Divorce for Men in Cobb County
Divorce is a difficult transition for everyone, but men often fear it more than is necessary. Divorce laws are now gender-neutral, and most judges recognize the financial and other contributions both spouses make to a home and family.
You will probably feel more confident working with a lawyer with significant experience with divorce for men in Cobb County. Our attorneys can ensure your divorce is fair and the settlement meets your financial and parenting goals.
The Law Respects a Father’s Rights
The Official Code of Georgia §19-9-3 states courts may not favor either gender in child custody decisions. All decisions regarding where children live and how much time they spend with their other parent must be based on the children’s best interests.
A judge can consider any factor they deem relevant when making custody decisions. Each parent’s involvement with their children and their capacity to meet the children’s physical, emotional, and educational needs are paramount. When a child is 14 or older, they can decide which parent they live with. The family court will award custody according to the child’s wishes unless the judge finds that living with the parent the child chose is contrary to the child’s best interests.
It is usually easier for everyone when parents can work together to develop a plan to co-parent their children. A family judge must review the parenting plan a couple agrees to and typically approves it unless the judge finds that it does not support the children’s best interests. A Cobb County attorney can help a father prepare a parenting plan that allows them as much participation in their children’s lives as they desire and can provide after a divorce.
Financial Settlements Should Be Fair to Both Parties
In the days when women rarely worked outside the home, men often felt the divorce laws unfairly burdened them financially. The laws now consider each spouse’s financial and non-financial contributions to the home and the marriage when deciding property division.
Both spouses have an interest in all the property they acquired as a couple or individually during the marriage. It does not matter who paid for the property or whose name is on the title. Each spouse can keep the property they owned when they got married and the gifts and inheritances they received while married.
The law requires an equitable division of marital property, not an equal division. The percentage each spouse takes from the marriage can be different, as long as the division is fair considering all the circumstances. A Cobb County attorney can help negotiate a financial settlement that allows a man to preserve as much of their wealth as possible in their specific situation.
Negotiation and Compromise Make a Divorce Easier
Some couples resolve all their issues before either spouse files for divorce. These couples could seek an uncontested divorce, which is usually much quicker and faster than a contested divorce.
Most couples have lingering disagreements that they must settle during the divorce process. Judges in Cobb County encourage divorcing men and women to resolve their issues outside of court, either through direct negotiations or through their respective attorneys. Judges usually order the couple to try alternative dispute resolution before scheduling a trial date.
Negotiated divorce settlements more accurately reflect the parties’ preferences, practical needs, strengths, and weaknesses. They are almost always more workable and satisfactory than a settlement a judge imposes. Taking an uncompromising position might feel good in the moment, but in the end, working toward a negotiated agreement is more empowering.
Contact an Attorney Who Understands Men’s Concerns About Divorce
When you are going through a disorienting experience like a divorce, you need legal counsel who is attuned to your concerns. Work with an attorney who is committed to ensuring you emerge from your divorce in a good position to begin your new life.
Divorce for men in Cobb County allows you to retain a fair portion of your property and remain an involved father. Reach out today to get started.
