Courts today are working hard to maintain a gender neutral perspective. However, if you are a father in Georgia, you may be facing some unique issues. At Coleman Legal Group, LLC we are trained and experienced in helping you achieve your parenting goals throughout and after your divorce. Our lawyers will provide you robust legal counsel and will advocate assertively on your behalf.
Here are some of the top issues fathers face in divorce:
• Paternity and Legitimation: If you are not married to your child’s mother and are seeking custody / visitation, you may need to first file a legitimation petition to establish your parental status. If you are denying a request for child support, you will need to prove the child is not yours.
• Physical Child Custody: Unless one parent abuses the child in any way, the courts will usually rule that it is in the best interests of the child to maintain a relationship with both parents. In granting custody, the court will generally decide that primary custody should go to the primary caregiver up until that point, regardless of the gender. Therefore, it will always help your case to prove that you have been significantly involved in your child’s life and upbringing.
• Visitation: If you are not seeking primary physical custody or are not awarded it, our attorneys can help you craft the best visitation plan based on your desires and schedule.
• Legal Custody: This is the second type of custody, primary custody being the first. Legal custody entails the right to decide important legal matters for the child, such as religious upbringing, educational and medical needs, etc. Parents are usually awarded joint legal custody.
• Child Support: The amount of support you will need to pay or will be entitled to receive will depend on a variety of factors, such as how much you and your wife earn, what your parenting schedules look like, etc. Georgia has a child support worksheet you and your spouse will need to fill out in order to calculate the amount you will owe or receive.
• Modifications: We are here to help protect your parental rights for the long haul; if your circumstances have changed due to relocation, job loss, or any other reason, we will help you bring or respond to a modification action.
