Category Archives: Family Law
A Guide to Parenting Plans in Georgia Child Custody Cases
In Georgia, whenever child custody becomes an issue, a parenting plan is a legal necessity. This document, also referred to as a custody agreement, acts as a roadmap for how parents will continue to cooperate in raising their children despite living in separate households. Parenting plans are unique to each family’s situation, but these key […]
Crafting a Workable Joint Custody Schedule in Georgia
Georgia family courts more and more are approving joint physical custody arrangements for divorcing couples. Joint custody usually means a 50/50 arrangement, in which child spends equal time in each parent’s home. While there are multiple factors considered in a custody decision, a court will generally go along with a 50/50 schedule if it is […]
Proving a Contested Paternity Case in Georgia
In Georgia, as elsewhere in the country, the paternity of a child can affect multiple legal rights and benefits, among them child support payments and health insurance coverage. It can also be important to determining the child’s medical needs based on the father’s genetic and health history. Paternity further establishes a child’s right to inherit […]
Can Grandparents Obtain Visitation Rights in Georgia?
In a divorce or other court case where child custody is at issue, an unfortunate result can be an upset in a child’s family life. This may include interruption of a beneficial relationship, such as one with a grandparent. Georgia law recognizes the right of grandparents to seek visitation with their grandchildren, but the exercise […]
What To Know About Adopting a Relative in Georgia?
When parents are not able to care for a child due to any number of circumstances, Georgia law permits a relative to adopt the child and assume full rights and responsibilities for their care. A child may be adopted by any living adult who is related to them by blood or by marriage. This may […]
Common Visitation Violations and What to Do About Them
Child custody after a divorce can be a source of perpetual friction between ex-spouses. Some of the most troublesome problems concern visitation, also known in Georgia as parenting time. This generally occurs when the custodial parent intrudes upon the other parent’s rights as set forth in the custody order. When this occurs, the noncustodial parent […]
Relocation as a Ground for Modifying Child Custody
People relocate for a variety of reasons, such as to pursue economic opportunities, to be closer to loved ones or to seek a better climate or quality of life. However, relocations can complicate child custody and visitation arrangements that were established in a divorce or separation. Still, when there are compelling reasons for the move, […]
Tax Considerations for Child Support Payers and Recipients
In the course of getting divorced, spouses with children may wonder how child support payments will impact their taxes. Prior to the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA), child support was taxable to the recipient parent and deductible by the paying parent. Further, child support orders and agreements often specified which parent […]
