1390 Market St., Suite 818
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone: (415) 863-5300
Fax: (415) 863-8596
Child Custody Lawyer
Certified Family Law Specialist & Expert Mediator
Someone once described raising a child as putting your “heart in an eggshell and watching it walk away.”
“My wife left me and took our 3 children. She refused to talk with me or even let me see them. When I came to you I was very angry and wanted to 'get even.'
You were able to help me focus on the needs of our children and come up with plan ask the court for joint custody, and recognize the need to encourage a relationship between the children and their mother.
As a result of your work, we have taken parenting classes, the children are doing well and we are both able to spend quality time with our children. I appreciate your willingness to support me, while encouraging me to find a reasonable solution to our situation.”
—A.K., San Rafael
When a family separates, often the most stressful, that eggshell cracks in ways physical and real. Often, the most contested issue of a familial separation is determining where the children will live and who has decision-making powers over their activities.
Child custody and support are often the most disputed areas in divorce negotiations as they affect both emotions and money. Often a parent will come and tell us that they don’t want the other parent to have anything to do with the children. But California’s official policy is to assure that children have frequent and continuing contact with both parents and to encourage parents to share the rights and responsibilities of their children. The primary exception to policy is when it is not in the best interests of the children to do so.
Sena Family Law will work closely with you to try and negotiate a parenting plan that meets with your needs, that of your spouse, and most importantly, with the needs of your children. Custody orders may last until the child is 18 or graduates from high school, but your relationship with your children will last long beyond that.
Most child custody situations can, with some assistance, be settled amicably which is in the best interest of the children. But if the parents cannot come to agreement or the children are in danger, we will be aggressive advocates on your behalf.
If needed, we will help you obtain a restraining order if you or the children are in danger. When confronted with high-conflict situations, or instances where it is not in the children’s best interest to spend large amounts of time with one or the other parent, we can and will provide you with the support you need to resolve the situation in a manner that is best for you and your children.