Parents should not have to spend hours searching the internet, calling multiple offices, visiting different courthouses, or relying on social media just to figure out how to handle basic matters involving their children.

I started making videos about Georgia’s child support and family court processes because I realized how confusing the system can be for everyday parents. One of my videos explains the process of seeking a child abandonment warrant for nonsupport, but the bigger issue goes far beyond child abandonment.

Parents need clear information explaining the differences between child support, child abandonment, custody, visitation, legitimation, contempt, modification, and where to go and what steps to take for each one.

These are not all the same legal process. For example, Georgia’s Division of Child Support Services handles establishing and enforcing financial support, while custody proceedings are generally filed through Superior Court. Georgia also has separate rules concerning legitimation and parenting plans.  The information exists, but parents often have to piece it together from different agencies, court websites, county resources, forms, and instructions. Georgia Courts itself provides separate self-help sections for divorce, legitimation, child custody, parenting plans, and child support. 

A parent seeking help should be able to easily answer basic questions:

What type of case do I need to file?
Which court or agency handles it?
What forms do I need?
What documents should I bring?
What does it cost to file?
How does the other parent get served?
What happens after I file?
Where can I get help if I cannot afford an attorney?
Parents should also receive a simple explanation of what will and will not be decided in the proceeding they are filing.

What I’m Asking Georgia to Do

I am asking Georgia’s courts and appropriate state agencies to provide a clear, centralized, plain-language guide for parents dealing with child support, custody, visitation, legitimation, child abandonment, contempt, and related family-law matters.

The guide should explain the purpose of each process, which court or agency handles it, basic eligibility requirements, where and how to file, forms and documents that may be required, service requirements, potential fees, and what generally happens next.

It should also clearly direct parents to the correct process when their issue belongs somewhere else.

Georgia already provides self-help resources, and DCSS provides information about its seven-step child-support process. The goal is not to replace those resources or legal advice. The goal is to make the starting point simple, organized, and easy for parents to find and understand. 

Parents who cannot afford an attorney should not feel completely lost trying to navigate matters involving their own children. Parents who can represent themselves should have understandable information that helps them determine the appropriate next step.

Families need clearer directions, easier access to information, and a system parents can understand before they ever walk into a courtroom.

If you believe Georgia parents deserve a clearer and more accessible way to understand child support and family court processes, please sign and share this petition.