Legal Representation for Child Support & Custody Disputes
Child Custody & Visitation Mediation
Best Interests Of Your Child(ren)
Mark J. McGowan, Esq.
Mark McGowan is here to help your business ventures not only succeed but flourish, even in the face of adversity. He is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University (1981) and of Stanford Law School (1984). He is devoutly dedicated to providing each selected client with personal, caring counsel, attentive accessibility, diligent performance and quality service.
★★★★★
Top 5-Star Reviews (Yelp, Google, Facebook)
Client Champion – Platinum (Martindale-Hubbell)
Top-Rated Lawyer (Avvo)
★★★★★
Child Custody, Child Support & Visitation Attorney, Mark J. McGowan
Your children are our first priority. We are dedicated to ensuring that their needs remain at the forefront for your child custody case.
California law allows for a broad range of custody arrangements, visitation arrangements, and child support arrangements that are as individual and varied as families themselves. As long as parents agree with the arrangements and children are thriving, the courts need not be involved in the custody and child support arrangements.
However, when parents cannot agree or when previously agreed upon arrangement are contested, families have options:
- Child custody mediation
- Court mandated child custody, visitation and support
Mediation to Reach a Child Custody and Support Arrangement
Reaching an agreement on child custody and visitation and through mediation is a preferred method for the well-being of the entire family. In mediation, a third party mediator works with the parents to come to an agreement. At the Law Offices of Mark J. McGowan, our top priority is, like yours, the best interest of the child. Our mediation services are designed to systematically come to agreements on points of disagreement until reaching a child custody arrangment that is ideal for your family.
Court Mandated Child Custody, Visitation and Child Support
If an agreement on child custody or child support cannot be reached through mediation or if parents do not want to attempt mediation, the courts then need to step in to make the decision. Parties can represent themselves in a court. However, because of the importance of the matter and the legalities surrounding child support, visitation and custody, it is wise to retain legal counsel.
Factors that the court may consider when making a decision in a child custody case include:
- Past and current conflict between the parents
- The preference of a child who is of sufficient age and capacity
- An arrangement that keeps siblings together
- The capacity for love and stability within the home
- The physical and mental condition of the parents
Race, religious beliefs, social beliefs, sexual orientation and behavior, and wealth of parents cannot be used as deciding factors in a child custody case.
At The Law Offices of Mark J. McGowan, we understand how complex and sensitive child custody cases can be. We treat every person that walks through our doors with the compassion, care and respect they deserve. You and your family are important to us, and we are committed to applying all of our resources, knowledge, and experience to reach a resolution that is in the best interest of your family.
Contact Us Today for a Free Consultation
at 760-340-3332
I am truly honored and tremendously lucky that I found Mr. McGowan to represent me through an extremely messy custody battle. I finally get to see my son after 2 years, and the justice that was served has changed my life. Although it is still on-going, I couldn’t ask for more of an experienced, well-educated, thoughtful, and classy attorney by my side. 5 stars for my superb attorney!
I had the pleasure of having Mark as a family law attorney for a number of years. I lived in Illinois and had used him for 3 separate custody battles. All of which I won. Keeping the children in Illinois. The funny thing is that I had him as an attorney for 8 years and had never physically met him until the third battle started.
He always advocated on my children’s part and even went so far as to ask if I wanted to stay in his guest house during my visit. This was a man that laid his whole self out for his client. Myself and my kids. It was a couple years since I had talked to him and I was missing his assistant when I called. He had an amazing southern bell of a lady working as his right hand. When I spoke to him I found out she had actually passed. Mark and his team mate were like an acquired family and I was truly saddened by that.
He is a great attorney, a strong advocate for rights, and a truly great guy. Over the years as I progressed in my own career he would even give me praise and say that is amazing. If you want a person to take your family’s wellness to heart and fight for the good. He is your man.
Thank you Mark. Wholeheartedly.
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Inquire by Email
Call now for your free consultation by reaching us at 760-340-3332, or inquire by email with a brief summary of your situation, issue or question.
Visit Our Palm Desert Office
72-630 Fred Waring, Suite 201
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760-340-3332
Located on west side of Fred Waring between Monterey and Hwy 111. Look for our signs on any side of the building, and take the elevator to the second floor. We look forward to meeting you.
Proudly serving the Coachella Valley communities
Palm Desert, Rancho Mirage, Indian Wells, La Quinta, Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Bermuda Dunes, Desert Hot Springs, Thousand Palms, Coachella, Thermal, and beyond since 1987. El abogado habla español.