Divorce for Men in Buckhead
Divorce is one of the most stressful events most people ever experience. For a man, divorce often means worries about preserving their role as an influential father figure and maintaining financial stability.
When you decide to end your marriage, work with a local family attorney with experience handling divorces for men in Buckhead. Our team can discuss your goals in the divorce and help you meet them and move forward into a new phase of life.
Defend Your Right to Be an Active Parent
The law regarding child custody in Georgia is gender-neutral. The Official Code of Georgia § 19-9-3 (a)(1) specifically says that judges may not make gender-based custody decisions. However, you might still be concerned that the judge will find reasons to place the children with their mother.
The law requires judges to make the decision that serves the best interests of the children. If you have a close relationship with your children, have been involved in their activities, and can provide a safe and stable home, you have an excellent chance at getting joint custody or an arrangement that allows you frequent and substantial contact with your children. If you are unhappy with the initial custody determination, you do not have to live with it forever. You may petition the court to modify the arrangement when a significant change in circumstances occurs.
Custody issues can be more challenging if you have a provable history of domestic violence or substance abuse. However, they can be overcome. A Buckhead men’s divorce attorney can explain the steps you have taken to address the issue. They might also request that the judge appoint a guardian ad litem to evaluate your home and your spouse’s, get to know your children, and present an opinion about whether you are fit for custody.
Retain a Fair Share of Your Property
The property you entered the marriage with is still your property, and your spouse has no claim on it unless you treated it as marital property. Anything you or your spouse acquired during the marriage, singly or as a couple, is marital property and the law requires an equitable split of all mutually owned items. It is important to note that equitable does not always mean 50/50.
When judges must make decisions on dividing marital property, they consider how long you were married, the contributions each of you made to the household, whether either of you gave up career or educational attainments for child-rearing, and similar issues. The judge will also consider each spouse’s education, work history, health, and capacity to be self-supporting.
Modern Rules for Alimony
Supporting two households on the income that used to support only one is challenging for many couples. Spousal support is sometimes available to the spouse with less means, but only when the requesting spouse can demonstrate that they have a need, and the other spouse can afford to pay. Gender does not impact alimony decisions.
In general, Georgia courts are reluctant to award alimony when a marriage lasts less than ten years. Alimony is more likely in longer marriages, but the family courts usually order payments for a limited time. A Buckhead men’s divorce attorney can help you request or defeat a request for alimony.
Negotiated Settlements Allow More Control
Sometimes divorcing spouses are bitter and might refuse to compromise or even speak with each other in a civil tone. Stridency and aggression are often counter-productive in divorce proceedings. When you cannot reach agreements on relevant issues with your spouse, a judge will make them for you, and you might both be displeased.
Negotiating a parenting plan and property division arrangement allows you to maintain control. You will certainly have to concede some issues, but you can decide when to bend and when to hold firm. A skilled mediator can help you and your spouse negotiate a workable divorce settlement, or your attorneys could work together to reach a settlement before the court holds a trial.
Avoiding a trial should be a priority for both of you. Divorce trials are time-consuming, expensive, and public. Parents often become stressed and that makes it difficult for the children. Taking the high road and working together to find solutions rather than taking the divorce to trial pays off in multiple ways.
Get Help With Your Divorce From a Buckhead Attorney
Getting divorced is never easy, but it does not have to be an ordeal. Men can emerge from divorce with stable finances and a close, healthy relationship with their children.
Working with an experienced legal professional makes everything easier. Contact the Atlanta Divorce Law Group today to learn more about divorce for men in Buckhead.
