Child Custody Lawyer in NW Georgia

Legal Help for Child Custody and Parenting Plans in Northwest Georgia

Child custody issues are some of the most emotionally charged and legally complex matters in family law. Whether you're going through a divorce or seeking to modify an existing custody order, you need a lawyer who will fight for your parental rights while keeping your child’s best interests at the center of every decision.

At Walt Moffitt Law, we provide clear, compassionate legal guidance for parents navigating custody matters in Catoosa, Walker, Dade, Whitfield, and Chattooga counties. We know how deeply you care about your children—and we work hard to protect your time, your voice, and your future with them.

We offer free consultations to help you understand your custody rights and your legal options.

Understanding Custody in Georgia

Georgia recognizes two types of custody:

• Legal custody refers to who makes major decisions about the child’s education, healthcare, religion, and more.



• Physical custody refers to where the child lives and the day-to-day parenting schedule.

Custody may be joint (shared by both parents) or sole (granted primarily to one parent), depending on what’s in the best interest of the child. Georgia law requires that both parents submit a Parenting Plan that outlines how custody, visitation, holidays, and decision-making responsibilities will be shared.

We Help with All Aspects of Child Custody

Whether you're establishing custody for the first time or facing challenges after a custody agreement is in place, Walt Moffitt Law can help. We represent clients in:

Initial Custody Determinations

If you're divorcing or separating and have children, we’ll help you create a detailed parenting plan that reflects your child's needs and your role in their life.

Modifications of Existing Orders

Circumstances change. If you or your ex has relocated, remarried, or experienced a significant life change, we can help you pursue or defend a modification to your custody or visitation arrangement.

Visitation and Parenting Time

We help parents negotiate fair, age-appropriate visitation schedules that support healthy parent-child relationships—even in high-conflict cases.

Emergency Custody & Enforcement

If your child is in danger or your co-parent is violating a court order, we act quickly to file for emergency relief or enforce an existing agreement.

Best Interests of the Child: What the Court Considers

Georgia courts focus on one key question in determining child custody: What’s best for the child? To answer that, judges may consider factors like:

• The emotional bond between parent and child
• Each parent’s ability to provide stability
  
• The child’s current routine, school, and community
  
• Any history of abuse, neglect, or substance abuse
  
• Each parent’s willingness to support the child’s relationship with the other parent
  
• In some cases, the child’s own preferences, if they’re over age 14

We help you build a strong, well-documented case that reflects your strengths as a parent and shows the court why your proposed custody arrangement supports your child’s best interests.