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Rule 24.10 – Parenting Plans

May 11, 2021 | Civil Procedure, Georgia

In all cases involving permanent custody or custody modification (except when a parent seeks emergency relief for family violence), each parent shall prepare and submit a parenting plan, or the parties may jointly submit a parenting plan, as directed by the judge.

The parenting plan should be tailored to fit the needs of each individual family but must at a minimum contain the information required by OCGA § 19-9-1(b) and be presented in substantially the following form:

__________________COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

STATE OF GEORGIA

)

______________________, Plaintiff )

Civil Action

)

vs.

Case No. ___________

)

______________________, Defendant )

)

PARENTING PLAN

( ) The parties have agreed to the terms of this plan and this information has been furnished by both parties to meet the requirements of OCGA § 19-9-1. The parties agree on the terms of the plan and affirm the accuracy of the information provided, as shown by their signatures at the end of this order.

( ) This plan has been prepared by the judge.

This plan

( ) is a new plan.

( ) modifies an existing Parenting Plan dated ___________.

( ) modifies an existing Order dated __________________.

Child’s Name Year of Birth
I. Custody and Decision Making:

A. Legal Custody shall be (choose one:)

( ) with the Mother

( ) with the Father

( ) Joint

B. Primary Physical Custodian

For each of the children named below the primary physical custodian shall be:

_________________ y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_________________ y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_________________ y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_________________ y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_________________ y/o/b: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint

WHERE JOINT PHYSICAL CUSTODY IS CHOSEN BY THE PARENTS OR ORDERED BY THE COURT, A DETAILED PLAN OF THE LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF THE CHILD(REN) SHALL BE ATTACHED AND MADE A PART OF THIS PARENTING PLAN.

C. Day-To-Day Decisions

Each parent shall make decisions regarding the day-to-day care of a child while the child is residing with that parent, including any emergency decisions affecting the health or safety of a child.

D. Major Decisions

Major decisions regarding each child shall be made as follows:

Educational decisions ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
Non-emergency health care ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
Religious upbringing ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
Extracurricular activities ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_____________________ ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
_____________________ ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Joint
E. Disagreements

Where parents have elected joint decision making in Section I.D above, please explain how any disagreements in decision-making will be resolved.

______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

II. Parenting Time/Visitation Schedules

A. Parenting Time/Visitation

During the term of this parenting plan the non-custodial parent shall have at a minimum the following rights of parenting time/visitation (choose an item):

( ) The weekend of the first and third Friday of each month.

( ) The weekend of the first, third, and fifth Friday of each month.

( ) The weekend of the second and fourth Friday of each month.

( ) Every other weekend starting on __________.

( ) Each _________ starting at _________a.m./p.m. and ending __________ a.m./p.m.

( ) Other: ______________________________________________________

( ) and weekday parenting time/visitation on (choose an item):

( ) None

( ) Every Wednesday evening

( ) Every other Wednesday during the week prior to a non-visitation weekend.

( ) Every ___________________ and _____________ evening.

( ) Other: ______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

For purposes of this parenting plan, a weekend will start at ______ a.m./p.m. on [Thursday/ Friday/Saturday/Other: _____________ ] and end at _______ a.m./p.m. on [Sunday/Monday/ Other: _________________ ].

Weekday visitation will begin at _____ a.m./p.m. and will end [___p.m. / when the child(ren) return(s) to school or day care the next morning / Other:________ ].

This parenting schedule begins:

( ) ____________________ (day and time) OR ( ) date of the Court’s Order

B. Major Holidays and Vacation Periods

Thanksgiving

The day to day schedule shall apply unless other arrangements are set forth:

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

beginning ____________________________________________________________________.

Winter Vacation

The ( ) mother ( ) father shall have the child(ren) for the first period from the day and time school is dismissed until December ______ at _____ a.m./p.m. in ( ) odd numbered years ( ) even numbered years ( ) every year. The other parent will have the child(ren) for the second period from the day and time indicated above until 6:00 p.m. on the evening before school resumes. Unless otherwise indicated, the parties shall alternate the first and second periods each year.

Other agreement of the parents:

Summer Vacation

Define summer vacation period: _______________________________________________

The day to day schedule shall apply unless other arrangements are set forth: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ beginning _____________________.

Spring Vacation (if applicable)

Define:________________________________________________________________________

The day to day schedule shall apply unless other arrangements are set forth: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ beginning _____________________.

Fall Vacation (if applicable)

Define:________________________________________________________________________

The day to day schedule shall apply unless other arrangements are set forth: ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ beginning _____________________.

