Hiring a Child Custody Lawyer in Georgia
How courts in Georgia decide custody, emergency custody, parenting classes, how to check a lawyer's license, and free or low-cost family law help. We do not recommend or rank lawyers.
What a lawyer costs in Georgia: fee rules
| If you disagree with a lawyer's bill | The State Bar of Georgia's Fee Arbitration Program handles fee disputes between lawyers and clients (and between lawyers). It is free to clients and lawyers in attorney/client disputes. Participation is a choice, but the program offers only binding arbitration, so both sides agree to be bound by the award. Most hearings use a panel of two lawyers and one non-lawyer. Start with a Petition for Fee Arbitration. Phone: 404-527-8750. |
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| If a lawyer takes your money | The State Bar of Georgia Clients' Security Fund, created in 1968, can reimburse eligible clients who lost money through a Georgia lawyer's dishonest conduct in a lawyer-client relationship. The lawyer must have been disbarred, indefinitely suspended or voluntarily surrendered the license (unless deceased). Malpractice and insured or bonded losses are excluded. There is no fixed cap on the page: the Board of Trustees sets amounts based on available funds, number of claims and work the lawyer actually did, and claims are typically not paid in full. Apply no later than two years after the Supreme Court of Georgia's final disciplinary action; no filing fee is listed. |
Georgia rules to know first
| How custody is decided | The judge decides custody based solely on the best interest of the child. Neither parent has a presumed right to custody. The judge may order sole custody, joint legal custody, joint physical custody, or a combination. Factors include emotional bonds, each parent's capacity to care for the child, stability, health, involvement in the child's life, willingness to support the child's relationship with the other parent, and any family violence. A child 14 or older may choose which parent to live with, and that choice is presumptive unless it is not in the child's best interest. For a child aged 11 to 13, the judge considers the child's wishes but they are not controlling. Each parent must submit a parenting plan in permanent custody cases. Statute read on FindLaw (unofficial mirror, current as of March 28, 2024). Rule 24.10 read in the official Uniform Superior Court Rules (April 9, 2026). Source: O.C.G.A. § 19-9-3(a); Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.10 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
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| Emergency custody | Under Georgia's interstate custody law, a Georgia court has temporary emergency jurisdiction if the child is present in Georgia and has been abandoned, or emergency action is needed to protect the child because the child, a sibling or a parent is being mistreated or abused or threatened with it. If another state has jurisdiction, the Georgia order lasts only until an order is obtained from that state within the period the court sets. Source: O.C.G.A. § 19-9-64 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
| Parenting classes | Each superior court circuit may set up a seminar on the effects of divorce on children, and the judge may order any or all parties in a domestic relations case to attend a seminar of up to 4 hours. A fee may be charged, with a waiver for indigent parties. The judge may waive attendance for good cause, and failing to complete it can delay the final decree or lead to contempt. Whether the seminar is required depends on the circuit. Source: Uniform Superior Court Rule 24.8 |
| Grandparents' rights | A grandparent may file an original action for visitation, and grandparents, great-grandparents, and siblings may join an existing custody or divorce case. An original action is not allowed if the parents are not separated and the child lives with both. The court may grant visitation only if it finds by clear and convincing evidence that the child's health or welfare would be harmed without it and that visitation is in the child's best interest. A grandparent may file an original action only once every 2 years. Unofficial mirror (FindLaw), current as of March 28, 2024. Source: O.C.G.A. § 19-7-3 (secondary source: public copy of the state code; check the official code) |
Find and check a lawyer
| Lawyer referral service | The State Bar of Georgia says it "is not able to directly refer clients to lawyers." It offers the ReliaGuide Enhanced Directory to search for lawyers by type of law, and points people to the referral services run by many local and voluntary bar associations (it links a list of referral services that comply with Bar Rule 7.3(c)(2)). |
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| Check that the lawyer is licensed | The State Bar of Georgia offers an online Member Directory with basic and advanced search for looking up Georgia lawyers. |
| Check discipline history or file a complaint | Grievances about Georgia lawyers are filed online with the State Bar of Georgia's Office of the General Counsel (OGC). An OGC attorney reviews each grievance to see whether it shows a possible violation of the Georgia Rules of Professional Conduct; grievances outside its jurisdiction or without sufficient evidence or merit are dismissed. If a possible violation appears, the grievance is sent to the lawyer for a response, and those that appear to involve a violation go to the State Disciplinary Board for investigation. The lawyer will likely see what you submit. State Bar: 104 Marietta St. NW, Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30303; 404-527-8700 or 800-334-6865. Online grievance portal: https://portals.georgiabar.org/ogc/grievance |
Free legal help
| Free legal aid | Georgia's LSC-funded legal aid organizations are Atlanta Legal Aid Society and Georgia Legal Services Program, which give free civil legal help to eligible low-income people. The State Bar of Georgia points people to GeorgiaLegalAid.org for a complete directory of civil legal assistance programs, and to the Pro Bono Resource Center (co-sponsored by Georgia Legal Services Program and the State Bar) at 404-527-8763. The Bar warns that many businesses advertise "legal aid" online, so ask whether a service is free. Bar page: https://www.gabar.org/public/legal-aid---pro-bono-resource-center |
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Last verified against official sources: October 27, 2026.
How we source this page: each state-specific rule links to the statute, court rule or official government page it comes from. A rule taken from a public copy of a state code (used only where the official code is not freely readable online) is marked as a secondary source. Spot an error? Use the contact page to report it. About our sources
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.