An unmarried father would need to first establish his paternity (either by a signed voluntary declaration, or by filing a paternity action) before he can gain rights of access and responsibilities to his child or children. (This is true in California.) All in all, child custody is a messy (and expensive) issue if the parties involved are not even married. When you feel that you basically know the details and the process of a child custody case, then now is the time for the much awaited instance filing for the child custody case. Basically, filing for child custody requires filling out so many forms that the local family court can provide you. Once you get hold of these forms, you can ask the court personnel to assist you in filing them. To prevent conflict from affecting your child, you and the other parent should have a cordial and workable relationship. Legal Custody This custody option gives you the right and responsibility to decide about the upbringing of your child. Legal custody means you can decide for your child in terms of healthcare, schooling, and religious upbringing. If you are caught in the middle of a custody conflict, it is important that you focus on making decisions based on the best interest of your children. This will definitely affect your children s lives and your relationship with them in the future. There is no standard definition when it comes to a child s best interests. In order for them to motivate themselves regularly after what happened, they should start small since this is one of the easiest ways to start coping. Also, they would be able to forgive themselves over things that are beyond their control. You should also stay in good company to maintain your continuous recovery after losing a child custody case. Physical custody means the child would spend time living with that parent on a regular basis. If it is a joint physical custody , the child shuttles between each parent s homes. If a parent has sole legal custody , that parent has the right to make decisions on the child s health, education, and overall welfare (doctor, schools, etc).