How to make Co-Parenting Plans Effective
Breakups and divorce are very difficult. Things become even more complicated when there are children involved. You need to decide who will get custody of the children and figure out visitation, child support, and you will need to learn how to raise the children together, even though you and your ex are no longer together. Fortunately, this can be easily done when you hire a Dallas GA divorce attorney.
What Is a Co-Parenting Plan?
A co-parenting plan is a written document that both parents need to agree upon to and sign. The document outlines how you will work with your ex to raise your children when you are no longer together. Some parents go on a verbal agreement regarding how things will be done; however, this isn’t the best option. When you have a divorce attorney Dallas GA help with a legal co-parenting plan, you and your ex will be legally required to follow the stipulations in the document.
What Do You Need To Take Into Consideration?
When coming up with a co-parenting plan that everyone can agree upon, there are several things that need to be taken into consideration and included in the co-parenting plan. These include;
- The children’s school schedule: Who will drop off the children and pick them up and the time these things need to be done.
- Extracurricular activities: Will the cost associated with the activities be split between both parents, and who is responsible for drop off and pickup and the time these things should be done.
- The parent’s work schedule: This will determine who is available to handle pick up and drop off for school and extracurricular activities. Stipulations can also be included if a parent’s work schedule on a particular day makes it impossible for them to uphold their obligation for pickup or drop off.
- Holidays and vacations: Who will have the children during each major holiday, school vacations and summer vacation.
What If Changes Need To Be Made?
There are a few situations that would require a change in the co-parenting plan. These include:
- A permanent change in work schedules
- A long-distance move
- A change in either parents ability to care for the children
- A change in the children’s needs due to their age, health, etc.
If changes need to be made, Dallas GA divorce attorneys can file a motion with the court to modify the co-parenting plan accordingly.
What Is Your Attorney’s Role In the Co-parenting Plan?
Your attorney will help you create a co-parenting plan based on your schedule, your needs and the needs of your children. They will also work with your ex’s attorney to negotiate the stipulations in the agreement to ensure both parents are happy with the outcome. The attorney will be there with you in court for a judge to sign-off on the agreement, making it legally binding.
If you need to create a co-parenting plan, the professionals at the Law Offices of William R. Pike Law LLC can help. We can help create a co-parenting plan that with make both parties happy.
You’ve probably heard of contempt of court, which basically refers to being disobedient or disrespectful towards the court and its officers, such as the judge, but did you know that there is also specifically such a thing as Contempt of Court with Child Custody?
As any family law attorney would tell you, such as a Paulding GA child custody attorney, this specific type of custody pertains to the offense of substantially interfering in a child custody or visitation rights.
For example, the custodial parent blocking visitation rights, or communication, with the other parent, which is otherwise allowed by the court can be found to be in contempt of court with child custody.
The parent seeking relief may resort to filing a case with the court, with the help of a Paulding child custody attorney.
Child Custody Laws in Georgia
In Georgia, judges involved in a child custody case are required to consider certain factors impacting the child’s best interests. These include each parent’s ability to care for the child, their physical and mental capacity, the strength of bonds with the child, and the kind of home environment they can provide for the child.
Both parents should have equal rights when it comes to arranging who takes custody of the child. But given the listed factors above, the court may also end up awarding sole custody to one parent instead, with the other merely being afforded visitation rights. Although one parent would have sole custody, the visitation rights awarded by the court must be faithfully enforced, to ensure that the parental rights of the non-custodial parent is retained. Otherwise, the case becomes ripe for contempt of court with child custody.
How a Lawyer Can Help
Contempt of court with child custody could have serious repercussions not only on both parents but the child itself. If the non-custodial parent feels that their visitation rights are indeed being infringed upon, then it is recommended to seek counsel from a Paulding County GA child custody attorney, such as those from William R. Pike Law LLC.
The lawyers can help file the case before the court, as well as present evidence proving the claim, so that the non-custodial parent can get the enforcement they need for the visitation rights.
Child custody is one of the more difficult points of contention during a divorce. Depending on how amicable or hostile the situation is, the couple may need to hire a Paulding GA child custody attorney as well to make sure they protect their parental rights.
That situation is pretty clear-cut, but what if the custody battle takes place outside of a divorce because the parents of the child are not married to begin with? Do unmarried mothers have to file for custody in court?
Child custody laws in Georgia for unmarried mothers
In Georgia, unmarried mothers get sole custody of the child by default, therefore they do not need to file for child custody. Instead, it is the father who would have to file for visitation rights with the court.
Even with the paternity established, this does not mean that the father can immediately have custody. The issues of custody and visitation have to be pursued and ordered separately, all thought such can be done in the same legal action.
Determining paternity can be as simple as having the father sign in the birth certificate recognizing the role. In case of doubt, genetic testing may also be completed, and then filed with the courts through the help of a Paulding child custody attorney.
How a lawyer can help
For child custody cases, whether or not the parents are married, it is advisable that they seek help from a Paulding County GA child custody attorney, such as those from William R. Pike Law LLC.
They can help file the necessary paperwork required by the court to facilitate the case, gather evidence to present viability for custody, as well as prepare strong arguments to support the case.
The court will be judging the matter of child custody based on the best interests of the child. It is therefore up to the non-custodial parent to make a strong case before the court so that they can earn more rights as a parent, and be given the opportunity to be with their child.
Do Unmarried Mothers have to file for custody?
