If you have children and are subject to a Georgia child custody order, you can't just move away from your children's other parent. You need to make arrangements with the court to change your child custody and visitation arrangements.
If you are considering moving, or if your ex-spouse has threatened to relocate, you need an experienced family law attorney to advise you.
At Edwards & Associates, we have practiced exclusively in family law since 2001. We work to help parents involved in family law issues and to protect children who are caught in the middle of disputes. Contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
Seeking Modification of Custody Agreements, Decrees and Orders
Our attorneys have exceptionally broad experience. We have worked in 27 counties throughout Georgia and currently provide legal support in seven Georgia counties: Gwinnett, Cobb, Fulton, Forsyth, Clayton, Rockdale, and Dekalb.
This background working with judges and judicial officers throughout the state provides us with a clear understanding of how local judges interpret the law as it affects parents' ability to relocate with their children.
The biggest challenge is balancing parents' needs with what is best for the children. Custodial parents who need to move away will need to show the court why this would be in the child's best interest.
We have extensive experience demonstrating the need to modify child custody orders for a variety of reasons, including relocation.
For example, we represented a client who was laid off from work and could only find a job overseas. Since the other parent had been unable to hold a steady job over the course of years, we were able to prove that our client's child would benefit from the move. In other cases, we have been able to demonstrate moves would be beneficial when the other parent had a drug or alcohol addiction.
Fighting Relocations to Protect Children's Best Interests
When moving away is not in the children's best interest, we vigorously oppose petitions to allow parents to move away. Some parents think an opportunity elsewhere is in and of itself an appropriate reason to fundamentally alter their children's relationships with their other parents. It is not.
Some parents have even claimed they had no choice but to move away for a job opportunity when in fact they wished to move to join a new partner or spouse. In such cases, we have presented e-mail trails and messages left on Facebook or Match.com to judges to demonstrate the real motivation for the move. It is essential for the court to be given all the facts so it can determine how to protect the children's rights.
When considering parental relocation, the attorneys at our law firm actively seek evidence. We may meet with the child's teachers, church leaders or family friends to understand what is in the best interest of the child. When appropriate, we also meet with the child to understand his or her wishes.
