Child Custody

Following a divorce or separation, child custody or conservatorship must be determined. It can be shared between parents or assigned to just one and may involve conditions about how much time a child spends with each parent and how decisions affecting the child’s future ought to be made. In Georgia, child custody laws and arrangements take into account the wishes and capabilities of both parents and also the child. The exact outcomes depend upon these factors and much more.

A competent and experienced family law attorney is needed to advise on each situation and to negotiate or argue as is appropriate in each unique case. With decades of experience, the family lawyers at The Austin Law Group, PC have advised and represented countless parents in all kinds of custody battles. Our family law attorneys will help you to exercise your parental rights and fight for the custody of your children.

The easiest way to settle child custody in Georgia is for both parents to file a parenting plan proposing a custody arrangement that they both agree to in full. These details are often complex and difficult to negotiate, so the process will involve attorneys assisting both parties in either informal negotiations or in alternative dispute resolution processes such as mediation or arbitration. Once finalized and filed, the parenting agreement will be approved during an informal court hearing and become legally binding. Alternatively, when the parents cannot reach an agreement, the court will decide on a custody arrangement for them.

This process is inherently more unpredictable and also more expensive. All factors will be taken into account including what is in the best interest of the child physically and emotionally, the relationship between the parents, their previous contributions to the child’s upbringing, the distance between their homes, and also the child’s wishes.

Each divorce and separation are different, and every parent has their own set of priorities for every decision laid out in the child custody agreement. Every situation needs to be approached carefully and sensitively to achieve the best possible terms in the present while preserving a working relationship with the other side if they are to be involved in the child’s future. If you are facing a child custody battle, you must obtain a family law attorney who understands these nuances and can adopt your own goals and preferred approaches. Your attorney must also be experienced enough to explain the likely and possible outcomes should you go to court.