Newnan Fathers’ Rights Lawyer

Georgia firm represents men in proceedings relating to parenting arrangements

Marriages and other romantic relationships often end, but a father’s bond with his son or daughter should never be broken. At the Law Office of S. Mark Mitchell, LLC in Newnan, Georgia, I work to help fathers remain a positive force in the lives of their sons and daughters. Whether you need to establish legal paternity or are involved in a dispute over custody, I’ll make every legal effort to achieve a result that lets you spend ample time with your children and to participate in decisions that affect their well-being. 

Attorney advocates for terms that preserve paternal relationships

Outdated attitudes about parenting roles should not affect custody decisions if a couple with minor children decide to divorce or were never married in the first place. My firm advocates for custody and visitation terms that ensure fathers can have a meaningful relationship with their sons and daughters. Georgia law requires that parenting arrangements reflect what is in a child’s best interests. Depending on the particular circumstances, that might mean primary residence in the father’s home or a joint physical custody arrangement. I work to see that child support orders are properly based on each parent’s income and other relevant factors so that fathers are not forced to meet an unfairly high share of their child’s financial needs. 

Establishing legal paternity 

You cannot obtain custody or visitation rights in court until you have been legally recognized as the child’s father. Though a man might be the unquestioned biological father of a child, legal paternity is not automatically established unless he is married to the child’s mother. Unmarried parents can execute a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Paternity at the hospital once the infant has been born or can do so later in a county’s Vital Records Office. Should a dispute exist over who fathered the child, the matter will likely be resolved through a court order based on the results of genetic testing. It’s important to remember that even if you are determined to be the biological father of your son or daughter, that does not automatically give you custody or visitation rights. 

Custody and visitation rights

Once you’ve established legal paternity, you can petition the court for a parenting time order that gives you the opportunity to have frequent, meaningful contact with your child. One aspect of custody is how decisions regarding a youth’s upbringing will be made. This is referred to as legal custody and it is often awarded jointly so that both parents can have a say in matters relating to their child’s medical treatment, education, religious observance and other important matters. 

As a father, you might face a challenge obtaining physical custody, especially if your son or daughter’s mother has been their primary caregiver. However, there are instance where joint physical custody is the best option. If your ex receives sole physical custody, I will work diligently for a visitation schedule that gives you ample time with your child and specifies detailed terms concerning holidays, school breaks, vacations and transportation between homes. A ruling on custody and visitation must be based on what the judge believes to be in the child’s best interests. Any relevant information can be considered, but factors that frequently carry significant weight are the emotional ties between the child and each parent, the ability of each parent to meet the child’s daily needs and the home environment of each parent. 

Contact an experienced Georgia fathers’ rights lawyer for a consultation

The Law Office of S. Mark Mitchell, LLC in Newnan advises Georgia clients on fathers’ rights issues and other family law matters. To schedule a meeting regarding your specific legal needs, please call 470-344-8550 or contact me online.