best interests of children during the course of a divorce is the primary concern of California courts.  Andrew P. Johnson, APC shares that same concern.  We find that child custody issues are often one of the most challenging, emotional and highly contested problems faced by divorcing parents. Parents have many misconceptions about how custody and parenting plans are developed in North County San Diego and throughout California.  The first and overriding principal when approaching these challenges is to keep the best interest of your child or children in mind, for they often pay the price of emotional and expensive child custody legal battles.

Andrew P. Johnson, Esq. is an experienced and effective counselor in resolving child custody visitation and parenting plan issues.  Child custody focuses upon the rights of both parents to make important decisions regarding a child including religion, education, health care, and extra-curricular activities.  The laws of the State of California presume that it is best for a child’s parents to make these decisions together.  There are extreme cases where physical and sexual abuse, alcohol and drug addictions, and severe personality disorders can affect custody and parenting plans.  However, in most cases the court is interested in making sure that the child maintains a life schedule that most closely reflects their experience before the divorce.  It is valuable to have the guidance and experience of a proven child custody and parenting plan attorney who can suggest many options to help you resolve areas of disagreement effectively and affordably.

Matt Cord, Esq. is a trained and certified Minor’s Counsel.  This means he can be appointed by a Court to represent the children in high conflict divorce and custody cases.  Minor’s Counsel are utilized by the Court, and sometimes the parties themselves, when it is determined that the children need their own neutral advocate to ensure their needs, safety, and welfare are accurately and properly protected and addressed.  Minor’s Counsel is the attorney and advocate for the children who does not represent either parent, and is solely focused on the best interests of the children.

Would You Prefer to Control Your Parenting Plan Outcome or Have A Stranger Impose One Upon You?

The stark reality is this:  If you and your spouse are unable to work together to put the interests of your child or children first and resolve custody and parenting plan issues, the court will do it for you.  A total stranger will decide how your child’s life will progress from here, and how you as a parent will participate in his or her life.  Newly enacted California legislation allows children to testify in open court on a routine basis.  This is a painful and often traumatic experience, and places the child in an awkward and potentially harmful position emotionally.

Andrew P. Johnson, APC understands that it is almost always in the best interest of the children and their parents to work together to find the right solution for their unique circumstances.  Every family has a different rhythm and pattern of activities to take into account.  Balancing time with each parent while building a framework that can grow with the children is at the core of an effective parenting plan.

Andrew P. Johnson’s years of experience and his designation as a California Certified Family Law Specialist, guarantees that you have solid and reliable counsel as you approach these matters.  Our legal team is not interested in adding to the tension that exists between parents, and we do not believe in expensive custody battles for the sake of generating legal fees.  We work closely with our clients to gain a genuine understanding of their lives and those of the children.  We provide tools to build skills in our clients and to help them resolve genuine and substantive areas of disagreement with the other parent whenever possible.  The process of successfully working through these issues to develop an effective child custody and parenting plan can lay the foundation for a cooperative working relationship between the parents for the months and years to come.

In some cases the parents have opposite points of view about what is best for their children.  When it is necessary, Andrew P. Johnson has the experience to handle these highly conflicted cases.