RADFORD & ROME, LLP · LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles Child Custody Attorneys

Your child’s needs and your relationship with your child deserve careful preparation. Radford & Rome, LLP helps Los Angeles parents seek workable custody orders and respond to contested parenting disputes.

Former prosecutors. Prepared advocates for your family.

Child Custody Representation in Los Angeles

Why Choose Radford & Rome?

A persuasive custody case connects the requested order to the child’s daily life. We help turn your concerns into a focused proposal supported by relevant records and a realistic schedule. We also prepare clients for the Family Court Services process assigned to their case.

Partners David Rome and Willie Radford bring their experience as former prosecutors to evaluating evidence, preparing witnesses, and presenting contested issues. We provide direct advice about the issues your case presents and prepare for the steps needed to pursue your objectives.

Our office is at 1800 Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90028. We serve clients in Los Angeles and across Southern California. Tell us about any upcoming hearing or response deadline when you contact the firm.

Legal custody and physical custody are different

Legal custody concerns important decisions, including education and health care. Physical custody concerns where a child lives. Either can be joint or sole. A parenting-time schedule describes when the child will be with each parent. These terms should be translated into practical arrangements rather than left as labels in an agreement. See the California Courts custody guide.

What does the judge consider?

The central question is the child’s best interest. Under Family Code section 3011, relevant considerations include health, safety, welfare, a history of abuse, the nature and amount of contact with each parent, and specified substance-abuse concerns. The statute also bars considering a parent’s sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation in determining best interests.

There is no universal schedule that fits every family. A request for equal time should explain how transportation, school attendance, work schedules, and the child’s needs will be handled. A request for restrictions should identify specific safety concerns and the evidence supporting them.

What should a parenting plan address?

A useful proposal covers the regular weekly schedule, holidays, school breaks, exchange locations, transportation, and communication. It should also address how parents will share school and medical information and handle decisions covered by legal custody. For a Los Angeles family, realistic travel time between homes and school can make a substantial difference in whether the plan is workable.

Prepare a calendar showing the current arrangement and your proposed changes. Preserve complete relevant communications and organize school or medical records you lawfully possess. Focus on specific events and their effect on your child. Avoid involving your child in adult disputes or coaching the child about what to say.

Los Angeles Family Court Services: read your appointment notice

Los Angeles Superior Court’s Family Court Services intake instructions distinguish confidential mediation from Child Custody Recommending Counseling, or CCRC. Depending on the case, parents may participate in one or both. CCRC communications and the report are not confidential between the specialist, court, parties, and attorneys, although they remain confidential from the public. Confirm which appointment you have and follow the court’s current instructions. See Los Angeles Superior Court Family Court Services.

Domestic violence can change the custody analysis

A qualifying finding of domestic violence within the previous five years triggers a rebuttable presumption against awarding the perpetrator sole or joint legal or physical custody. Overcoming that presumption requires the statutory analysis and findings; it is not enough simply to invoke a general preference for contact with both parents. See Family Code section 3044.

If there are restraining orders, criminal protective orders, or pending allegations, give your attorney complete copies. The requested parenting arrangement needs to account for existing restrictions, safe exchanges, and any overlapping proceedings.

How do you request or change an order?

The filing route depends on whether there is an existing divorce, parentage, or other appropriate family case. A Request for Order, form FL-300, is commonly used within an existing case to seek custody or parenting-time orders. Modifying an existing order requires analysis of the order and the applicable legal standard, not simply a preference for a different schedule. See the California Courts custody filing guide.

Prepare before the hearing

Bring the complete current order, hearing notice, relevant declarations, a proposed schedule, and a concise chronology to your consultation. Explain exactly what you want the court to order. A focused presentation helps distinguish practical disagreements from issues that require evidence and judicial findings.

Related family law services: domestic violence restraining orders; child support.

Radford & Rome, LLP is based in Los Angeles and represents clients in family law matters across Southern California. Learn about our family law representation or request a consultation. Call (213) 550-3477 to discuss your case.

This page provides general information about California law and is not legal advice for a particular case. Reading it or contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship.