A child custody order will determine which parent will have physical and legal custody of the child. Generally both types of custody will be shared in some way unless one parent is deemed unfit to have custody of the child. Legal custody gives the parent the right to make decisions in the child's life. Joint legal custody requires parents to work together with these decisions, but one parent will have final decision-making rights regarding medical, religious and education decisions. Physical custody dictates which parent the child will live with. Commonly parents receive joint physical custody where they share equal time with the child.
In any custody agreement in the state of Georgia, a parenting plan is required. The plan will recognize that continuity is important in a child's life, it will also take into account future changes as the child matures in order to avoid modifications to the agreement. The plan will also provide provisions regarding where the child will be living throughout the year, how the child will spend holidays, birthdays, etc, and any limitations to the custody of either parent. If you are going through a divorce and need assistance with a child custody issue, contact an Atlanta divorce lawyer from our firm. If parents are granted joint custody there is the option to come up with an agreement regarding time with the child. Some of the common arrangements made include:
- Alternating weeks with each parent
- Alternating months between the parents
- Splitting the year in half and spending 6 months with each parent
- Switching off years
- Spending weekdays with one parent and weekends + holidays with the other parent
The agreement made is flexible depending on the schedules of the parents and the child. Once the final decision is made, it must be followed by both parents. If one parent violates the agreement they may face penalties. In order to make sure your needs and wants are fought for, team up with a skilled Atlanta divorce attorney. Call Stadler Law Group, LLC today to schedule your free initial consultation.
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