Alpharetta Legal Custody Lawyer
Legal custody is the power to make decisions regarding a child. This ranges from decisions about where a child will go to school to how involved in religion they will be. As these decisions can become points of contention when parents have differing opinions, a comprehensive custody plan can help avoid future issues.
An Alpharetta legal custody lawyer can help you find an arrangement that meets your family’s unique needs. By working with our team of dedicated child custody attorneys, you can effectively plan for future issues and make sure that your children’s needs are met.
What is Legal Custody?
As defined by Alpharetta child custody law, legal custody is the ability to make decisions regarding the children, directly communicate with doctors and teachers, and obtain information from all individuals who might be involved with the children. Most families in Alpharetta have joint legal custody, which means both parents can be involved in these decisions. However, when parents do not agree on what is best for their child, one parent would be able to make the final decision.
There are four categories of decisions that fall under legal custody: health, education, extracurricular activities, and religion. The court could give one parent precedence in all of those categories or divide them between the parents. An Alpharetta legal custody attorney can help find a solution that meets your family’s unique needs.
Factors Impacting Legal Custody Arrangements in Alpharetta
Judges generally award joint legal custody unless there are factors that would prevent them from giving custody to one parent. The bigger question in determining an arrangement is usually who is going to have final decision-making authority and how the parents are going to split up the legal custody categories.
The most important factor for judges when dividing custody is how much time the children will spend with each parent. The parent who spends more time with the children may have the power to make more important decisions.
A judge would also consider how each parent has been involved with the children. For example, whether one parent was more involved in the children’s religious upbringing or education would have an impact on how those categories were divided.
When the Child No Longer Needs to be in Legal Custody
The age the child no longer needs to be in the legal custody of one of their parents is 18. Sometimes, there is a need for a child to have a guardian at 18, for example, if a child has special needs. Parents can consult an Alpharetta attorney about factors affecting legal custody arrangements.
An Alpharetta Legal Custody Attorney Can Help
Decisions about health, education, extracurricular activities, and religion can have a huge impact on your child for years to come. This is what makes the idea of legal custody is so important. When reaching a plan it is essential to consider not only each parent’s wishes but also the best interests of the child.
An Alpharetta legal custody lawyer can help guide you through the process. Call today to speak with a member of our team to learn more.
