Your child’s busy school and activity schedules may seem complicated for you and your spouse to navigate. However, when a divorce is pending in Georgia, the parenting plan arrangements you must develop may be much more complex. The Maryland Judiciary explains that the Georgia statutes allow you and your spouse to each create your own parenting plan and submit it to the judge for the final decision. Alternately, you may work together to submit one that you both agree is in your child’s best interests.
The plan you develop should have a schedule of which parent will be providing care at any given time. The judge will want to know details about the pickup and drop-off times, locations and other arrangements, as well as any supervised visitation and access limitations, if appropriate. If you or your spouse is in the military, your parenting plan should include information about custody, visitation, communication and other issues that may arise before, during and after deployment.
Unless there is a situation involving abuse, the plan that you submit should demonstrate that you understand and are working toward your child’s best interests. This includes having adequate time to maintain a close bond with both you and the other parent. You should acknowledge that your spouse will need to make decisions about your child’s well-being while he or she is in that parent’s care, too.
The plan should demonstrate your willingness to be as flexible as possible as your child grows and the circumstances regarding custody shift accordingly. Although this information is provided to explain Georgia’s statute regarding parenting plans, it is educational in nature and should not be interpreted as legal advice.