C. Other Holiday Schedule (if applicable)

Martin Luther King Day _________________ _________________
Presidents’ Day _________________ _________________
Mother’s Day _________________ _________________
Memorial Day _________________ _________________
Father’s Day _________________ _________________
July Fourth _________________ _________________
Labor Day _________________ _________________
Halloween _________________ _________________
Child(ren)’s Birthday(s)
Mother’s Birthday _________________ _________________
Father’s Birthday _________________ _________________
Religious Holidays: _________________ _________________
________________
________________
________________ _________________ _________________
________________ _________________ _________________
Other: _________________ _________________
________________ _________________ _________________
_________________ _________________
Other: _________________ _________________
________________
Other: _________________ _________________
________________
D. Other extended periods of time during school, etc. (refer to the school schedule)

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

E. Start and end dates for holiday visitation

For the purposes of this parenting plan, the holiday will start and end as follows (choose one):

( ) Holidays that fall on Friday will include the following Saturday and Sunday

( ) Holidays that fall on Monday will include the preceding Saturday and Sunday

( ) Other: ______________________________________________________________________

F. Coordination of Parenting Schedules

Check if applicable:

( ) The holiday parenting time/visitation schedule takes precedence over the regular parenting time/visitation schedule.

( ) When the child(ren) is/are with a parent for an extended parenting time/visitation period (such as summer), the other parent shall be entitled to visit with the child(ren) during the extended period, as follows:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

G. Transportation Arrangements

For visitation, the place of meeting for the exchange of the child(ren) shall be:

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

The ___________ will be responsible for transportation of the child at the beginning of visitation. The ___________ will be responsible for transportation of the child at the conclusion of visitation. Transportation costs, if any, will be allocated as follows: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Other provisions: _______________________________________________________________

H. Contacting the Child

When the child or children are in the physical custody of one parent, the other parent will have the right to contact the child or children as follows:

( ) Telephone

( ) Other:______________________________________________________________________

( ) Limitations on contact:

______________________________________________________________________________

I. Supervision of Parenting Time (if applicable)

( ) Check here if applicable

Supervised parenting time shall apply during the day-to-day schedule as follows:

Place: _______________________________________________________

Person/Organization supervising: _________________________________

Responsibility for cost: ( ) Mother ( ) Father ( ) Both equally

J. Communication Provisions

Please check:

( ) Each parent shall promptly notify the other parent of a change of address, phone number or cell phone number. A parent changing residence must give at least 30 days notice of the change and provide the full address of the new residence.

( ) Due to prior acts of family violence, the address of the child(ren) and victim of family violence shall be kept confidential. The protected parent shall promptly notify the other parent, through a third party, of any change in contact information necessary to conduct visitation.

III. Access to Records and Information

Rights of the Parents

Absent agreement to limitations or court ordered limitations, pursuant to OCGA § 19-9-1(b) (1) (D), both parents are entitled to access to all of the child(ren)’s records and information, including, but not limited to, education, health, extracurricular activities, and religious communications. Designation as a non-custodial parent does not affect a parent’s right to equal access to these records.

Limitations on Access Rights: _____________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Other Information Sharing Provisions: ________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

IV. Modification of Plan or Disagreements

Parties may, by mutual agreement, vary the parenting time/visitation; however, such agreement shall not be a binding court order. Custody shall only be modified by court order.

Should the parents disagree about this parenting plan or wish to modify it, they must make a good faith effort to resolve the issue between them.

V. Special Considerations

Please attach an addendum detailing any special circumstances of which the Court should be aware (e.g., health issues, educational issues, etc.) ______________________________________________________________________________

VI. Parents’ Consent

Please review the following and initial:

1. We recognize that a close and continuing parent-child relationship and continuity in the child’s life is in the child’s best interest.

Mother’s Initials: ___________ Father’s Initials: ____________

2. We recognize that our child’s needs will change and grow as the child matures; we have made a good faith effort to take these changing needs into account so that the need for future modifications to the parenting plan are minimized.

Mother’s Initials: ____________ Father’s Initials: ____________

3. We recognize that the parent with physical custody will make the day-to-day decisions and emergency decisions while the child is residing with such parent.

Mother’s Initials: __________ Father’s Initials: _____________

( ) We knowingly and voluntarily agree on the terms of this Parenting Plan. Each of us affirms that the information we have provided in this Plan is true and correct.

______________________________ ______________________________
Mother’s Signature Father’s Signature

_______________________________

ORDER

The Court has reviewed the foregoing Parenting Plan, and it is hereby made the order of this Court.

This Order entered on _____________________________________, 20 __.

__________________________________
JUDGE
_________ COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Ga. R. Sup. Ct. 24.10

Adopted effective May 1, 2008; amended effective September 18, 2014.