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GOING WITH REGINA WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE

You’re going through a painful divorce. First, you have to handle the emotional trauma of leaving your spouse. Next, you have to worry about who will get the children. That uncertainty about who will get child custody is keeping you up at night.

Your Atlanta child custody lawyer will give you the support and guidance you need in a tough child custody battle. They understand the pain and uncertainty you’re experiencing. They’ll fight hard in family court for your child custody rights.

How Georgia Child Custody Works

Georgia state law includes two types of child custody:

  • Physical custody refers to the parent whose home the child usually resides. For instance, if your son lives with you most of the time, you have physical custody.
  • Legal custody concerns the rights of both parents to decide about a child’s schooling, healthcare, and religion.

If you get joint custody, the child lives with both parties on a rotating basis. For instance, you can get a custody agreement in which the child spends 70% of the time with you and 30% with your ex-partner. The parent who has the child 70% of the time has primary custody.

Why You Need an Atlanta, GA Child Custody Lawyer

Most child custody matters are settled without going to court. However, if the parents cannot reach a custody agreement, it must be decided in a family law court. Having an experienced Atlanta child custody lawyer fighting for your rights is essential to obtaining the best result.

A parenting plan will outline the child custody arrangement. First, your attorney will advocate for your rights, so you can see your children and be as involved as possible in their lives.

Typical features of a parenting plan include child custody details, physical and legal custody parameters, and contingency plans.

Child Custody Details

If you and your estranged spouse agree to joint custody, the plan will outline the holidays and weekdays each person may take with the children. There also will be details about where and how the kids will be handed over to the other party.

Physical and Legal Custody Parameters

If you share legal custody, neither party can decide solely on important matters like education, healthcare, or religious upbringing.

Contingency Plans

What happens if the other parent moves to another state? What kind of relationship will the kids have with your ex-spouse’s new partner? What should each parent provide financially?

What Happens if You Don’t Have an Atlanta Child Custody Lawyer

The state’s custody laws require the court to focus on the child’s best interests to render the custody decision.

The judge will look at several factors to decide which custody arrangement is in the child’s best interests:

  • Each parent’s home and the ability to take care of the child
  • Each parent’s mental and physical health
  • Each parent’s emotional ties to the child
  • Financial ability of each parent to provide food, shelter, clothing, and medical care
  • And at least ten other factors

Without an attorney, it’s unlikely you’ll make as strong an argument before the court to get primary child custody. An Atlanta child custody lawyer gives you the best opportunity to prevail.

Contact Us to Speak With an Atlanta Child Custody Lawyer

One of the most upsetting parts of a divorce can be fighting over child custody. Our Atlanta child custody lawyers sympathize with your situation. But there’s hope, and we want to help. We also may help solve the problem amicably in some cases.

Our attorneys will spend a lot of time making a parenting arrangement that gives you as much time with your children as possible. For more information about your Georgia child custody case, contact our team at Edwards Family Law. You can complete our online contact form, and we’ll get in touch with you soon.

CLARITY TODAY

cutting through confusion and providing clarity

Do I need a Family Lawyer?

Each case is different, but we can share what clients typically struggle with when they make their initial calls to us:

  • My Spouse Wants a Divorce
  • My Marriage Has Fallen Apart And Cannot Be Fixed
  • I Am Expecting a Child Out Of Wedlock
  • I Have Fallen Behind on Child Support Due to Unemployment or salary reduction
  • My Circumstances Have Changed Drastically And Think A Change Of Custody Is Warranted
  • My Ex Announced They Want to Move Away and Take Our Child

How much will my Divorce or Child Custody matter cost me?

The financial aspect of family law matters can be terrifying because it has been known as a black hole of billing with retainers and hourly charges for things like emails and texts. Peel back further uncertainty by Estimating Your Legal Fees.

Flat Fees - No Funny Stuff

While other firms might tell you “there is no way to predict the total cost of a divorce,” we can tell you with certainty that those smoke and mirrors will not be a part of your care at Edwards Family Law. We provide value with a high degree of peace of mind through conscientious costs for our care. Learn more about our Flat Fee Family Law Services.

Fearful of being bogged down in legal fees?

Heard the horror stories about being sucked in with low retainers only to be hit with hidden incremental hourly changes?

We Have The Right Solutions For The Next Chapter of Your Life

THE 10 COMMANDMENTS OF EDWARDS FAMILY LAW

At Edwards Family Law, we understand that your life, family, livelihood, and legacy are important to you. They are important to us as well. We are committed to doing everything possible to ensure your identity is respected and that your dignity is preserved throughout the process.

The law prohibits us from guaranteeing the outcome of your case. But, it does not prohibit us from guaranteeing the service you receive. We promise to provide you with the best in customer service and client relations. We have codified our commitment in our Ten Commandments. If we fail to deliver on any of our Ten Commandments at any time during your case, please let us know. We will apologize for our mistake and do what is necessary to fix the problem.

What You Can Expect From Your Experience With Edwards Family Law

  • 1
    Clients are not an interruption of our work. They are the purpose of it.
  • 2
    Clients will not be charged for calls to their attorney.
  • 3
    Each client shall receive aggressive representation combined with incomparable guidance and counsel.
  • 4
    Our clients will receive the most courteous and attentive treatment we can give them.
  • 5
    Each client will have their telephone call returned within one business day.
  • 6
    All of our attorneys shall practice exclusively family law and domestic relations.
  • 7
    Our clients are not just a name on a file. We will present each client with an honest assessment of all options to provide them with the best chance of success.
  • 8
    Our firm will attend all conferences and Continuing Learning Education Seminars related to the practice of Family Law to ensure that we have access to the most current case law that can affect your and your family's lives.
  • 9
    Our firm will employ the latest technology for use in your case, including a secure server where the client's entire paper file is scanned and posted to the server for immediate retrieval by the client.
  • 10
    Clients are people who bring us their wants. It is our job to meet those wants.

Frequently Asked Questions

When can a child decide who gets custody?

Georgia law states that children between the ages of 11 and 14 can say which parent they want to live with most of the time. The judge will consider the child’s wishes in his decision. However, the child’s preference is not binding on the court. At age 14, the child’s choice is binding as long as the choice is in the child’s best interest.

How do the courts decide if the mother or the father gets custody?

Under Georgia law, there is no preference for the mother or father to get child custody. Therefore, the court should act neutrally and render its decision based on the facts and best interests of the child.

How does moving affect my child custody agreement?

Moving to a new city or state will significantly affect your current child custody arrangements. If you relocate or remarry, each parent must notify the court and the other parent of the change of plans.

If one party is relocating, the other party may request a modification of the current parenting plan.

What about temporary custody?

Child custody isn’t always clear-cut. Custody disputes can cause expensive divorces. You’ll probably get temporary custody if you take care of the children. Then the family court will gather all the information to make a final custody decision.

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