Crabapple Mother’s Rights Lawyer
If you are going through a divorce or custody dispute, you might be concerned if your spouse has more financial resources than you. The children’s father might argue that they could provide your children a better life than you can because of their greater earning power.
You need a dedicated child custody attorney who will fight to attach a reasonable value to all that you contribute to your household and your children’s lives. A Crabapple mother’s rights lawyer will ensure you receive appropriate child and spousal support. Our team will work to ensure your parenting plan allows you to continue being an involved, responsible parent.
The Child’s Best Interests Support Mother’s Rights
Whenever Georgia family courts consider a question involving children, they must determine what outcome supports their best interests. The child’s best interest is always more important than what the parents want or need.
If the family court must decide on child custody, visitation, and child support issues, the judge can look at various factors and give them whatever weight seems appropriate. According to the Official Code of Georgia § 19-9-3, the judge must consider each parent’s:
- Emotional ties and bonding with the child;
- Physical and mental health;
- Familiarity with the child and their emotional and physical needs;
- Ability to meet the child’s material needs, factoring in that one parent may pay child support;
- Ability to provide a nurturing and safe home environment;
- Involvement in the child’s social, educational, and extracurricular activities;
- Willingness to nurture and support the child’s relationship with their other parent.
If a legal professional can show that a mother was the parent most involved in the children’s day-to-day lives, they have an excellent chance of securing primary physical or joint custody. A Crabapple attorney will present compelling evidence that preserving a mother’s right to spend time with her children will provide them with the stability and familiarity they need.
What to Do if Joint Custody is Not Acceptable
In the past, Georgia courts favored giving child custody to the mother. The law is now gender-neutral and does not favor either parent. Judges are increasingly willing to support both parents having a significant role in raising their children.
If co-parents have mutual trust and respect and can communicate well, joint custody is often the best choice for everyone involved. However, a Crabapple mother’s rights attorney can argue for sole physical and legal custody if a co-parent is:
- Physically abusive;
- Neglectful of the children;
- Suffering from mental health or substance abuse issues;
- Involved in criminal activity;
- Incapable of providing a safe home for some other reason.
Georgia courts will not endanger children if it is established that the other parent is incapable of providing a safe and healthy environment. However, they will only block contact completely in rare circumstances. A family court will often allow an unsafe co-parent limited visitation, often with supervision, until they can prove that they have addressed and overcome the issue.
Property Division and Spousal Support
Spouses who gave up a career or education to raise their children need the judge to recognize their contributions and sacrifices. A Crabapple mother’s rights attorney will ensure the court considers these issues when making property division and spousal support decisions.
Georgia family law does not require spouses to split their assets 50/50. Instead, it enforces equitable distribution. This means the division must be fair given all the circumstances. The court will consider a mother’s contributions as a homemaker and primary caregiver to the children and recognize the financial compromises made in giving up a career or educational opportunities.
The property division arrangement and spousal support awards should allow individuals to move forward with a reasonable degree of financial security. Courts try to ensure that mothers and their children do not suffer a significant change in lifestyle after a divorce.
Trust a Crabapple Mother’s Rights Attorney to Fight for You
A mother’s place in a child’s life is important. While your right to custody used to be almost automatic, this is not the case anymore. You must show that being with you is in your children’s best interests.
A Crabapple mother’s rights lawyer knows how to help you reach your custody goals and ensure you have the financial means to provide for your children. Reach out to our firm today to speak with a compassionate and qualified member of our team.
