Carlsbad Family Law Attorneys
Parenting Plans Compassionate in Our Approach, Decisive in Our Strategy

Parenting Plans in San Diego County

Helping You Create a Co-Parenting Plan that Works

Shared parenting time can result in a lot of internal confusion and conflict if an official plan is not established and approved by the court. A court-ordered parenting plan can alleviate this by officially documenting:

  • Time-share schedule – Dictates when the children will be physically present with each parent.
  • Decision-making powers – Dictates how parents will make decisions concerning the health, welfare, and education of the children.

Also called a “custody and visitation agreement,” the parenting plan lays out exactly how time and decision-making abilities will be shared between both parents. In essence, it acts as a roadmap for what you and your children can expect when splitting time between two parents and two households.

There is a lot to consider when creating a parenting plan, which is why our Carlsbad parenting plan attorneys at Griffith, Young & Lass are here to help.

Call us at (858) 371-5569 or contact us online to schedule a consultation to discuss your options.

Meet Our Team 

Honest. Fearless. Bold.
  • John N. Griffith, Esq., CFLS
  • Catie E. Young, Esq., CFLS
  • Amy J. Lass, Esq., CFLS
  • Shirin Asgari, Esq., CFLS
  • Noelle J. Slattery, Esq.
  • Eric Cowdery, Esq.
  • Joshua Yee, Esq.
  • Shaudi Malekzadeh, Esq.
  • Lea Trojanowski, Esq.
  • Greyson Sharp, Esq.
  • Brittany Van Ryder, Esq.
  • Karissa Piralla, Esq.
  • John N. Griffith, Esq., CFLS John N. Griffith, Esq., CFLS

    Partner

    John Griffith has practiced exclusively in the area of family law since 2009. John is a Certified Family Law Specialist certified as an expert in the area of family law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Prior to opening Griffith, Young & Lass, he worked as the managing partner of one of the largest family law firms in North County San Diego.
    John N. Griffith, Esq., CFLS Photo
  • Catie E. Young, Esq., CFLS Catie E. Young, Esq., CFLS

    Partner

    Catie E. Young excels in child custody cases and move-away trials. She has a unique approach to child custody cases and clients of Griffith, Young & Lass tend to gravitate toward her in these cases. Since joining the firm, she has continuously brought her zeal and compassion to representing clients in child custody and domestic violence cases, and in December 2011, she became a partner at Griffith, Young & Lass.
    Catie E. Young, Esq., CFLS Photo
  • Amy J. Lass, Esq., CFLS Amy J. Lass, Esq., CFLS

    Partner

    Amy Lass, a certified family law specialist, was born in New York and raised in San Diego, California. Amy graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo in 2003 with a B.S. in Economics with a concentration in Enterprise Accounting. Amy went on to earn her law degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law and graduated cum laude in 2006.
    Amy J. Lass, Esq., CFLS Photo
  • Shirin Asgari, Esq., CFLS Shirin Asgari, Esq., CFLS

    Associate

    Attorney Shirin Asgari has a broad spectrum of legal experience and has handled matters in family law, criminal law, business law, and national security law. Currently, she focuses on family law matters and is a strong advocate for the rights of her clients. She dedicates time and attention to the needs of each client and the unique circumstances their case presents.
    Shirin  Asgari, Esq., CFLS Photo
  • Noelle J. Slattery, Esq. Noelle J. Slattery, Esq.

    Associate

    Noelle J. Slattery, Esq. has a bachelor’s degree in Performing Arts/Acting from Emerson College in Boston and a Juris Doctor ...
    Noelle J. Slattery, Esq. Photo
  • Eric Cowdery, Esq. Eric Cowdery, Esq.

    Associate

    Eric Cowdery earned his bachelor’s and Master’s degrees before earning his JD from Golden Gate University as part of the Honors Lawyering Program. He was admitted to the California Bar Association in 2013 and has been working diligently in the field ever since. Taking a personalized approach to each case, Eric Cowdery is committed to working with clients to help them through the often confusing and complex legal process of divorce.

    Eric  Cowdery, Esq. Photo
  • Joshua Yee, Esq. Joshua Yee, Esq.

    Associate

    Attorney Joshua Yeereceived his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, from the University of California, San Diego. Joshua went on to receive his Juris Doctor degree from University of San Francisco. His experience working with a local Certified Family Law Specialist solidified his desire to become a family law attorney. Since becoming an attorney, Josh has exclusively practiced in family law.
    Joshua  Yee, Esq. Photo
  • Shaudi Malekzadeh, Esq. Shaudi Malekzadeh, Esq.

