Protecting Your Child Custody Rights
Although you and your spouse may be bringing your marriage to an end, at least one thing will remain: your commitment to your child’s safety and well-being.
As a parent, you want what is best for your children. This means ensuring that they have the emotional and financial support needed to adjust to a different life than what they’ve known. At the same time, you don’t want this to come at the expense of your own rights as a parent. How do you balance doing what’s best for your kids and making sure you are treated fairly during the divorce process?
Turn to Browning Browning & Gilkinson. Our Atlanta area firm focuses on divorce and family law disputes, and our attorneys know that when it comes to families dealing with divorce, children are always a parent’s highest priority. Whether you and your spouse can approach child custody issues on amicable terms or you need an assertive advocate to argue for what’s fair for you in divorce proceedings, our firm is ready to help.
Child Custody In Georgia: No Magic Formula
The guiding principle that courts use when determining issues of child custody is simple in theory, but can result in complex disputes and settlements: What is in the best interests of the child?
In answering this question in the context of child custody, courts will look at many factors, including:
- A child’s relationship with each parent
- A child’s medical and emotional health needs
- The need for children to maintain stable home and school environments
- Which parent historically was the primary caregiver
The law recognizes two distinct forms of child custody: Legal custody grants one or both parents decision-making authority over children, while physical custody determines which parent will have primary day-to-day child-rearing responsibilities. Parents who are not granted primary physical custody will often be granted visitation privileges to ensure that they can maintain relationships with their children.
While it is almost always in both parties’ interests to work through disagreements amicably and come to a consensus on a parenting plan, this is not always feasible. Whether you can negotiate a compromise that works for everyone or need more assertive representation to argue for your parental rights in court, our firm is prepared to help do right by you and your children.
Contact Us To Secure A Legal Advocate
For a consultation with a lawyer to discuss your divorce, call our Marietta offices at 770-615-7235. You can also send us an email.