Child custody is one of the more difficult points of contention during a divorce. Depending on how amicable or hostile the situation is, the couple may need to hire a Paulding GA child custody attorney as well to make sure they protect their parental rights.
That situation is pretty clear-cut, but what if the custody battle takes place outside of a divorce because the parents of the child are not married to begin with? Do unmarried mothers have to file for custody in court?
Child custody laws in Georgia for unmarried mothers
In Georgia, unmarried mothers get sole custody of the child by default, therefore they do not need to file for child custody. Instead, it is the father who would have to file for visitation rights with the court.
Even with the paternity established, this does not mean that the father can immediately have custody. The issues of custody and visitation have to be pursued and ordered separately, all thought such can be done in the same legal action.
Determining paternity can be as simple as having the father sign in the birth certificate recognizing the role. In case of doubt, genetic testing may also be completed, and then filed with the courts through the help of a Paulding child custody attorney.
How a lawyer can help
For child custody cases, whether or not the parents are married, it is advisable that they seek help from a Paulding County GA child custody attorney, such as those from William R. Pike Law LLC.
They can help file the necessary paperwork required by the court to facilitate the case, gather evidence to present viability for custody, as well as prepare strong arguments to support the case.
The court will be judging the matter of child custody based on the best interests of the child. It is therefore up to the non-custodial parent to make a strong case before the court so that they can earn more rights as a parent, and be given the opportunity to be with their child.
One of the most contentious issues during a divorce is child custody. This is because no parent is ever willing to let go of the custody of their child. That’s why the services of a Paulding divorce attorney are very important.
Types of child custody
There are two types of custody recognized by the state of Georgia – legal and physical custody. Physical custody is where a parent physically lives with a child. Both parents can share physical custody in what is known as joint custody or one parent may be granted sole custody rights.
In the case of joint custody, both parents have equal rights in terms of time spent with the child. For instance, one parent can stay with the child for four nights a week while the other gets three. Sometimes you will need a Paulding divorce lawyer to put such agreements in writing.
If one parent is granted physical custody of the child, then he or she will have a greater say in terms of legal, medical, educational or religious affairs of the child. But in most cases, a judge will issue joint child custody.
Best interest of the child
According to Georgia’s custody laws, a judge is supposed to make a custody decision based on a child’s best interests. It is also important to hire an experienced Paulding county child custody lawyer during the hearings.
A judge will also consider other factors such as the mental status of each parent, history of physical abuse, emotional ties of the parent to the child, the financial ability of each parent among others.
Another major factor that may determine the decision of the judge is how a Pauling county child custody attorney argues the case.
Parenting plans
The law of Georgia demands that parents filing for a divorce must present a parenting plan before the court as long as the child custody issue is in question. Having a qualified lawyer from Law Offices of William R. Pike Law will be an added advantage.
After a separation where a child is involved, the parents must figure out how time will be spent by the child with each of them. In many cases, it is difficult for the parents to reach this agreement on their own, so they must get the family court involved to make the decision. Prior to attending a hearing in front of a judge to state how the child’s time will be spent, it is best to consult a Paulding divorce attorney. A lawyer will help you to prepare your request for this arrangement to be presented to the judge.
Visitation and Custody
Custody is decided based on the best interest of the child and on which parent has offered the most care. The parent that is not granted physical custody — where the child will spend the majority of their time — is given visitation where they have time to spend with the minor child. In some instances, the visitation must be supervised and a judge will make this determination if the parent with visitation is a risk to the child’s safety. A Paulding divorce lawyer can help with this request if there is a concern for the child when they will be with the parent who has visitation rights.
If you have gone through Pauling County divorce mediation and still need further help from the family court to decide which parent will have custody and visitation, an attorney can help you. A Paulding County divorce lawyer will explain the entire process of how custody is decided and the type of information that you need to submit. They will also help you prepare the necessary forms and will be present in court when you have to go before the judge.
At the Law Offices of William R. Pike Law, our attorneys will help you get the parental visitation you are entitled to. Contact us for a consultation.
When you’re thinking about divorce, you might hear about uncontested divorce. The idea of not having the stress and strain of a long, drawn-out divorce process may sound great to you. How do you know if you qualify for a contested divorce?Is it right for you? The Dallas GA family lawyers at the Law Offices of William R. Pike explain.
Uncontested divorce criteria
The uncontested divorce criteria are child custody, child support, alimony and division of the assets. To have an uncontested divorce, the parties must agree about those four things. The parties don’t necessarily have to be happy with the agreement, but they have to be willing to settle the divorce on those terms. The parties may or may not choose to work with divorce attorneys in Dallas GA.
Eligibility for uncontested divorce
To to be eligible for an uncontested divorce, the parties must agree on four different topics:
Child custody
– Perhaps the most stressful thing in any divorce is the issue of child custody. To be eligible for an uncontested divorce, the parties must agree on a child custody order. The order may be general or specific.
Child support
– Although child support awards are guided by mathematical formulas, the parties can still agree on an appropriate amount. They must agree on child support in order to have an uncontested divorce.
Alimony
– To have an uncontested divorce, the parties must agree on whether either person pays alimony, how much they pay and in what duration.
Division of the assets
– Parties in an uncontested divorce must agree on how to divide assets like retirement plans, the value of the home and bank accounts.
Contact our Dallas GA family lawyers
The divorce attorneys in Dallas GA at the Law Offices of William R. Pike can assist you with your divorce. They can help you understand if you qualify for an uncontested divorce, and they can help you exercise your rights. Call today.
