When separating with one’s significant other or going through a divorce, figuring out the best situation for the children can be a bit daunting. It is not always easy for parents to remain objective during such a trying time. At the end of the day, according to Georgia child custody laws, the final custody arrangement has to be one that is deemed to best serve the affected child or children’s interests.
There are those parents who are able to come to child custody terms without going to court. Others, though, find that they need court intervention to figure everything out. Those who find themselves facing a court hearing over child custody can help themselves by learning a little bit about the process.
Before going to court, each party can help him or herself by having a parenting time outline prepared. These plans should be pretty specific in regard to who gets the children when, how transportation will work and details about allowed forms of contact. During court proceedings, each party will have the opportunity to address the judge and share his or her ideas about the custody arrangement. When all is said and done, the judge will get the final say in how the custody terms will be laid out. These may be modified down the line for one of two reasons:
- A child is 14 or older and has decided he or she wants to live with the other parent
- The family experienced a significant change in circumstances
When it comes to child custody, obviously parents want to be able to have a say in the matter. No one wants to leave such an important decision completely up to a judge. Parents in Georgia who find themselves needing assistance in creating a custody agreement that truly serves their family’s needs can turn to an experienced attorney who will be able to help them fight for what they feel puts their children in the best situation going forward.
Source: georgia.gov, “Child Custody”, Accessed on April 4, 2018