    Associate

    Shaudi Malekzadeh is a Carlsbad family law attorney at Griffith, Young & Lass, advocating for the rights and interests of Southern California families in a variety of family law cases, such as child custody, alimony, spousal support, and the division of community property. She is committed to delivering effective legal representation to our clients, aggressively advocating for their legal rights, and offering compassionate legal advice.
    Shaudi  Malekzadeh, Esq. Photo
  • Lea Trojanowski, Esq. Lea Trojanowski, Esq.

    Associate

    Lea Trojanowski is an attorney with Griffith, Young, and Lass, joining the firm in March 2021. Her pragmatic and level-headed approach to family law has allowed her to be successful in even the most emotional family law cases. Lea has effectively represented clients in a wide range of family law proceedings, but is particularly drawn to domestic violence restraining order cases.
    Lea  Trojanowski, Esq. Photo
  • Greyson Sharp, Esq. Greyson Sharp, Esq.

    Associate

    Greyson Sharp received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from California State University, Fresno. After ...
    Greyson  Sharp, Esq. Photo
  • Brittany Van Ryder, Esq. Brittany Van Ryder, Esq.

    Associate

    Brittany Van Ryder joined Griffith, Young, and Lass as a Bar Clerk in September 2022. She became an Associate Attorney at the ...
  • Karissa Piralla, Esq. Karissa Piralla, Esq.

    Associate

    A San Diego native, Karissa earned a Bachelor's Degree in Communication from UCSD and a Juris Doctorate from the University ...

What Should the Parenting Plan Include?

While every parenting plan will be different and reflect the unique needs of the parents and children involved, there are some essential items you’ll want to make sure to cover.

Physical custody items to cover in your parenting plan to ensure your child’s schedule accounts for all of their time, activities, and obligations no matter which parent’s house they’re staying at:

  • daily and weekly activities such as sports practices that affect your children’s schedules;
  • where they will spend holidays, summer/winter vacations, and other special days;
  • after-school obligations like tutors, music lessons, etc. that they’ll need to attend;
  • weekend activities like birthdays, soccer games, etc. that could impact their schedule; and
  • trade-off times and locations when switching parents and homes for the week or weekend.

Legal custody items to cover in your parenting plan to ensure your child’s overall health and wellbeing are accounted for, and that both parents are united on these important fronts:

  • where and how your children will attend school;
  • what their religious practices will be;
  • what your medical, dental, and emergency care plan is for the children;
  • what daycare will look like for younger children; and
  • what jobs and driving will look like for older children.

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50/50 Child Custody Parenting Plans

A true 50/50 custody schedule gives both parents the same amount of time with their children. This can be accomplished using one of several different schedules, the most popular being the following:

  • one week on, one week off. The parents trade off between having their kids for a whole week at a time, rotating every other week.
  • 2-2-3: Each parent has two weekdays and they alternate three-day weekends. The parents swap each week, either having the kids on Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday.
  • 5-2-2-5: Each parent has set weekdays of either Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday and alternate three-day weekends beginning each Friday.

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Primary Household with Visitation

Any time a 50/50 child custody plan is not ordered, one parent will be known as the “primary custodial parent” and the other will have “the right to visitation.” The older the child, the more likely it will be that a 50/50 plan will make sense to the court. Generally, but not always, courts will find that younger children require a “home base,” whether or not both parents are equally capable of parenting the child and providing a loving and stable environment.

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Joint Custody Schedules

The parent who has the child(ren) for more than half of the time is considered the “primary custodial parent” and their home is considered the “primary household.” It is possible for a judge to issue joint legal custody (decision-making power) to both parents but not joint physical custody. In such cases, both parents will share equal responsibility for making important decisions regarding the wellbeing of their children, but only one parent will maintain primary physical care of the children.

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Graduated “Step Up” Visitation Plan

In a graduated or “step up” parenting plan, the noncustodial parent is allowed more and more time with the children on an incremental basis. This is generally contingent upon prerequisites being accomplished prior to each step. The prerequisite to stepped up visitation could be the child reaching a certain age, the parent exercising a certain number of visits, the parent obtaining a larger living space etc.

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Supervised Visitation

In some cases, due to either an adverse relationship with a child or issues with substance abuse, emotional abuse, or domestic violence, one or both parents can only visit with their children under the supervision of another adult. In these types of cases, special schedules must be established, and they must work for all parties involved; this includes both parents, the children, and the supervisor.

Parents with supervised visitation rights generally see their children for between 4 and 8 hours per week. All of the child’s remaining time is spent with the custodial parent. The goal is always to get the supervised parent into a place that he or she can be relieved from the requirement of supervision if at all possible.

