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805-477-0505

Offices in Ventura & Westlake Village

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Office Locations:

Westlake Village Office

3075 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

Westlake Village, CA 91362

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Ventura Office

1198 Navigator Drive #20

Ventura, CA 93001

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Phone: 805-477-0505

Fax: 805-676-1481

At the Ventura County Law and Mediation Offices of Barton Pokras we provide personal attention in matters related to divorce, support, & custody. We serve clients in Westlake Villlage, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Moorpark, Oak Park, Simi Valley, Calabasas, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, and Ojai. We represent families and individuals throughout Los Angeles County and Ventura County.

The Law and Mediation Offices of Barton Pokras

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Practice Information

Divorce

High Net Worth Divorces

Mediation & Collaborative Law

Negotiaton Methods

Move Away or Jurisdiction Issues

Parental Rights Protection - Issues Involving Relocation or Jurisdiction

If you are considering moving away and taking your child with you or if you have been threatened by your child’s estranged parent, you may need to contact an attorney to protect your parental rights. In any case, do not act and violate your court order. Talk with an attorney first and properly petition the court for a modification. At the Law and Mediation Offices of Barton Pokras, Attorney Pokras has over 20 year of legal experience and can inform you of your legal rights and options.

Removal and Custody: the Court's View

The court will consider a number of questions before issuing a modification of custody decision or a move-away order. Examples include:

Job relocation or financial reasons
Travel distance and time of the relocation
Is a move going to be detrimental or beneficial to the child
If the parents have joint or shared physical custody
How much time has the child been spending with each parent

The most important concern in any child custody situation is protecting the relationship of the child with each parent. This is particularly challenging for non-custodial parents, and Ventura County family courts work hard to ensure that parental rights are protected. However, there are times when the well-being and the needs of the custodial parent come into conflict with the needs of the non-custodial parent. For example, in situations in which the custodial parent wishes to move out of state or to a distant community.

For a Parent Wishing to Relocate with Their Child

Be proactive and get legal advice. Planning before you move can save you and immense amount of trouble and help avoid legal proceedings. If you move and violate any custody and visitation orders, legal repercussions can occur.

Facing Reduced Contact with your Child?

If you are a non-custodial parent facing the loss of contact with your child because the other parent is threatening child relocation or has relocated with your child, our office can help you understand your rights. If the custodial parent is requesting relocation via the courts, we can petition the court to deny permission to move.

When Parents Live in Different States - Child Custody Jurisdiction

Every US state has enacted a uniform set of laws dealing with the issues of interstate child custody jurisdictional disputes. Sometimes only one of the states can lawfully exercise jurisdiction, and sometimes more than one state has jurisdiction. In situations where more than one state has jurisdiction, there is a procedure for determining which of these states will hear the case. Our office has successfully litigated these issues, and we can help you.

Contact a Family Law Attorney Experienced in Child Custody Disputes

From our law offices in Westlake Village and Ventura, we exclusively practice Family Law. Barton Pokras has helped parents protect their relationships with their children, and can answer any of your questions before attempting any legal procedures regarding custody, visitation, and modification of orders. To schedule a confidential consultation call 805-477-0505 or email us.