7 Ways to Use the Custody X Change App in Georgia
The Custody X Change app allows Georgians to create parenting plans and visitation schedules with guidance and flexibility.
It can help parents who represent themselves, those with lawyers and those who use alternative dispute resolution methods to seek an agreement.
Custody X Change professional software is commonly used by lawyers and others working in family law, as well.
Below, find seven ways to use the Custody X Change app in Georgia.
1. Make your required parenting plan
Every custody case requires parents to submit a parenting plan. The judge considers these plans when deciding the details of your final order. Use the Custody X Change parenting plan template to create a thorough, polished document that will make an impression on the judge.
2. Present options to the other parent
Explaining what you want for your children can feel like a herculean effort until you put it on paper. Use Custody X Change to create not only a detailed parenting plan, but also a custody schedule in written and visual form. Share all this with the other parent to help them understand your views.
You should bring your Custody X Change documents with you whenever you discuss custody with the other parent, whether it's in mediation, collaborative law, an informal meeting, etc.
3. Journal evidence
You can use your Custody X Change custody journal to present organized details about your family life in court or in negotiations. Note attending your children's sporting events, helping with homework and more to show how you care for your children.
You can also use the journal to log issues with the other parent. This evidence can prove essential not only when you first go to court, but also when you need to modify or enforce orders.
4. Track actual parenting time
The amount of time you spend with your children can impact the judge's decision. With Custody X Change, you can display parenting time on a color-coded calendar to show who's been caring for your children hour by hour.
After you receive a court order, use Custody X Change to compare the time you were awarded with the time you really receive. Mark your calendar when a parent is late for an exchange or cancels a visit, then print a report calculating the effect on parenting time.
This data is critical when the judge considers how temporary orders have worked before reaching a final decision, when you want to modify custody orders and when the judge or jury decides your child support obligation.
5. File as part of a settlement
If you and the other parent reach an understanding, you can file a settlement with the court to make it a final order. Submit your Custody X Change parenting plan to detail the agreement in a personalized and court-compliant format. You can use the Custody X Change parenting plan template in place of or along with Georgia's uncontested parenting plan.
6. Prepare a court order
If the judge rules in your favor after a trial, they may ask you or your attorney to write up the ruling. They'll give you a written decision you can use to fill in the form for your type of case:
Then, use Custody X Change or the court's parenting plan template to write out the specifics of the court-ordered custody arrangement. You'll also attach a Child Support Worksheet from Georgia's child support calculator and a copy of the state's child support table.
File the completed paperwork in the courthouse where your case was heard.
7. Implement court orders
It's crucial that you follow your court order to the letter. A parent who repeatedly violates an order can be summoned back to court or even charged with a crime.
Many parents have an especially hard time understanding orders for physical custody and visitation. When exactly does "Week 2" begin this month? Which day is considered the middle of winter break?
Use Custody X Change to transform your order into a shareable calendar with notifications so you'll never have to wonder whether you're staying in compliance.