Chatham County, GA Child custody terms

by admin on February 11, 2010

Chatham County, GA Child custody terms

In child custody in Chatham County, GA , there are various terms that can get thrown around. Generally, it can be very easy to misunderstand what precisely these terms mean. Firstly, the term like “custody” has a literal meaning. When you have custody of something, it means that it is physically in your possession. However, some parents would talk about their children as being a “possession” in the way that jewelry or a car might be a possession. Custody, as connected with child custody, is a legal term, that carries with it very specific legal meanings and underpinnings and you shoud be know what a phrase like “full child custody” means.

In Chatham County, GA there are two specific concepts that child custody refers to. The first concept that child custody refers to is the area of legal responsibility and rights. Usually unless there is a compelling reason for the judge to hold otherwise, parents will hold joint legal custody of their children in a divorce. Both parents have the right and obligation to take decisions for the child in important fields like education, instruction in religion, and health care. If parents have shared or joint legal custody, both parents will have the full authority to act on the child’s behalf in these areas. Where only one parent has complete legal custody, then only that parent has the right to take such decisions. However, it is only in rare circumstances, like if one parent has been convicted of child abuse or endangerment, that there would be sole legal custody.

The second area that child custody refers to is physical custody. Having full physical custody of a child means that the child lives with you a vast majority of the time. However it does not mean that the non-custodial parent cannot see the child, or that the child cannot reside with the non-custodial parent. It merely indicates that the child lives with you primarily. The non-custodial parent shall still usually retain joint legal custody even if you have full child custody in the physical area. In addition, the non-custodial parent may still also have specific visitation rights that you should, by law, comply with even though if you have full physical child custody.

——————————
Savannah GA Divorce Lawyer
GA Uncontested Divorce – Georgia Contested Divorce
-

We specialize in: Georgia Separation Agreements – Spousal Support – Property Division – Alimony – Military Divorce – Contempt Actions in Divorce Cases, Uncontested Divorce, Savannah Georgia Noncontested divorce – Child Custody Attorney / Custody modification – Child Support Modification – Child Visitation

Savannah GA, Richmond Hill, GA, Fort Stewart, Hinesville, Georgia Family Law Lawyer

Comments on this entry are closed.

Previous post:

Next post: