Family Law Resource Center FAQ’s

The FLRC team is committed to providing our community with continued access to justice so we are now offering our form services in an online, work from home, format. FLRC’s online court-approved form packets were created by a Georgia attorney with over 20 years of family law experience. Please read the Frequently Asked Questions below.

 

What services are available online?

FLRC has online form packets for the following actions:
Divorce with children;
Divorce – No children;
Modification of a final order in a divorce, custody or legitimation action;
Contempt – failure to follow a final or temporary order in a divorce, custody or legitimation action;
Answer to Divorce, Legitimation, Modification or Contempt;
Legitimation – MUST attend the online class first.

 

UNCONTESTED vs CONTESTED DIVORCE – How do I know which one to file?

1. To have an UNCONTESTED Georgia divorce, you and your spouse must agree on all issues in advance of filing the divorce proceedings. 

• • Uncontested – No Kids:  
    • You both sign a marital Settlement Agreement and your spouse will sign an Acknowledgement of Service in the presence of a notary and then your spouse will not be served by the sheriff.  
  •  Uncontested – with kids: 
    • You both sign a marital Settlement Agreement (3+ pages)
    •  You both sign a Parenting Plan (10 pages) and
    • You both will fill out a Child Support Worksheet (2 -4+ pages) and sign a Child Support Addendum (4 pages)
    • Your spouse will sign an Acknowledgement of Service (1 page) in the presence of a notary and then your spouse will not be served by the sheriff.  

*If you and your spouse do not agree on all issues and your spouse won’t sign ALL the documents above, you do not have an uncontested divorce.*  

2.  CONTESTED  divorce, you and your spouse do not agree on all issues and your spouse does not agree to sign all the papers set forth above in #1.  

• You will fill out all the required documents (same as above in #1) and have your spouse served with the documents.  It costs $50 to have the sheriff serve your spouse with the filed documents.
• The Parenting Plan and child Support Addendum will be filled out as your proposal to the court/your spouse.  

 

What counties do you service?

Our forms can be used for any county in the State of Georgia. Each County has its own local rules – ways they handle mediation, judge assignments, final hearings, classes, etc. We have the local forms for Chatham, Effingham, Bryan & Liberty counties. We are adding additional county local rules forms as quickly as possible. If your county is not listed here, you can use our forms but must check with your county clerk to see what additional forms are needed pursuant to its local rules.

Required Parenting Classes

Parents of minor children must take a 4-hour parenting class. The Mediation is now offering virtual classes during COVID-19. After restrictions are lifted, Chatham County requires all parenting classes to be attended in person. For the online Transitional Parenting class, please click here.
For the online Legitimation class, please click here:

How do I make an appointment for online services and how much does it cost to use Family Law Resource Center services? Click here.

Cost of Filing & Service

Once your paperwork is complete you must file it in the appropriate county.

In Chatham County, Georgia
· $215.00 to file an action
· $50.00 to serve by Sheriff
· $85 to serve by Publication in the Savannah Morning News

In Effingham County
· $210 for uncontested divorce
$260.00 for contested with Sheriff Service on Defendant
$80 for service by publication

In Liberty & Bryan Counties
· $211.00 to file an action
· $50.00 to serve by Sheriff
· $80.00 for service by publication

How do I get an uncontested hearing during COVID-19?

During COVID-19, the Chatham County Judges have approved a form that can be filed in lieu of attending the usual mandatory final uncontested hearing in court. This form is provided in the Family Law Resource Center’s uncontested forms packet. This form can be signed by the Judge 31 days after the completed and signed form packet is filed.

Does FLRC give me an attorney?

NO. The FLRC can guide and educate you about the process but CAN NOT and WILL NOT give you legal advice. If you need legal advice, we strongly recommend that you meet with or hire an attorney. If you have assets to divide we strongly suggest that you meet with an attorney. FLRC can email you a list of local family law attorneys and their fees.

Georgia Legal Terms & Definitions

CUSTODY:  Under Georgia law, both parents are equal when it comes to child custody arrangements.  Georgia awards two types of custody:  physical custody and legal custody.  In Georgia, the standard when deciding a custodial arrangement is what is in the best interests of the child.

• Primary Physical Custody – where the child primarily resides (more than 50% of the time)
• • Joint physical custody – the child lives with each parent approximately 50% of the time or close thereto. (Ex.  week on/week off or 3-4-4-3 custody arrangement)
  • Sole physical custody – the child lives with one parent and no visitation plan or a supervised visitation plan is set forth for the other parent. This is rare. The custodial parent must show that the non-custodial parent suffers from a mental illness, dependency, or some other circumstance that prevents that parent from being a good and safe parent for the child. 
• Legal Custody is decision making authority.  
  • Joint legal custody – this is the most common option.  The parents consult and confer regarding decisions about the child, specifically on the issues of: 
    • Education
    • Non-emergency medical
    • Religion
    • Extra-curricular
  • Tie-Breaking Authority:   In Georgia, if the parents can’t agree on the above-listed issues than a tie-breaker must be named.  Parents can divide the issues any way they want – 2 each, 3-1, or one parent gets all. 
  • Sole – this is the least common option. This parent has total control over decisions about the child and does not need to consult with the other parent when making decisions.