Having a boyfriend, or girlfriend as the case may be.. in itself is not going to affect anything in California.
That would be a lot easier to swallow if you would say "not
necessarily going to affect anything", as I conceded it's not necessarily going to be a deal-breaker.
I can't think of a single reason why it would be best for the children if Mom or Dad started knocking boots with some new flame before the divorce is even final. I can think of several reasons why it would be best for the children to refrain from doing so, although they are mostly morally subjective reasons.
I believe the laws of the State of California also state that the mother shall be given no preference simply due to her status as the mother and that the relationship of each parent to the child are to be considered equal. All things being equal, the judge has to have
some basis for a ruling. With the bests interests of the children to consider, do you really think no judge is going to raise an eyebrow to the parent who is adding a new boyfriend or girlfriend onto the pile of emotional turmoil that these kids have to deal with?
Even with the reputation California judges have for liberal open-mindedness, to state so definitively that having a boyfriend or girlfriend
is not going to affect anything seems incredibly naïve.