How does a father get a fair shake when the mother won't allow him his legal visitation rights?:
Do you want contact with your children? Then you need to step up and fight for them. California is pretty fair when it comes to dads. Your children have legal rights to have contact with you. Unless you are found unfit for some reason.  Do you have a court order? You need to find an attorney within the jurisdiction from the lastest court order. Good luck and you really need fight for this. Your kids need to have contact with their father, it may scar them for life you don't want them to think you abandoned them do you?