Last updated on April 8, 2021
When a couple breaks up, they may wish to never see their former partner again. In many cases, this is possible, except if the couple has children. When couples have children they must co-parent despite the fact that they are no longer romantically linked. In this situation, the parents must either decide who will have physical custody over the children or a Georgia family law court will decide for them.
When family law courts have to step in to make child custody determinations, all decisions will be made in the best interest of the child. The court will look at a variety of factors to determine which parent is best suited to have primary physical custody over the children and which parent would be better suited with visitation. Once the court makes its decision, an order will be issued that each parent must follow.
However, it can be hard from some parents to accept what the court has asked them to do. Many may be tempted to take the law into their own hands. Recently, a Gwinnett County woman was found breaking a child custody order. In this case, a man had custody over a 22-month-old child. According to the man, the child’s mother had supervised visitation because of a history of drug use and abandonment.
During one of the woman’s recent supervised visits in Fairburn, the police say the woman took the young child. Police immediately began to search for the child and found the child safe a short time later in the mother’s Gwinnett County home. Police say they may arrest the woman and charge her with interfering with child custody or kidnapping. These criminal charges could carry significant penalties.
While parents may not like the exact terms of a child custody order, they should not take a child or otherwise break a child custody order. By disobeying the order, people could face criminal punishments and may find it more difficult to get custody in the future. Instead, people should seek a child custody modification which can help to change the terms of the existing child custody order.
Source: ALIVE 11, “Missing Fairburn child found safe in Gwinnett,” Marc McAfee, July 28, 2013
