Los Angeles Fathers’ Rights Attorney
Fathers have rights, too – not just mothers. At Berenji & Associates, we recognize this and help fathers assert those rights every day.
Whether you’re an unmarried father who’s unsure about where he stands with his children or are facing custody challenges in your divorce, our Los Angeles fathers’ rights attorneys can help.
Our top-rated, award-winning attorneys have more than 25 years of combined family law experience. We know how devastating it can be to have your rights denied, and we’re here to help you set things straight.
Contact our law office at (310) 271-6290, conveniently located in downtown Los Angeles, CA, to learn more. We offer a case evaluation and are ready to help you assert your rights as a father today.
How Our Los Angeles Family Law Attorneys Can Help You Assert Your Rights As a Father
In our culture, the mother is typically thought of as the default parent. However, whether you’re married to your child’s mother or not, you have rights. In fact, California recognizes that both mothers and fathers are equally responsible for and have equal rights when it comes to the children they share.
When it’s time to assert those rights, fathers can face resistance – from the mother, the courts, and society. That’s why it helps to hire an experienced Los Angeles fathers’ rights lawyer to represent you and handle your family law dispute.
At Berenji & Associates, we help fathers stand up for themselves and what’s best for their children. We put over 25 years of collective experience and an unparalleled reputation in the legal community behind every case we handle.
If you want to give yourself every opportunity to win your case – whether it’s a paternity dispute, fight for custody, or request for child support – you’ll want our award-winning family law attorneys in your corner.
Contact our Los Angeles, California law firm to learn more. We’re standing by to take your call right now.
Does Paternity Matter In Fathers’ Rights and Custody Cases?
Absolutely. It’s important to ensure that paternity is clearly defined before attempting to assert your rights as a father.
There are a few ways to establish paternity in California:
- Being married to or cohabiting with the child’s mother at the time of conception (California Family Code § 7540)
- The mother and father sign a Voluntary Declaration of Paternity Form and submit it to the State Department of Child Support Services
- Submit the results of a DNA test confirming a biological father-child relationship
If there’s a question about paternity, it will be the first line of defense raised by the other side. Family law courts in California are required to order genetic testing if either party requests it.
What Are a Father’s Rights in California?
The state recognizes that all decisions affecting children should be made with the child’s best interests at heart. And the law further acknowledges that it’s typically in a child’s best interest to share time with both parents.
So, as a father in the Golden State, you have many rights that are protected by law:
- Fathers have the right to spend time with their children
- Fathers have the right to make decisions about their children’s health, education, and well-being
- Fathers have the right to receive child support if they are the custodial parent
- Fathers have the right to file restraining orders and be protected if a child’s other parent poses a threat
- Fathers have the right to have their paternity clearly established by a family court in Los Angeles County
If your rights have been infringed upon or if they’re not being recognized, speak with a fathers’ rights attorney near you in Los Angeles, CA.
Fathers’ Rights and Child Support Requirements in California
Both parents share a responsibility to care for their children. When parents split up, this can become more challenging. After child custody is decided, determinations of child support will be made.
Fathers may have an obligation to pay child support if they receive visitation and are not the custodial parent.
However, child support must be calculated fairly. And, fathers have the right to ask to have child support obligations adjusted if there’s a significant change in circumstances that affects their ability to pay.
Fathers may have the right to receive child support payments if they are the custodial parent. Fathers receiving child support payments have the right to request modifications to child custody if there is a significant change in circumstances regarding the child’s needs. Similarly, child support can be modified if the father suspects that the other parent failed to disclose all necessary information about their income or ability to pay.
Our Los Angeles father’s rights lawyers can help you seek fair support for your children and/or modify an order when necessary. Our law firm can also help you file a motion with the court to force the child’s other parent to make payments if they are behind or refuse to pay.
Does a Father Have Any Special Rights During a Divorce?
It’s important to recognize that a parent’s responsibilities, obligations, and rights don’t change just because one partner files for divorce. In fact, unless a court says otherwise, nothing changes until the divorce is finalized.
So during the divorce process, parents, including the father, enjoy the following rights:
- Being present in their child’s life and spending time with them
- Having access to a child’s medical records
- Having access to a child’s school records
- Making decisions related to what kind of health care their child receives and where it’s provided
- Having an equal say in what the child can and cannot do
- Disciplining the child
- Providing financial support for their child
Once the divorce is finalized, the terms of the child custody agreement and child support orders become binding. When that occurs, both parents’ rights may be modified.
Let Our Los Angeles Fathers’ Rights Attorneys Help You
Your rights as a father are real. They should be respected. Berenji & Associates is here to help you make that a reality.
As your Los Angeles father’s rights attorneys, we will:
- Help you establish paternity
- Negotiate fair terms in your custody agreement to maximize the time spent with your kids
- Petition to have your child custody agreement modified if you need to relocate or move away
- File restraining orders against unsafe family members or the child’s other parent, if necessary
- Help you secure outstanding child support payments from the child’s other parent
- Defend you if you’ve been falsely accused of domestic violence
Let us represent you and fight to make sure your voice as a father is heard. Call our law office in Los Angeles to learn more. We offer an initial consultation, so contact us today.