Child Custody, Visitation, and Support
Protecting What Matters Most: Your Relationship With Your Children
Few things in life feel as high-stakes as a dispute over your children. Whether you're establishing a parenting plan for the first time or modifying one that no longer works, you need a child custody attorney in Elk Grove or Sacramento who understands both the legal complexity and the emotional weight of what's at stake.
Your children come first, always.
At Shearer Law and Mediation, APC, our mission is to safeguard what is most important: your relationship with your children. We provide skilled legal counsel and thoughtful guidance across every custody-related issue, always centred on outcomes that serve your family's long-term wellbeing.
WHAT IS CHILD CUSTODY?
Child custody refers to the legal rights and responsibilities parents hold for their children after a separation or divorce. California law recognizes two distinct types:
Legal Custody is the right to make important decisions about your child's upbringing, including education, healthcare, and religious upbringing. Legal custody can be joint, where both parents share decision-making authority, or sole, where one parent holds that authority alone.
Physical Custody determines where the child lives on a day-to-day basis. Like legal custody, physical custody can be joint, meaning the child splits time between both parents' homes, or primary, meaning the child lives mainly with one parent while the other has scheduled parenting time.
Most California custody arrangements involve some combination of joint legal custody and a physical custody schedule tailored to the family's specific circumstances, always guided by the best interest of the child.
WHAT IS VISITATION?
Visitation, sometimes called parenting time, refers to the schedule that governs when each parent spends time with the child. A visitation schedule can be as simple as alternating weekends or as detailed as a day-by-day calendar covering holidays, school breaks, and special occasions. When parents cannot agree, the court can order a specific visitation schedule, but many California families find it far more workable to design their own schedule through mediation, with guidance to make sure it holds up legally and practically over time.
WHAT IS CHILD SUPPORT?
Child support is the financial contribution one parent pays to the other to help cover the costs of raising their child, including housing, food, healthcare, and other daily needs. California calculates child support using a statewide guideline formula that factors in each parent's income, the custody timeshare, and other relevant expenses. Support orders can be established as part of an initial custody case or modified later if circumstances change.
THE ADVANTAGES OF RESOLVING CUSTODY THROUGH MEDIATION AND COLLABORATIVE LAW
Attorney Lana M. Shearer knows firsthand how financially and emotionally draining a litigated custody case can be. The harsh reality of litigated cases involving children is that both parents are forced to keep communicating with each other long after a judge has made the final decisions. The animosity that builds during a heated custody dispute doesn't end when the parties walk out of the courtroom. It often lingers for years, shaping how parents interact at every school event, holiday, and milestone that follows.
Choosing Mediation or Collaborative Law to resolve custody, visitation, and support disputes offers real advantages over litigation:
You design the parenting plan, not a judge. You know your children and your family's rhythms better than any court ever could. Mediation lets you build a schedule that actually works for your household.
Lower conflict, better co-parenting. Because these processes are cooperative rather than adversarial, parents typically emerge with a more workable, respectful communication style, one that serves the family for years of shared parenting ahead.
Faster resolution. Court calendars can delay custody matters for months. Mediated and collaborative agreements are typically reached far more quickly.
Lower cost. Avoiding contested court hearings and prolonged litigation generally makes mediation and collaborative law significantly more affordable.
Privacy for your family. Court proceedings become part of the public record. Mediation and collaborative sessions remain private and confidential.
Reduced impact on your children. Lower parental conflict is one of the strongest predictors of how well children adjust after a separation or divorce. A cooperative process protects them from being caught in the middle.
If you are already involved in a litigated case, Attorney Lana M. Shearer can still meet with you and offer advice and assistance in navigating your child custody case, along with ongoing consultation and coaching at each step of the court process, so you're never facing a hearing unprepared.
A RESOURCE WORTH YOUR TIME
If you have minor children and are considering separation or divorce, we highly encourage you to view the film "SPLIT: The Early Years," available at no cost on YouTube. It offers a powerful perspective from children of divorcing and divorced parents, in their own words, and can help parents understand what's truly at stake for their kids during this transition.
WHY CALIFORNIA FAMILIES CHOOSE SHEARER LAW AND MEDIATION
25+ years of California family law experience. As a Certified Family Law Specialist, a designation held by fewer than 1% of California attorneys, Lana brings a rare depth of legal knowledge to custody matters.
A former litigator's perspective. Lana has seen firsthand what contested custody battles do to children and families, and that experience informs how she guides every client.
Ongoing support through litigation, when needed. Even in litigated cases, Lana offers consultation and coaching at every step, so you're never navigating the courtroom process alone.
A practice built around your life. Virtual appointments, evening and Saturday availability, and clear guidance make an already difficult process easier to manage.
IS THIS THE RIGHT TIME TO SPEAK WITH A CUSTODY ATTORNEY?
You may need guidance on child custody, visitation, or support if you're facing:
-A divorce or separation involving minor children
-Disagreements about parenting time or decision-making authority
-A proposed relocation that would affect custody or visitation
-The need to establish or modify a child support order
-Difficulty co-parenting and a desire for a clearer, more workable arrangement
If any of this resonates, the right next step is a conversation, not a decision.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Do custody disputes always go to court? No. Many California families resolve custody and visitation disputes entirely out of court through Mediation or Collaborative Law, thereby reducing conflict and preserving the co-parenting relationship.
What's the difference between legal and physical custody? Legal custody covers decision-making authority for matters such as school and healthcare. Physical custody determines where the child lives day-to-day. Both can be shared jointly or held primarily by one parent.
What is a move-away case? A move-away, or relocation case, arises when one parent wants to move with the child in a way that would significantly affect the other parent's custody or visitation time. These cases require careful legal navigation and are evaluated based on the child's best interest.
Can a child support or custody order be changed later? Yes. Custody and support orders can be modified as circumstances change, such as changes in income, relocation, or shifts in the child's needs.
What if my case is already in litigation? Attorney Lana M. Shearer can still help. She offers advice, coaching, and support at every stage of a litigated custody case, even if you didn't start with her.
Do you serve clients outside of Elk Grove? Yes. We serve clients virtually throughout California, with evening and Saturday appointments available.
We invite you to give our firm a call today to arrange a confidential consultation. Or, if you prefer, complete our contact form.