Asked in Child Custody for Georgia

Q: What would I need to do to get sole custody in Georgia?

I have joint custody with my ex. He no longer lives in ga and is over 20k behind on support. He has not made payment in one year. What steps would I need to make to get sole custody due to parental neglect? He does get them twice during the year.

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1 Lawyer Answer
Paula J. Mcgill
Paula J. Mcgill
Answered
  • Marietta, GA
  • Licensed in Georgia

A: If the father is $20,000 behind in child support, you should file a contempt action against him. In that same action, you can also file a petition to modify custody based upon his move out state. This move out of state should be considered a substantial change of circumstances.

You should be able to obtain full physical custody with some visitation to the father, but the court may allow him to retain shared legal custody. Consult with local attorney to determine if it will be worth your while to modify the current custody order.

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