What does 50/50 custody look like in California?

• Testimony from teachers or coaches about your involvement in your child's education or extracurricular activities.
• Records showing that you attend doctor's appointments and other significant events.
• Evidence of a stable job and income.

• Potential for Increased Conflict: If the parents have a contentious relationship, the frequent exchanges required in a 50/50 custody arrangement can lead to increased conflict. ...
• Instability and Disruption: For some children, moving between two homes regularly can feel unstable and disruptive.

Who claims children with 50 50 custody?

Under these rules, the parent who has physical custody of the child for the greater part of the year – defined as more than 50% of the nights – typically has the right to claim the child as a dependent for tax purposes.

How does a mother lose custody in California?

Child Abuse, Neglect, Domestic Violence or False Allegations

Losing custody of a child is often the result of child abuse or neglect. However, knowingly false allegations of child abuse or a finding of domestic violence are also grounds.

What is the biggest mistake in custody battle?

The Most Common Mistakes Made in California Child Custody Cases. Failing to respond to a child custody case will not make the issue go away. Instead, it could lead to a default judgment. This means that whatever the other party is requesting will most likely be granted by the judge because you have not given any input.

Is 50 50 custody easy to get?

With 50/50 physical custody, each parent spends an equal amount of time with the child. Since this arrangement requires a lot of cooperation between parents, judges won't approve it unless they believe it will work and is in the child's best interest.

How do most custody battles end?

Some courts have mediation programs, and others require you to find an outside mediator. The court will choose your mediator if you and the other parent cannot agree. If you reach an agreement, you can file it with the court to end your case. If you don't agree, the court process will continue.

Is 50/50 really best for kids?

But there is a unique benefit when parenting time is split 50/50—vs 20% or 30% with dads. Research by child psychologist William Fabricius at Arizona State University finds that outcomes for these kids of divorce and separation improves the closer the parenting schedule gets to 50/50.

Do you still pay child support for 50/50?

It seems logical that if your custody is shared, you each cover costs for the child when the child is with you. However, in California, custody and child support are two separate components, and one parent may be required to pay child support to the other even in a 50/50 arrangement.

What type of custody is best for a child?

The recent trend has been to favor joint or shared physical custody—allowing children to spend significant amounts of time with both of their parents. Judges (and legislatures) have been swayed by consistent research findings that children fare better after divorce under shared parenting arrangements.

What looks bad in a custody battle?

Bad-mouthing your ex-spouse or engaging in verbal or physical altercations with them in front of a judge looks bad. If your children are present, it looks even worse. Judges understand that tempers run high during custody cases, but lack of self-control will not reflect favorably.

What makes a parent unfit for custody in California?

When determining whether a parent is unfit, California courts consider: Neglectful behavior. The parent's history of substance abuse. Any mental illnesses in either the parent or the child.

What do judges look for in child custody cases in California?

To decide what is best for a child, the judge considers: The age and health of the child. The emotional ties between the parents and the child. The child's ties to their school, home, and community.

What are the dangers of 50 50 custody?

Cons of equal shared parenting:

Frequent exchanges mean that parents have regular in-person contact, which can create conflict that negatively impacts children. Some children may struggle to adapt to frequently moving between homes.

Do you have to pay child support in California if you have 50% custody?

Joint custody allows each parent to remain an active participant in their child's life, including making decisions that impact the child's well-being. However, sharing 50/50 custody in California does not mean the parents are not responsible for child support.

How to win 50/50 custody?

The answer is by focusing on the child's or children's best interest and showing the court why you, the father, are equally fit or better fit for parenting.

What not to say during a custody battle?

Avoid cursing and putting down the other parent, your children, in-laws, and other family members, the mediator, the judge, and others involved in the process. That can be tricky when sensitive topics, such as substance abuse, are at play.

Who wins most child custody cases?

It is true that mothers typically HAVE custody of their children, but that's mostly because the men take off. Statistically, in the US, when a man asks for shared custody, he gets it, and in cases where men go to court to get full custody, they get it a majority of the time.

How a mother can lose a custody battle?

Serious neglect is proper grounds for a mother to lose custody. There is no "perfect parent" standard in the California Family Code. Family law judges understand parenting is an imperfect process.

Why do men lose custody battles?

Primary Caregiver Presumption: Most times at the point of a separation fathers defer to the mother as the primary caregiver. This ends up putting them at a disadvantage because courts often presume the parent who has been the primary caregiver is better suited for custody.

Can you lose custody for not having a job?

While financial stability is a factor in custody cases, unemployment alone is rarely enough to disqualify a parent from custody. Judges consider several factors, such as a parent's ability to provide a safe, loving environment and meet the child's emotional needs.

Do California courts favor mothers in custody battles?

The family code also provides that the sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation of a parent is not to be considered when determining the best interests of children (§ 3020(d)). As such, mothers are not favored by law in child custody matters.