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Making Your Parenting Plan Work

At GYL, we are committed to helping you create a parenting plan that works for you and your kids. As parents ourselves, we know just how important it is to foster a sense of normalcy for your children at this time, and we are here to help you do exactly that. The parenting schedules that we create for our clients are designed with your children’s best interests at heart and will account for every activity, holiday, weekly obligation, and personal preferences and beliefs possible.

To start the process of creating your unique parenting plan, give our team a call at (858) 371-5569 or contact us online. Someone from our office will be in touch shortly.

Our Results Speak for Themselves

Over 100 5-Star Reviews Throughout Our Social Media Platforms
  • The way John presented our case was pure genius with meticulous preparation and deliberate action in court.

    “We were referred to John Griffith at GYL by our former attorney. I specifically was looking for an aggressive attorney that would yield results. John, Josh, and the firm performed flawlessly, and did ...”

    - MoMo M.
  • I would highly recommend Griffith, Young & Lass to anyone looking for ethical, honest, hard-working and skillful lawyers.

    “I would highly recommend Griffith, Young & Lass to anyone looking for ethical, honest, hard-working and skillful lawyers (I would stress these are actually rare qualities within the legal industry and ...”

    - Scott G.
  • You cannot find a better law firm.

    “I cannot say enough good things about John Griffith and this law firm. Each person i interacted with was responsive, intelligent, thoughtful and professional. Attorney Griffith worked very hard to ...”

    - Michelle P.
  • It was the best decision I’ve made yet and hopefully, it will be yours too.

    “She doesn’t back down from anyone. It was the best decision I’ve made yet and hopefully, it will be yours too.”

    - Ian R.
  • Understanding, accessible, and I was very happy with the outcome of my case. If I could give a higher rating I would!

    “Easy to work with, forthcoming about the process, set realistic expectations, and always kept cost in mind.”

    - Jennifer P.
  • All three lawyers worked together on the issues surrounding my case, which helped greatly when I was in need of answers or support.

    “The GYL team is always prompt at returning calls & emails. From personal experience, I can tell you that they will not step away from your case until it's finished.”

    - Kelsey L.
  • I couldn’t have made it without them! I highly recommend them!

    “GYL has been an extraordinary support and backing in my divorce. Being a male in the military, the process for divorce and custody is difficult. GYL was extremely helpful, and I was able to full custody of my children. That alone is such a monumental feat.”

    - Frankie S.
  • Worth every penny! My custody case went as stress-free as it could possibly be.

    “I hate seeing anyone go through custody battles but if you’re in that situation and need someone who is trustworthy and great at what they do, then I swear this is the place to get the help!”

    - Emily B.
  • I highly recommend GYL if you are ever in need of a family law attorney.

    “No matter who I corresponded with they were always knowledgeable of my case and quick to respond.”

    - Kimberley F.
  • Highly professional and supportive in a very uncertain time in my life.

    “My clearance was granted without any additional issues. I'd recommend this legal team to any Soldier needing help with their clearance.”

    - K. Brooks
  • Always willing to listen to your concerns. I would highly recommend.

    “Compassionate and kind, however, he will fight for you and your best interests. He is calm and calculated and extremely smart.”

    - Ann M.
  • Extremely helpful, responsive, and reasonable and got the job done amidst tenuous circumstances.

    “She and her team were extremely compassionate, sensitive with me while concurrently advocating strongly on my behalf.”

    - Jeremy R.
  • I felt like she was practical and knowledgeable and most importantly, she listened.

    “The professional and succinct assistance was a much-needed breath of fresh air in the maze of hurdles and complications with our family law case.”

    - David R.
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Why GYL? 

Turn to a Team that Does It Best
  • We're Leaders in Our Field

    From case planning to preparation, to superior courtroom presence, our clients can be sure that they will walk into the Courtroom prepared and with the best chance of success.

  • Client Centered & Results Oriented

    Our representation is tailored to the unique circumstances of each client. We deploy the GYL strategic case trajectory dynamic to ensure the best chance at success at the most reasonable cost. 

  • Brilliant, Hard-Working & Honest

    We don't believe in wasting our client's time and money. Helping people is what drives us to excel at our craft. We first identify the goals and interests of each client, we then develop an efficient and effective case plan aimed at achieving those goals.

  • Responsible & Ethical Practices

    We believe in a responsible and ethical practice and stick to our values regardless of the situation. We're transparent and don't just tell our clients what they want to hear, unless it's what we believe, even if it may deter them from moving forward. We stand by our team's expertise and will always be upfront and honest with our clients. 

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