Savannah Child Custody Lawyers
How to get Custody of your Child in Savannah
If you've got a child custody issue on your hands, then you are probably wondering, "how do I pick the best child custody lawyer in Savannah, Georgia for my case?" Child custody is a critically important area with a lot of nuances in the law. It's best to hire an attorney that focuses their practice on family law and has a lot of experience dealing with child custody. Meriwether & Tharp only practices child custody, divorce, and family law. M&T's Savannah child custody lawyers have been helping clients through difficult times for over 25 years. Read more about our Savannah location here.
The process of getting custody begins by focusing on how custody is determined. You will learn more about the first step of this process below. For now, think about whether you and your co-parent can agree on a custody arrangement. If not, your case will likely head to court to be decided by a Savannah Superior Court Judge in the county you live in whether that be Chatham County, Effingham County, or Bryan County. It may be helpful to start thinking about your visitation arrangement. Below is a chart with common visitation schedules. These schedules are not your only choices. They are just commonly used throughout Georgia. Your situation may call for something unique and different. Your lawyer can help you craft a schedule that best fits your needs.
How is Child Custody Determined in Savannah Georgia?
At a basic level, there are two ways that child custody in Savannah, Georgia is determined. First, we determine if the parents agree on how the custody arrangement will work. If the parents cannot agree on the custody arrangement for their children, then Child Custody will be decided in court by a judge who will look to the "best interest of the child" to determine the best child custody arrangement for your child.
What does "best interest of the child" mean exactly? This definition has been hotly debated in Georgia family law for many years. Notwithstanding, Georgia law provides a set of factors for judges to consider when making their decision on the "best interest of the child". You can read about each specific factor here.
What will my Child Custody Arrangement look like?
Below is table showing common visitation arraignments.
These arrangements are not guaranteed. They have been commonly used in the past
in Georgia and you use them to get an idea what visitation might look like for
you. Your child custody lawyer will help you craft an arrangement that best
fits your family's needs.